Save the Date: September CEPOP All-Participants Call

CEPOP will be hosting its September All-Participants Teleconference on September 26th at 3:00pm EST. The meeting will include presentations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. Please contact Sanjyot Sangodkar for more information.


Bills Introduced to Support States and Tribal Communities, State Opioid Response Grants

Last week, Senators Tammy Baldwin (WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (NH) introduced the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act, which would provide additional resources and flexibilities for states and Tribal communities within the State Opioid Response (SOR) grants. The bill would allow states and Tribes to use SOR grant funds to address stimulant misuse and use disorders, allocate five percent of funding for Tribal communities, provide guidance to states and Tribes on how to use funding for increasing access to recovery support services, increase the minimum grant award to $12 million, provide technical assistance and other direct support to states, Tribes, rural and underserved communities, and providers, and authorize $2.7 billion per year for fiscal years 2023 through 2027. In a statement, Senator Shaheen said, “For years, the State Opioid Response Grant Program has been an essential tool for states like New Hampshire that are on the frontlines of this crisis. That’s precisely why I’ve worked to create flexibility within the program to adapt to how this epidemic evolved over the years. And that’s why I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Baldwin to authorize the lifesaving SOR grant program to continue providing resources and flexibility to fight this scourge. We cannot take our eyes off the substance misuse crisis, and I’ll keep fighting to ensure New Hampshire gets its fair share of resources to protect future generations from succumbing to addiction.”

Articles & Resources

Bill Text

Senator Tammy Baldwin – Senators Baldwin, Shaheen Introduce Legislation to Give Local and Tribal Communities Tools to Combat the Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Epidemic


OIG Publishes Findings on Medicare Beneficiaries and OUD Risk and Treatment

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a data brief examining trends in access to opioid use disorder medication and behavioral therapy in Medicare Part D beneficiaries. According to a statement by OIG, while approximately 1 million Medicare beneficiaries were diagnosed with opioid use disorder in 2021, less than 20 percent received medication to treat their opioid use disorder. OIG found that over 50,000 Part D beneficiaries received medical care for an opioid overdose linked to prescription opioids or illicit opioids. OIG also found that nearly 200,000 Part D beneficiaries received high amounts of opioids in 2021 and about 23,000 beneficiaries were at serious risk for health issues because they received extreme amounts of opioids or appeared to be doctor shopping. This data brief builds off of a data brief published in December 2021 which highlighted six recommendations for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement to address OIG’s concerns.

Articles & Resources

OIG – Opioid Overdoses and the Limited Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder Continue To Be Concerns for Medicare Beneficiaries


What We Read Last Week

Several articles were published last week pertaining to the opioid epidemic, covering a variety of different components of the topic. Links to relevant articles are provided below.

Arizona Public Media – New report shows opioid deaths increased despite state initiatives

Congressman Markwayne Mullin – Mullin Leads Colleagues in Pressing Biden Administration to Take Action on Part 2

HHS – HHS Approves Nation’s First Medicaid Mobile Crisis Intervention Services Program, To Be Launched in Oregon

Newsweek – We Have The Tools to Prevent Opioid Deaths and Improve Health Equity (Piece authored by the Honorable Mary Bono, CEPOP Co-Convenor)

OIG – Opioid Overdoses and the Limited Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder Continue To Be Concerns for Medicare Beneficiaries

Senator Chris Van Hollen – Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $30,000 For Brooke’s House to Support Women Recovering from Substance Use Reenter the Workforce

Senator Doc Marshall – Sen. Marshall Holds Social Media Giants Accountable for Role in Biden’s Fentanyl Crisis

Senator Kristen Gillibrand – Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $500,000 In Federal Funding For Substance Use Recovery Programs In Chautauqua County

Senator Maggie Hassan – Senator Hassan Presses the FDA Commissioner to Update Opioid Labeling Policies: “What People are Looking for Right Now is Action”

STAT – Medicare provides insufficient access to opioid addiction treatment, report finds

The Hill – Addiction often goes hand-in-hand with mental illnesses — both must be addressed

The Hill – Ending telehealth cuts off a vital tool against opioid addiction

The White House – Memorandum on Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2023


This Week’s Calendar

In the week ahead, there are no relevant events or hearings noticed at this time. In the event that there are any changes to the schedule for this week, we will make additional information available.


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