HR6 SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act June 28, 2018 Medicaid, Medicare HR6, Medicaid, Medicare, OPIOIDS, Public Health, SUPPORT 0 H.R. 6, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act, is a bipartisan bill that will help in our overall efforts to combat the opioid crisis by advancing treatment and recovery initiatives, improving prevention, protecting our communities, and bolstering our efforts to fight deadly illicit synthetic drugs like fentanyl. The underlying text of H.R. 6 includes several Medicaid, Medicare, and public health reforms to help combat the opioid crisis. The policies contained in the bill were advanced through regular order by the House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committees. Medicaid ▪ Require state Medicaid programs to not terminate a juvenile’s medical assistance eligibility because the juvenile is incarcerated. A state may suspend coverage while the juvenile is an inmate, but must restore coverage upon release without requiring a new application unless the individual no longer meets the eligibility requirements for medical assistance (H.R. 1925) ▪ Enable former foster youth who are in care by their 18th birthday and previously enrolled in Medicaid to receive health care until the age of 26 if they move out of state (H.R. 4998) ▪ Require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to carry out a demonstration project to provide an enhanced federal matching rate for state Medicaid expenditures related to the expansion of substance-use treatment and recovery services targeting provider capacity (H.R. 5477) ▪ Require all state Medicaid programs to have a beneficiary assignment program that identifies Medicaid beneficiaries at-risk for substance use disorder (SUD) and assigns them to a pharmaceutical home program, which must set reasonable limits on the number of prescribers and dispensers that beneficiaries may utilize (H.R. 5808) ▪ Require state Medicaid programs to have safety edits in place for opioid refills, monitor concurrent prescribing of opioids and certain other drugs, and monitor antipsychotic prescribing for children (H.R. 5799) ▪ Require CMS to issue guidance on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) treatment options under Medicaid and require a study by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) on coverage gaps for pregnant women with SUD (H.R. 5789) ▪ Provide additional incentives for Medicaid health homes for patients with substance use disorder (H.R. 5810) Medicare ▪ Instruct CMS to evaluate the utilization of telehealth services in treating SUD (H.R. 5603) ▪ Create a pass-through payment extension under Medicare to encourage the development of non-opioid drugs (H.R. 5809) ▪ Add a review of current opioid prescriptions and, as appropriate, a screening for opioid use disorder (OUD) as part of the Welcome to Medicare initial examination (H.R. 5798) ▪ Incentivize post-surgical injections as a pain treatment alternative to opioids by reversing a reimbursement cut for these treatments in the Ambulatory Service Center setting, as well as collect data on a subset of codes related to these treatments (H.R. 5804) ▪ Require e-prescribing, with exceptions, for coverage of prescription drugs that are controlled substances under the Medicare Part D program (H.R. 3528) ▪ Require prescription drug plan sponsors under the Medicare program establish drug management programs for at-risk beneficiaries (H.R. 5675) ▪ Provide access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Medicare through bundled payments made to Opioid Treatment Programs for holistic service (Section 2 of H.R. 5776) Public Health ▪ Direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue or update guidance on ways existing pathways can be used to bring novel non-addictive treatments for pain and addiction to patients. Several approaches have proven successful in speeding the availability of treatments for serious conditions through the FDA (H.R. 5806) ▪ Authorize grants to state and local agencies for the establishment or operation of public health laboratories to detect fentanyl, its analogues, and other synthetic opioids (H.R. 5580) ▪ Makes the buprenorphine prescribing authority for physician assistants and nurse practitioners permanent. Temporarily allows advanced practice registered nurses to prescribe buprenorphine. In addition, H.R. 6 will permit a waivered-practitioner to immediately start treating 100 patients at a time with buprenorphine (skipping the initial 30 patient cap) if the practitioner has board certification in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry; or if practitioner provides MAT in a qualified practice setting. Medications, such as buprenorphine, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of opioid use disorder (H.R. 3692) In addition to the underlying bill, H.R. 6 also includes the following provisions, which previously passed by the House: Section 5001 - H.R. 5583, to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require states to annually report on certain adult health quality measures, and for other purposes, authored by Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), will require state Medicaid programs to report on the 11 behavioral health measures that are included in CMS’ 2018 Core Set of Adult Health Care Quality Measures for Medicaid. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5583 passed the House by voice vote. Section 5011, 5012 - H.R. 5800, the Medicaid IMD ADDITIONAL INFO Act, authored by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), will direct the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) to conduct a study on institutions for mental disease (IMD) that receive Medicaid reimbursement. The study will report on the requirements and standards that state Medicaid programs have for IMDs. MACPAC, considering input from stakeholders, will summarize the findings and make recommendations on improvements and best practices and data collection. The report would be due no later than January 2020. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5800 passed the House by voice vote. Section 5021, 5022 - H.R. 3192, the CHIP Mental Health Parity Act, authored by Rep. Joe Kennedy, III (D-MA), will require state Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to cover mental health benefits, including substance use disorder services for pregnant women and children. In addition, states would not be allowed to impose financial or utilization limits on mental health treatment that are lower than limits placed on physical health treatment. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 3192 passed the House by voice vote. Section 5031, 5032 - H.R. 4005, the Medicaid Reentry Act, authored by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), will require the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to convene a stakeholder group that will produce a report of best practices for states to consider in health care related transitions for inmates of public institutions. