Story highlights Cigna will no longer cover most OxyContin prescriptions in its group plans

The insurance company is encouraging use of the alternative drug Xtampza ER

(CNN) In an attempt to reduce opioid use amid a nationwide abuse epidemic, insurance giant Cigna will no longer cover most OxyContin prescriptions in its group plans beginning January 1.

"Our focus is on helping customers get the most value from their medications -- this means obtaining effective pain relief while also guarding against opioid misuse," Cigna Chief Pharmacy Officer Jon Maesner said in a statement Wednesday.

OxyContin is a brand name for an extended-release version of oxycodone, a commonly prescribed opioid painkiller.

Last year , Cigna set a goal of reducing its customers' opioid use by 25% within the next three years. In lieu of OxyContin, Cigna said Wednesday, it is "asking opioid manufacturers to align with efforts to reduce opioid use and has signed a value-based contract with Collegium Pharmaceutical for the drug Xtampza ER, an oxycodone equivalent with abuse-deterrent properties."

Long-acting or extended-release medications like OxyContin contain a higher dosage of the active ingredients in the pill itself, which is chemically released over a long period of time. The advantage for patients is that they don't have to take pills as frequently. However, the higher dosage of long-acting pills can make them more attractive for abuse. Crushing or melting some versions of extended-release pills, a user can get a day's dosage in just one pill.

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