AHA Friday voiced support for several legislative proposals before the House Energy and Commerce Committee to address the opioid crisis. In a letter to committee leaders, AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels said the association supports proposals to amend the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease exclusion; cover IMD substance use disorder treatment for pregnant women up to 12 months after delivery; and establish demonstration projects to study alternative emergency pain management protocols and expand provider capacity. AHA also endorsed draft legislation that would add chronic pain evaluation and management to Medicare’s initial preventive physical examination for new beneficiaries. Other AHA-supported proposals include directing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to standardize electronic prior authorization, providing grants for prescriber education, requiring state Medicaid programs to integrate prescription drug monitoring program use into clinical workflows, and expanding access to telehealth for SUD treatment. The Energy and Commerce Committee has held hearings on dozens of opioid-related bills in its jurisdiction, many of which its Health Subcommittee is expected to mark up on April 25.  

Related News Articles

Headline
The AHA Sept. 15 expressed support for the Ensuring Access to Essential Providers Act, legislation that would require Medicare Advantage plans to cover…
Headline
The AHA detailed its key health care priorities for the remainder of the year in comments to House and Senate majority and minority leaders Sept. 15. The AHA…
Headline
The AHA commented Sept. 12 on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services calendar year 2026 physician fee schedule proposed rule. The AHA applauded CMS…
Headline
The Food and Drug Administration Sept. 10 released draft guidance on non-opioid treatments for treating chronic pain and reducing prescription opioid misuse.…
Headline
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Sept. 10 advanced the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3593), AHA-supported…
Headline
The House Appropriations Committee Sept. 9 advanced the fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education…