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 4005 passed the House by voice vote. Section 5041, 5042 - H.R. 5801, the Medicaid PARTNERSHIP Act, authored by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), will require Medicaid providers to check the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) before prescribing a Schedule II controlled substance. H.R. 5801 will encourage Medicaid providers to integrate PDMP usage into a Medicaid provider’s clinical workflow. The bill also establishes standard criteria that a PDMP must meet to be counted as a qualified PDMP and requires state Medicaid programs to report to CMS on PDMP data and information. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5801 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6001 - H.R. 3331, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to promote testing of incentive payments for behavioral health providers for adoption and use of certified electronic health record technology, authored by Reps. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) and Doris Matsui (D-CA), will promote the testing of incentive payments for behavioral health providers for adoption and use of certified electronic health record technology. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 3331 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6011, 6012 - H.R. 5582, the Abuse Deterrent Access Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA), David Loebsack (D-IA), and Tom Reed (R-NY), will direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to evaluate the use of abuse-deterrent opioids in Medicare plans. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5582 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6021, 6022 - H.R. 5685, the Medicare Opioid Safety Education Act, authored by Reps. John Faso (R-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Jim Renacci (R-OH), will direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to compile education resources for beneficiaries regarding opioid use, pain management, and alternative pain management treatments, and include these resources in the “Medicare and You” Handbook. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5685 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6031, 6032 - H.R. 5590, the Opioid Addiction Action Plan Act, authored by Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Darin LaHood (R-IL), and Danny Davis (D-IL), will establish an action plan, including studies, reports to Congress authored by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as meetings with stakeholders, for the purpose of addressing the opioid crisis. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5590 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6041, 6042 - H.R. 5605, the Advancing High Quality Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in Medicare Act, authored by Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), will create a demonstration project for treating substance use disorder (SUD). This model includes the development of measures to evaluate the quality and outcomes of treatment. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5605 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6051, 6052 - H.R. 5796, the REACH OUT Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), and Mike Thompson (D-CA), will direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to work with eligible entities, including Quality Improvement Organizations, to engage in outreach with prescribers identified as clinical outliers to share best practices to evaluate their prescribing behavior. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5796 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6061, 6062 (HR4841); 6063 (HR5715); 6065 (HR5716); 6064 (HR5684) - H.R. 5773, the PASS Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Terri Sewell (D-AL), contains a number of provisions passed by the Energy and Commerce committee, including H.R. 4841, H.R. 5716, H.R. 5715, and H.R. 5684. Collectively, this bill will combat opioid abuse through providing more resources to beneficiaries and improving program integrity. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5773 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6071, 6072 - H.R. 5723, the Expanding Oversight of Opioid Prescribing and Payment Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), will require the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to report to Congress on: (1) how Medicare pays for opioid and non-opioid pain management treatments in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings; (2) current incentives for prescribing opioid and non-opioid treatments under Medicare inpatient and outpatient prospective payment systems, along with recommendations to address any identified adverse incentives; and (3) how opioid use data is currently tracked and monitored through Medicare claims data. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5723 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6081, 6082, 6083, 6084, 6085, 6086 - H.R. 6110, the Dr. Todd Graham Pain Management, Treatment, and Recovery Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN), will direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study ways to improve access to non-opioid pain management treatments. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 6110 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6091, 6092, 6093, 6094, 6095 - H.R. 5774, the COACH Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), will require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to: (1) publish guidance for hospitals on pain management and opioid-use disorder prevention strategies for Medicare beneficiaries, (2) convene a technical expert panel to recommend opioid and opioid-use disorder quality measures for possible use in value-based payment and reporting models under Medicare; and (3) publish and periodically update all guidance issued since January 1, 2016 related to the prescription of opioids for Medicare beneficiaries. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5774 passed the House by voice vote. Section 6101, 6102 - H.R. 5676, the SENIOR Communities Protection Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ), Chris Collins (R-NY), David Schweikert (R-AZ), and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), will allow Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans to suspend potentially fraudulent payments, mirroring their authority in Medicare fee-for-service. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5776 passed the House by a vote of 356 to 3. Section 6111,6112, 6113, 6114 - H.R. 5775, the Providing Reliable Options for Patients and Educational Resources (PROPER) Act, authored by Reps. