Obama Administration Lends Support To Toomey Bill Tackling Opioid Abuse And Heroin Epidemic

Washington, D.C. - At a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt backed Senator Pat Toomey's (R-Pa.) leadership in stopping the plague of opioid abuse and heroin, saying his bipartisan legislation "makes every bit of sense in the world."

At the hearing, Sen. Toomey, who chairs the Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, asked Administrator Slavitt for his opinion of the bipartisan Stopping Medication Abuse and Protecting Seniors Act, which would help to stop diversion of prescription painkillers and encourage treatment for Medicare enrollees who are battling addiction. It also would save taxpayer dollars. Administrator Slavitt said:

"Thank you for your leadership on this very challenging issue. I know from work we've done with you, and your office in Western Pennsylvania, how personally involved you have been, and of course we are dealing with the effects of this every day as well.

"We think a lock-in proposal makes every bit of sense in the world, and we completely agree that that's the type of authority that would be very helpful in really taking a practical measure to stem abuse."

You can watch the video here.

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy sent Acting Administrator Slavitt a letter commending him for his support of Sen. Toomey's legislation. You can read the letter here.