A broader addiction treatment bill than you'd expect
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s bill to address the addiction crisis, introduced on Friday, at first blush sounded like any number of legislative attempts and administration programs aimed addressing the epidemic. But our colleague Andrew Joseph points out that the New Hampshire Democrat targeted her bill not just at opioids — reflecting the growing recognition that methamphetamine and cocaine misuse are burgeoning issues that need a response.
It’s an element of the addiction crisis that policymakers, advocates, and the media have sometimes overlooked. While overdose deaths from opioids still far outnumber those from other drugs, they appear to be cresting as those from methamphetamine and cocaine rise. Plus, experts say, people often mix different types of drugs (as well as alcohol), so a broader approach needs to be taken.
Among other things, Shaheen’s $63 billion bill would boost Medicaid reimbursement rates for addiction treatment, provide funding for mental health services for law enforcement, and promote safer medication prescribing after surgery. And while it would increase funding for State Opioid Response grants, it would also introduce new flexibility into the program so that the resources could be used to treat substance use disorders generally, not just opioid use disorders.
It’s an element of the addiction crisis that policymakers, advocates, and the media have sometimes overlooked. While overdose deaths from opioids still far outnumber those from other drugs, they appear to be cresting as those from methamphetamine and cocaine rise. Plus, experts say, people often mix different types of drugs (as well as alcohol), so a broader approach needs to be taken.
Among other things, Shaheen’s $63 billion bill would boost Medicaid reimbursement rates for addiction treatment, provide funding for mental health services for law enforcement, and promote safer medication prescribing after surgery. And while it would increase funding for State Opioid Response grants, it would also introduce new flexibility into the program so that the resources could be used to treat substance use disorders generally, not just opioid use disorders.
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