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and Ron Kind (D-WI), will increase educational resources for Medicare beneficiaries. This bill includes language from H.R. 5686, the Medicare CHOICE Act, authored by Reps. Paulsen, Chris Collins (R-NY), Terri Sewell (D-AL), and Connor Lamb (D-PA), which will require prescription drug plans under Medicare Part D to include information on the adverse effects of opioid overutilization and coverage of non-pharmacological therapies and non-opioid medications or devices used to treat pain. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5775 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7001, 7002 - H.R. 449, Synthetic Drug Awareness Act of 2017, authored by Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Chris Collins (R-NY), will require the U.S. Surgeon General to submit a comprehensive report to Congress on the public health effects of the rise in synthetic drug use among youth aged 12 to 18 in order to further educate parents and the medical community on the health effects of synthetics. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 449 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7011, 7012 - H.R. 4275, Empowering Pharmacists in the Fight Against Opioid Abuse Act, authored by Reps. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) and Buddy Carter (R-GA), will help pharmacists detect fraudulent prescriptions. H.R. 4275 will help develop and disseminate materials, giving pharmacists greater understanding and ability to decline to fill controlled substances when they suspect the prescriptions are fraudulent, forged, or appear to be for abuse or diversion. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 4275 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7021, 7022, 7023 - H.R. 4284, Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids (INFO) Act of 2017, authored by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), will direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a public and easily accessible electronic dashboard linking to all of the nationwide efforts and strategies to combat the opioid crisis. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 4284 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7031, 7032 - H.R. 4684, the Ensuring Access to Quality Sober Living Act of 2017, authored by Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA), Mimi Walters (R-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Raul Ruiz (D-CA), will authorize the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to develop, publish, and disseminate best practices for operating recovery housing that promotes a safe environment for sustained recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). On June 12, 2018, H.R. 4684 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7041, 7042 - H.R. 5002, ACE Research Act, authored by Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Fred Upton (R-MI), will provide the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with new, flexible authorities to conduct innovative research and spur urgently needed research on new non-addictive pain medications. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5002 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7051, 7052 - H.R. 5009, Jessie’s Law, authored by Reps. Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), will ensure medical professionals have access to a consenting patient’s complete health history when making treatment decisions by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop and disseminate best practices regarding the prominent display of substance use disorder (SUD) history in patient records of patients who have previously provided this information to a health care provider. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5009 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7061, 7062 - H.R. 5041, Safe Disposal of Unused Medication Act, authored by Reps. Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), will help reduce the number of unused controlled substances at risk of diversion or misuse by allowing hospice employees to safely dispose of these medications on site after the death of a patient. On June 12, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5041 by a vote of 398-0. Section 7071 - H.R. 5102, Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Katherine Clark (D-MA) and Hal Rogers (R-KY), will create a loan repayment program for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers. Specifically, the bill will offer student loan repayment of up to $250,000 for participants who agree to work as a SUD treatment professional in areas most in need of their services. The program will be available to a wide range of direct care providers, including physicians, registered nurses, social workers, and other behavioral health professionals. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5102 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7081, 7082 - H.R. 5176, Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms (POWER) Act of 2018, authored by Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Michael Doyle (D-PA), will provide resources for hospitals to develop protocols on discharging patients who have presented with an opioid overdose. These protocols would address the provision of naloxone upon discharge, connection with peer-support specialists, and the referral to treatment and other services that best fit the patient’s needs. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5176 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7091, 7092 - H.R. 5197, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act, authored by Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) and David McKinley (R-WV), will establish a demonstration program to test alternative pain management protocols to limit the use of opioids in hospital emergency departments. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5197 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7101, 7102, 7103, 7104, 7105, 7106 - H.R. 5228, the Stop Counterfeit Drugs by Regulating and Enhancing Enforcement Now (SCREEN) Act, authored by Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), will provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with stronger recall and seizure authority to disrupt the entry of counterfeit and illicit drugs through International Mail Facilities (IMFs). On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5228 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7111, 7112 - H.R. 5261, TEACH to Combat Addiction Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Bill Johnson (R-OH) and Paul Tonko (D-NY), will support Centers of Excellence, or institutions of learning that have championed substance use disorder (SUD) treatment education to improve how health professionals are taught about both SUD and pain. