Advocacy Alert: Senate and House Considering Addiction Bills

April 24, 2018

Major legislation that will impact the addiction treatment field is at the forefront of both the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in the Senate and the Energy and Commerce Committee in the US House of Representatives. Next week, both committees will be holding sessions to determine what will be included in the final bill.

BHAP, along with other organizations in the addiction treatment field, is asking that language eliminating the Medicaid IMD exclusion be included in both legislative packages. The IMD exclusion prohibits payment for SUD treatment of Medicaid covered patients in facilities with more than 16 beds. BHAP believes that this exclusion is a violation of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Parity), discriminating against individuals who are covered through Medicaid.

The President's Commission on Combating Addiction and the Opioid Crisis recommended that the IMD exclusion be eliminated. This is the best time to make sure this happens. We also believe this is the best time to include language to make sure the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Parity) is enforced, as well as student loan forgiveness for SUD workforce in underserving areas.

BHAP encourages you to call members of the Senate Committee and the House Committee to voice your support for these changes.

Congress hopes to pass legislation through both Houses by the end of May. Your participation is critical. Please call today.

Questions? Concerns?

As always, we want your input.

If you have any questions about BHAP's advocacy efforts, please contact us.