Advocacy Alert: Federal Opioid Acts: Connections, Abuse Deterrent, and Comprehensive Recovery Centers

Sep 20, 2018

HB 5812: CONNECTIONS Act

On May 31, 2018, Representative Morgan Griffith and 10 other Representatives presented HB 5812, known as the CONNECTIONS Act (Creating Opportunities that Necessitate New and Enhanced Connections That Improve Opioid Navigation Strategies Act of 2018).

The bill, if passed, would authorize the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out certain controlled substances overdose prevention and surveillance activities. The goal would be to improve data collection and integration into physician clinical workflow so that timely, complete, and accurate information would get into the hands of providers and dispensers so that they can make the best clinical decisions for their patients.

The bill would offer grants to help states improve prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). It passed the House on June 12, and is currently in the Senate's Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

BHAP supports this bill. While this bill does not go far enough with mandating the use of PDMPs, we believe it's a step in the right direction toward making Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs more accessible within states and across state boundaries. The bill would also help integrate PDMPs into EHR (electronic health record) systems.

We encourage you to reach out to your representative and express your support of HB 5812.

HB 5582: Abuse Deterrent Access Act of 2018

On April 23, 2018, Representative Earl Carter and 6 other Representatives presented HB 5582, the Abuse Deterrent Access Act of 2018.

The bill, if passed, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and submit a report on barriers to accessing abuse-deterrent opioid formulations for individuals enrolled in a plan under Part C or D of the Medicare program. It passed the House on June 12, and is currently in the Senate's Committee on Finance.

BHAP opposes this bill. Developing abuse-deterrent forms of medication will not solve the problem of opioid abuse since these types of medications are not the ones being abused in the first place.

We encourage you to reach out to your representative and express your opposition of HB 5882.

HB 5327: Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act of 2018

On Marcy 19, 2018, Representative Brett Guthrie and 10 other Representatives presented HB 5327, known as the Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act of 2018.

The bill, if passed, would amend the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or operate comprehensive opioid recovery centers. Priority for grants would be given to entities located in states or Indian country with a high per capita drug overdose mortality rate. Each center would have to carry out specified outreach activities and specified treatment and recovery services. It passed the House on June 12, 2018, and is currently in the Senate's Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

BHAP supports this bill. We support the effort to offer grant funds to open and/or operate substance use disorder treatment programs, especially in these areas.

We encourage you to reach out to your representative and express your support of HB 5327.