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5261 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7121 - H.R. 5272, a bill to ensure that programs and activities that are funded by a grant, cooperative agreement, loan, or loan guarantee from the Department of Health and Human Services, and whose purpose is to prevent or treat a mental health or substance use disorder, are evidence-based, authored by Reps. Steve Stivers (R-OH) and Eliot Engel (D-NY), will direct the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide guidance for entities applying for substance use disorder (SUD) and mental illness grants, including guidance to grantees on how best to articulate the rationale for a given program or activity. Additionally, it will also encourage the funding of evidence-based interventions and the replication of promising or effective practices. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5272 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7131, 7132 - H.R. 5327, Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act 2018, authored by Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), 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. On June 12, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5041 by a vote of 383-13. Section 7141, 7142, 7143, 7144 - H.R. 5329, the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Susan Brooks R-IN), Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Joe Barton (R-TX), will reauthorize the national network of Poison Control Centers, which offer free, confidential, and expert medical advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Often times these programs serve as the primary resource for poisoning information and help reduce Emergency Room visits through in-home treatment. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5329 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7151, 7152 - H.R. 5353, Eliminating Opioid-Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), will authorize the CDC to undertake an injection drug use-associated infection elimination initiative and work with states to improve education, surveillance and treatment of injection drug-use associated infections, like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5353 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7161, 7162 - H.R. 5473, the Better Pain Management Through Better Data Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), will direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to articulate clear data collection methods that could be used to inform opioid-sparing labeling claims for products that may replace, delay, or reduce or the use of opioid analgesics. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5473 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7171, 7172 - H.R. 5483, Special Registration for Telemedicine Clarification Act of 2018, authored by Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Karen Handel (R-GA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Bobby Rush (D-IL), will clarify telemedicine waivers. Federal law permits the Attorney General to issue a special registration to health care providers to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine in legitimate emergency situations, such as a lack of access to an in-person specialist. Unfortunately, the waiver process has never been implemented through regulation, and some patients do not have the emergency access they need to treatment. This bipartisan bill directs the Attorney General, with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to promulgate interim final regulations within one year of passage of the law. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5483 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7181, 7182 - H.R. 5587, the Peer Support Communities of Recovery Act, authored by Reps. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Bill Johnson (R-OH), will enhance CARA’s Building Communities of Recovery Program and authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to peer support specialist organizations for the development and expansion of recovery services. Peer support specialists/peer recovery coaches are health workers who are in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). New programs are emerging across the country to use peers in a range of settings, including hospitals, to provide immediate and ongoing support and treatment linkages to individuals who have overdosed from opioids, or support individuals newly in recovery. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5587 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7191, 7192, 7193, 7194 - H.R. 5752, the Stop Illicit Drug Importation Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), will streamline and enhance FDA’s tools to intercept illegal products. Illicit or unapproved drugs enter the U.S. supply chain through International Mail Facilities (IMFs) and pose serious public health threats to individuals across the country. On June 13, 2018, H.R. 5752 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7201, 7202, 7203 - H.R. 5812, the Creating Opportunities that Necessitate New and Enhanced Connections That Improve Opioid Navigation Strategies (CONNECTIONS) Act, authored by Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), will improve current federal support for state-run PDMPs. H.R. 5812 will authorize the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to carry out certain controlled substances overdose prevention and surveillance activities in order to improve data collection and integration into physician clinical workflow so that timely, complete, and accurate information will get into the hands of providers and dispensers so that they can make the best clinical decisions for their patients. On June 12, 2018, H.R. 5812 passed the House by voice vote. Section 7211, 7212 - H.R. 5687, the SOUND Disposal and Packaging Act, authored by Reps. Richard Hudson (R-NC), Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), and Ted Budd (R-NC) will direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to work with manufacturers to establish programs for efficient return or destruction of unused Schedule II drugs, with an emphasis on opioids. These methods could include mail-back pouches to secure facilities for incineration, or methods to immediately inactivate/render unattractive unused drugs. In addition, this bill will facilitate utilization of packaging that may reduce overprescribing of opioids. Finally, this bill will require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study new and innovative technologies that claim to be able to safely dispose of opioids and other unused medications. GAO would review and detail the effectiveness of these disposal methods. