Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation applauds federal opioid legislation, urges continued work
Nonprofit addiction treatment leader says bill advances several key priorities in effort to confront nation's most urgent public health issue
CENTER CITY, Minn., Sept. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the nation's leading nonprofit addiction treatment provider, praised Congress for reaching agreement on sweeping legislation to address the nation's opioid overdose epidemic and broader addiction crisis, and urged lawmakers to stay focused on the issue.
"This is a tremendous step to help confront the opioid crisis that has caused so much suffering to individuals, families and society in recent years," said Mark Mishek, president and CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. "While there's much more work to be done at every level of government and society, it's nice to see a rare moment of unity on a life-and-death issue that is affecting every corner of America. We applaud legislators for recognizing the need to address this public health problem in a bipartisan and comprehensive manner."
The "SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act" emerged Wednesday after a week of negotiations to iron out differences between House and Senate versions of the bill. The compromise bill is expected to be approved soon by both chambers and signed by the President before the midterm elections. Congress also appears to be on track to approve an estimated $4 billion in additional spending for next year to support federal programs authorized in the new and prior legislation.
"Continued funding for the states is critical. That's where we're seeing innovation and systemic changes beginning to happen—the kind that address opioids but also the underlying problem of addiction," Mishek said. "We have had an addiction crisis for generations in this country. It tends to morph from one drug to another. The opportunity arising from this tragedy is to advance our entire, long-marginalized addiction care system so that we are not so susceptible to the next crisis."
The bill includes a broad array of new programs and reforms, including several priorities advanced by the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation:
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A national ban on unethical "patient brokering"—the buying and selling of patient leads. This provision, put forth by Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., makes kickbacks for treatment referrals illegal and subject to hefty criminal penalties. |
"No other area of healthcare allows patient leads to be bought and sold, and the addiction treatment industry should be no exception," said Mishek, a former hospital executive who testified to Congress this summer about the need for such reform. "Far too many vulnerable people and families suffering from substance use disorder are being harmed by unethical marketing and business practices that turn patients into commodities. We are grateful to Senators Rubio and Klobuchar for getting this provision into the final bill. It is one of several important steps needed to help ensure quality, ethical care for all who seek addiction treatment." |
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Partial repeal of an outdated Medicaid rule—the so-called "IMD exclusion"—that prohibits payments for residential addiction treatment at facilities with more than 16 beds. Under the new bill, patients covered by Medicaid will be able to access care at such facilities for up to 30 days annually, with the change effective for the next five years. |
"We would like to see the IMD exclusion repealed permanently, rather than for only five years, but this is a good start and will make more treatment facilities available to patients who utilize Medicaid," Mishek said. "This expanded access means fewer people will have to wait in line for the life-saving care they need." |
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School loan forgiveness for addiction treatment professionals who choose to work in underserved areas. |
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The identification and development of best practices for recovery residences. |
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An analysis of how well states are implementing and enforcing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, the law designed to ensure insurance benefits for mental health and addiction treatments are comparable to those for medical and surgical procedures. |
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A crackdown on mailed shipments of illicit fentanyl, the powerful opioid that has fueled the latest dramatic spike in overdose deaths. |
The compromise bill includes dozens of other helpful provisions as well, Mishek said.
Not included was a measure passed by a large bipartisan majority in the House to modernize the 1970s-era "42 CFR Part 2" regulations that govern addiction treatment records. It sought to align those regulations with the much newer Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) law that governs all other health records. Mishek said he was disappointed but understood concerns that the proposal had not yet received a committee hearing in the Senate.
"It's really important that we have consistency when it comes to record sharing in the health care industry," Mishek said. "Aligning 42 CFR Part 2 with HIPAA will facilitate improved patient care coordination, accelerate the needed integration of specialized addiction treatment with mainstream healthcare, and encourage more rapid development and implementation of telehealth and other technology solutions. We think 'Part 2' reform is essential to ushering in the next generation of addiction treatment, and we will continue to advocate for it in the Senate."
Mishek added: "It's encouraging that Congress has focused on the opioid crisis and addiction for more than three years and continues to send signals that this will remain a priority. That's important because this public health issue will require sustained attention and funding for years to come."
About the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. It is the nation's largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 17 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado and Washington, the Foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care to help youth and adults reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. It includes the largest recovery publishing house in the country, a fully accredited graduate school of addiction studies, an addiction research center, an education arm for medical professionals and a unique children's program, and is the nation's leader in advocacy and policy for treatment and recovery. Learn more at HazeldenBettyFord.org and on Twitter @hazldnbettyford.
SOURCE Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
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