House and Senate Agree on Legislation to Address Opioid Epidemic

The House and Senate reached a bipartisan agreement this week on a package of bills designed to address the opioid crisis, according to The New York Times.

The legislation includes law enforcement and public health measures, the article notes. One bill aims to crack down on fentanyl shipments from entering the United States. The measure requires the U.S. Postal Service to collect electronic information on merchandise that arrives in the United States. This would allow customs inspectors to screen packages for fentanyl and other contraband.

Another provision will allow nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addiction, while a third could make it easier for people who receive Medicaid to get inpatient care for substance use disorders over the next five years. The bill would also provide funds to research and develop new non-addictive painkillers.