Senate Bill Would Build on CARA Programs to Fight Opioid Crisis

Feb 27, 2018 - 03:05 PM

Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today introduced the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act 2.0, legislation that would increase funding authorization levels for CARA programs and implement additional policy reforms to combat the opioid crisis. According to the sponsors, the bill would authorize $1 billion in dedicated resources to evidence-based prevention, enforcement, treatment and recovery programs. It also would impose a three-day limit on initial opioid prescriptions for acute pain; make permanent a CARA provision that allows physician assistants and nurse practitioners to prescribe buprenorphine under the direction of a qualified physician; allow states to waive the limit on the number of patients a physician can treat with buprenorphine; and require physicians and pharmacists to use their state prescription drug monitoring program when prescribing and dispensing opioids, among other provisions. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee today held a hearing on the opioid crisis and the role of technology and data in preventing and treating addiction. In opening comments, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said the committee plans to markup legislation to address the opioid crisis as soon as the end of March.
 

Related News Articles

Headline
CMS issues preliminary guidance on provider tax provisions under OBBBA 
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Nov. 14 released preliminary guidance to states on implementing provider tax provisions in the One Big…
Headline
House vote expected on government funding package
The House is expected to begin a final vote Nov. 12 on the Senate-backed funding package, bringing a potential end to the government shutdown one step closer.…
Headline
Senate passes funding legislation, sends to House for consideration 
The Senate Nov. 10 passed legislation to fund the federal government that will now head to the House for a vote as early as the evening of Nov. 12, as an end…
Headline
Senate reaches deal to potentially end government shutdown this week
The Senate Nov. 9 took a critical first step toward ending the government shutdown as seven Democrats and Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, joined Republicans to…
Headline
Senate negotiations ongoing as longest government shutdown in history continues
Senate negotiations on a potential funding deal to end the record-long government shutdown are ongoing, and the chamber is likely to continue working through…
Headline
AHA supports House bill pausing home health cuts for two years 
The AHA expressed support Nov. 3 for the bipartisan Home Health Stabilization Act (H.R. 5142), legislation that would establish a two-year pause on planned…