appointments for opioid prescriptions be limited solely to that end (unless the doctor you see for manipulation hasn't jumped through the hoops to prescribe pain meds - if you're seeing two docs, and only one can prescribe pain meds, you're out of luck).
Here's the relevant portion of the best practices guidance to physicians:
Chronic Pain Prescriptions: If continuing treatment for three months or more, practitioner shall: (1) review every three months the course of treatment, any new information regarding etiology of pain and progress toward treatment objectives; (2) assess patient prior to every renewal to determine if patient is experiencing dependency and document assessment; (3) periodically make reasonable efforts, unless clinically contraindicated to stop, decrease dosage or try other treatment modalities; (4) review PMP; (5) monitor compliance with pain management agreement. 63 O.S. §2-309I(F). *Assessment may be performed by a mid-level PA/APRN. Face-to-face assessment is recommended but not required.
...
Patient-Provider Agreement [Pain Management Agreement]: Practitioner shall enter into a Patient-Provider Agreement [Pain Management Agreement] with a patient: (1) at the time of the third prescription for opioid or Schedule II drug; (2) If patient requires more than three months of pain management; (3) if patient is prescribed benzodiazepines and opioids together; (4) if patient requires more than 100 mg morphine milligram equivalents (MME); (5) If patient is pregnant; or (6) with the parent or guardian if the patient is a minor. 63 O.S. §2-309I(I); 63 O.S. §2-309I(B)(6),(7)
Perhaps it is an office policy - or an insurance requirement? If the former is the case, you may be able to get around it by changing practitioners (not necessarily a happy option); if it is by the latter, you are stuck with insurance company rules.
Not meaning to be a pain - but you shouldn't be reqiured to pay for (and go to the trouble of having) two separate appointments, when it does not appear anything
in the law prevents the opioid assessment and refill from being done in conjunction with other medical care.
I've been through this with the laws surrounding allergy meds and successfully beat back pharmacist imposed quantity limitations that they were blaming on either state or federal anti-meth laws. They were spouting nonsense and, once I brought the law to their attention (bringing a copy in to the pharmacy), the nonsense ended. I've also been through this insurance/office policy with a doctor who insisted that I pay $25/pop for a 3-5 weekly blood draws (essentially a finger prick) when my insurance covered them without additional charge if I went to a freestanding lab. I don't like people getting snookered by insurance or doctors who like to point the finger of blame elsewhere.
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