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5687 passed the House by a vote of 342 to 13. Section 7221 - H.R. 5811, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to post approval study requirements for certain controlled substances, and for other purposes, authored by Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA), will enhance the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) authorities and enforcement tools to ensure timely post-marketing studies for chronically administered opioids. Currently, there is limited data on the long-term efficacy of opioids, and their overall place in the treatment of pain. On June 19, 2018, H.R. 5811 passed the House by voice vote. Section 8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8005, 8006, 8007, 8008, 8009 - H.R. 5788, the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Mike Bishop (R-MI), will require the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to transmit advance electronic data (AED) to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on at least 70 percent of international packages by December 31, 2018, and 100 percent of international packages by December 31, 2020. On June 14, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5889 by a vote of 353-52. Section 8011, 8012 - H.R. 5889, the Recognizing Early Childhood Trauma Related to Substance Abuse Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Dave Brat (R-VA), will require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to disseminate information to professionals working with young children on ways to recognize children impacted by trauma related to an adult’s substance use, and how to respond in a manner that will provide the best support for the child. On June 13, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5889 by voice vote. Section 8021, 8022 - H.R. 5890, the Assisting States’ Implementation of Plans of Safe Care Act, authored by Rep. Tom Garrett (R-VA), will require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide states with enhanced guidance to support the implementation of their “plan of safe care” assurance, which is required under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and designed to address to address the needs of infants affected by prenatal substance abuse. On June 13, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5890 by a vote of 406 to 3. Section 8031, 8032 - H.R. 5891, the Improving the Federal Response to Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorder Act, authored by Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI), will establish an interagency task force to develop a strategy on how federal agencies can implement a coordinated approach to responding to the opioid epidemic, with a particular focus on the existing programs that support infants, children, and their families. On June 13, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5891 by a vote of 409 to 8. Section 8041 - H.R. 5892, to establish an Advisory Committee on Opioids and the Workplace to advise the Secretary of Labor on actions the Department of Labor can take to address the impact of opioid abuse on the workplace, authored by Rep. Jason Lewis (R-MN), will create an Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary of Labor on actions the Department can take to address the impact of opioid abuse on the workplace. On June 13, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5889 by voice vote. Section 8051, 8052 - H.R. 2147, the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), will require the Department of Veterans Affairs to hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) specialists at eligible VA medical centers to ensure veterans who become involved in the criminal justice system have greater access to Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs). On June 13, 2018, the House passed H.R. 2147 by voice vote. Section 8061 - H.R. 4635, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling for women veterans, and for other purposes, authored by Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), will direct the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase the number of female peer counselors so that female veterans who are separating or newly separated from military service can receive support from other female veterans. On June 13, 2018, the House passed H.R. 2147 by voice vote. Section 8071, 8072 - H.R. 5294, the Treating Barriers to Prosperity Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA), will clarify that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) may enter into contracts with and provide grants to people and organizations in Appalachia for projects and other activities aimed at reducing drug abuse and the negative effects of drug abuse, including opioid abuse, in the region. On June 13, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5294 by voice vote. Section 8081, 8082, 8083, 8084 - House Amendment to S. 1091, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, authored by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), will establish an Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. On June 13, 2018, the House passed S.1091, as amended, by voice vote. Section 8091, 8092 - H.R. 6029, the REGROUP Act of 2018, authored by Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA), will amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize the comprehensive opioid abuse grant program through 2023. On June 13, 2018, the House passed H.R. 6029 by voice vote. H.R. 2851, the Stop the Importation & Trafficking of Synthetic Analogues (SITSA) Act, authored by Rep. John Katko (R-NY), will give law enforcement the tools they need to help get illicit synthetic drugs, like fentanyl, off our streets without compromising important public health and research protections. H.R. 2851 will also modernize scheduling guidelines to keep pace with the fast-changing nature of synthetic drugs. On June 15, 2018, the House passed H.R. 2851 by a vote of 239-142. H.R. 5735, the Transitional Housing for Recovery in Viable Environments (THRIVE) Demonstration Program Act, authored by Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), establishes a pilot program to allocate a portion of federal Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers directly to nonprofit organizations that provide housing, job training and continued support for individuals who are transitioning out of a substance abuse rehabilitation program and back into the workforce. On June 14, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5735 by a vote of 230-173. H.R. 5797, the IMD CARE Act, authored by Rep. Mimi Walters (R-CA) and cosponsored by Reps. Steve Knight (R-CA), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), French Hill (R-AR) and Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), allows state Medicaid programs to remove the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion for Medicaid beneficiaries aged 21 to 64 with an opioid use disorder for fiscal years 2019 to 2023. By removing the exclusion, Medicaid would pay for up to 30 total days of care in an IMD during a 12-month period for eligible individuals. Numerous experts have said that addressing the current Medicaid IMD exclusion is one of the most important things that can be done to help combat the opioid crisis because doing so will remove a barrier to care for those seeking treatment through Medicaid. On June 20, 2018, the House passed H.R. 5797 by a vote of 261 to 155. energycommerce.house.gov/opioids/ HR 6 Committee summary highlights.pdf Comments are closed.
