Press Releases
Dr. Bucshon Applauds House Passage of Legislation to Combat Opioid Crisis
Washington,
June 22, 2018
Tags:
Healthcare
“Today, Congress is taking another important step forward in combatting the opioid crisis. The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act will help our struggling communities to combat the opioid crisis by focusing on improving care for those who have opioid use disorder, and preventing opioid misuse and addiction. This legislation contains more than 50 individual pieces of legislation, many of which have been passed by the House by overwhelming bipartisan majorities over the past two weeks. While this is another important step, it is not the last step as much still needs to be done to combat the opioid crisis that is tearing apart lives and communities across the nation.” Background H.R. 6 Treatment and Recovery · Improve and expand access to treatment and recovery services · Provide incentives for enhanced care, coordination, and innovation · Establish comprehensive opioid recovery centers Prevention · Encourage non-addictive opioid alternatives to treat pain · Improve data to identify and help at-risk patients and families · Address high prescribing rates while enhancing prescription drug monitoring programs Protecting Communities · Give law enforcement tools to get dangerous drugs out of our communities · Better intercept illicit opioids at international mail facilities · Improve access to federal resources for local communities Fighting Fentanyl · Better tackle ever-changing synthetic drugs · Crack down on foreign shipments of illicit drugs · Provide grants for local communities to combat fentanyl Legislation within H.R. 6 introduced by Dr. Bucshon Opioid Screening and Chronic Pain Management Alternatives for Seniors Act (H.R. 5798) to update the Welcome to Medicare Initial Assessment to require a physician to screen for opioid use, the potential for abuse, provide information on non-opioid alternatives, and to provide a referral if needed to a pain specialist physician or qualified non-physician practitioner. This bipartisan legislation was introduced with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN). Postoperative Opioid Prevention Act (H.R. 5809) introduced by Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Dr. Bucshon, would give patients greater access to innovative non-opioid alternatives for postoperative pain management. Specifically, this bill improves incentives for innovation through additional payments for non-opioid pain management alternatives. Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act 2018 (H.R. 5327) introduced by Reps. Brett Guthrie (RKY), Gene Green (D-TX), Larry Bucshon (R-IN), and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), will establish Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers (CORCs) that will serve as models for comprehensive treatment and recovery. CORCs would utilize the full range of FDA-approved medications and evidence-based treatments, have strong linkages with the community, generate meaningful outcomes data, and dramatically improve the opportunities for individuals to establish and maintain long term recovery as productive members of society. |
