Senate easily passes bill addressing opioid abuse

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Thursday passed 94-1 a bill that aims to combat the nation's opioid drug and heroin epidemic. The legislation, known as the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act, would allow the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants for states to expand treatment efforts and access to overdose-prevention drugs.

The legislation "will help tackle this crisis by expanding education and prevention initiatives, improving treatment programs and bolstering law enforcement efforts," Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor before the vote.

Ben Sasse, R-Neb., was the only no vote.

Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., praised the bill, saying in a release that Mississippi has higher death rates with 23 heroin and 64 prescription opioid deaths in 2014, according to a report issued in February by the Mississippi Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. In a December report, the State Department of Health indicated opioid-related hospitalizations were associated with almost $200 million in inpatient costs in 2010 and 2011.

"Mississippians are not immune to the personal ruin, deaths and crime associated with heroin and prescription drug abuse," Cochran said. "This legislation is intended to provide for more effective programs and policies to counteract the health, social and legal problems caused by abuse of these strong drugs."

The Senate spent nearly two weeks debating the legislation, and on Wednesday reached an agreement on amendments, adopting language intended to strengthen consumer education about opioid abuse and provide follow-up services to people who have received overdose reversal drugs. Last week, senators adopted an amendment that would prevent at-risk patients from getting prescriptions from multiple doctors, and another that would give the Justice Department additional authorities to combat drug trafficking.

After a heated partisan debate over how to fund the new programs, the Senate ultimately rejected a Democratic amendment to include $600 million in emergency funding. Republicans argue that the fiscal 2016 omnibus included funding that can be used, and that more will be found during this year's appropriations process.

"This authorization bill, in addition to the $400 million opioid-specific programs just a few months ago, can make important strides in combating the growing addiction and opioid problem we've seen in every one of our states," McConnell said.

The bill now awaits action in the House, where companion legislation awaits a hearing by the Judiciary Committee.

Outside groups praised the bill's passage, including the "doctor shopping" provision that would allow Medicare to designate single prescribers for at-risk patients.

"This provision will ensure Medicare patients get needed pain relief without being exposed to dangerous amounts of prescription drugs," said Cynthia Reilly, director of Pew's prescription drug abuse project.

This story was originally published March 10, 2016 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Senate easily passes bill addressing opioid abuse ."