Lawmakers Vote To Lift Medicaid Restrictions On Opioid Treatment, But Dems Worry About Funding
The move to allow Medicaid to pay for treatment at facilities with more than 16 beds would be one of the more costly steps Congress is thinking about taking to fight the opioid epidemic. In other news on the crisis: CVS will offer a discount on overdose medication to the uninsured; a poll reveals Americans' complex views on addiction; the CDC investigates an HIV surge; and more.
The Hill:
GOP Panel Proposes Lifting Medicaid Limits On Opioid Care
Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday night unveiled a proposal to lift limits on Medicaid paying for opioid treatment. The proposal could be one of the more significant and costly steps that Congress takes to fight the opioid epidemic, but there are concerns about how to pay for it. (Sullivan, 4/5)
The Hill:
CVS To Offer Discount To The Uninsured For Anti-Overdose Drug
CVS Health will offer a discount on the anti-overdose drug Narcan to uninsured customers, the company announced Thursday. CVS will apply a manufacturer’s coupon for Narcan nasal spray for patients without insurance. It will reduce the cost to $94.99, which the company said is the lowest price available for people without insurance. (Weixel, 4/5)
The Associated Press:
AP-NORC Poll: Most Americans See Drug Addiction As A Disease
A slim majority of Americans see prescription drug addiction as a disease that requires medical treatment, but most would not welcome those suffering from the problem into their neighborhoods, workplaces or families. New survey results reveal Americans’ complex view of addiction as the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history ripples through communities nationwide. More than 1 in 10 Americans say they have had a relative or close friend die from an opioid overdose, according a recent survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. (Perrone, 4/5)
Boston Globe:
CDC To Investigate Puzzling Surge In HIV In Lawrence, Lowell Among Injecting Drug Users
The US government will dispatch disease trackers to Massachusetts to investigate a puzzling cluster of new HIV infections in Lawrence and Lowell among people who inject drugs, a spike that could portend a resurgence of the deadly virus. The state Department of Public Health announced Thursday that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agreed to the state’s request for help in detecting how 52 new HIV cases arose last year in the state’s northeast region, up from 32 in 2016. (Freyer, 4/5)
The Associated Press:
New Addiction Treatment Center Opens In Broome County
A new addiction treatment center has opened to provide services for people struggling with substance abuse in New York's Southern Tier. State officials announced the grand opening of the facility on Thursday. Located at the former Broome County Developmental Center in Binghamton, the 50-bed center will focus on short-term detoxification efforts for individuals before they begin a recovery program. (4/6)
The Associated Press:
New Plan Combats Substance Abuse Among Student-Athletes
Several state agencies are participating in a new initiative to help schools across New York prevent and address substance use disorder among students. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that the departments of Health, Education and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services are making flash drives available for coaches, teachers, school nurses, and other educators. (4/6)
Kansas City Star:
Free Naloxone In Missouri And Five Other States From Kaleo
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams wants more Americans to routinely carry naloxone, the drug that can stop an opioid overdose, especially if they know someone taking opioids. Now there's a way for most Missourians to get it shipped to their homes for free, although in some cases insurance companies would see a hefty tab. (Marso, 4/5)
Cincinnati Enquirer:
Surgeon General Says Get Naloxone. Here's How To Do That
Dr. Jerome Adams said people at risk of an opioid overdose, as well as their family and friends, should keep the antidote on hand. That includes anyone who's prescribed a painkiller for chronic or acute pain. (DeMio, 4/5)
Georgia Health News:
Georgia Ranked In Top Tier For Action Against Opioid Abuse
Georgia is one of 13 states receiving the highest mark from the National Safety Council for taking comprehensive actions to eliminate opioid overdoses and help protect residents. The state rose from a “failing’’ designation in 2016 to “improving’’ in the new report on the opioid crisis, released this week in conjunction with National Rx Drug and Heroin Summit, held in Atlanta. (Miller, 4/5)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Feds Suspect Milwaukee Area Pain Clinic Is Opioid 'Pill Mill'
As the opioid crisis was spiking in Wisconsin, a pain management clinic in Wauwatosa was prescribing thousands of oxycodone tablets for cash-paying patients who likely didn't need them and appeared to be reselling the pills, according to investigators. Two nurse practitioners who admitted improperly prescribing at the clinic were merely reprimanded by the state Board of Nursing. (Vielmetti, 4/5)
New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Metairie Woman Pleads Guilty To Making Fake Oxycodone Prescriptions
A Metairie woman pleaded guilty Thursday (April 5) to creating fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone as part of a scheme to distribute the drug on the black market, according to U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans' office. Danielle Lesslie, 30, was convicted of a federal drug conspiracy charge, admitting that her fraudulent prescriptions led to the illegal distribution of more than 312,050 milligrams of oxycodone pills, court records show. (McKnight, 4/15)
