Wide-Ranging Opioid Package Passed By Senate, But Advocates Say It Doesn’t Go Far Enough
Advocates say the bills do little to tackle the nationwide bed shortage at addiction treatment centers, fail to encourage more doctors to prescribe medication to treat addiction and lack long-term funding guarantees for new programs. Media outlets take a look at what made it in and what got cut.
The Associated Press:
GOP, Dems Unite Behind Senate Bill Fighting Addictive Drugs
Republicans and Democrats joined forces to speed legislation combating the misuse of opioids and other addictive drugs through Senate passage Monday, a rare campaign-season show of unity against a growing and deadly health care crisis. The measure passed by a 99-1 vote Monday evening. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, voted against it. (Fram, 9/17)
The Washington Post:
Senate Passes Sweeping Opioids Package
The package of 70 Senate bills costs $8.4 billion and creates, expands and renews programs across multiple agencies. It’s ambitious in scope, aiming to prevent the deadly synthetic drug fentanyl from being shipped through the U.S. Postal Service as well as allowing doctors to prescribe more medication designed to wean addicts off opioids, such as buprenorphine. “It doesn’t include everything all of us want to see but it has important new initiatives and it’s a step in the right direction," said Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who has advocated several measures that are part of the package. (Itkowitz, 9/17)
The Wall Street Journal:
Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation To Combat Opioid Epidemic
The Senate legislation would give money to the National Institutes of Health to research a nonaddictive painkiller. It would also try to stop synthetic drugs from being shipped across the border by requiring foreign shippers to provide electronic data to help U.S. officials target illegal packages. Another provision would clarify that the Food and Drug Administration has the authority to require prescription opioids to be packaged in set amounts, for three or seven days, for example. Yet another provision aims to increase the detection and seizure of illegal drugs, such as fentanyl, by strengthening communications between the FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (Andrews, 9/17)
Columbus Dispatch:
Senate Passes Opioid, Prescription Drug Bills Pushed By Ohio Senators
The bill also includes the CRIB Act, a bill sponsored by Brown that would allow facilities designed to help babies born dependent on drugs to be reimbursed by Medicaid. That bill is co-sponsored by Portman. It would help treatment centers like Brigid’s Path in Dayton, which is set up specifically to deal with the health problems of babies born addicted. The bill also would clarify that babies who receive services in such recovery centers can continue to receive services after one year of age. (Wehrman, 9/18)
The Hill:
Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill To Curb Opioid Crisis
The Senate will now have to reconcile its bill with the House's, which passed earlier this summer.
(Hellmann, 9/17)
Stat:
Senate Passes Opioids Legislation: What’s In, What’s Out, And What’s Still On The Table
Here’s a look at what else was in the bill, what policy ideas didn’t make the cut, and what ideas might be added back in the coming weeks and months. (Facher, 9/17)
Politico:
Congress' Latest Opioid Bill Won't Solve The Crisis
Congress’ latest efforts to address the opioid crisis won’t be enough to stop the unrelenting scourge of overdose deaths across the country. Public health experts and first responders say the massive bipartisan legislation, H.R. 6 (115), which the Senate approved 99-1 on Monday, takes some important steps toward better access to treatment but lacks the urgency, breadth and steady long-term funding required to quell the emergency that takes 115 lives in the United States a day. (Ehley, 9/17)
