ASAM Joins Hill Briefing on Sustainable Funding for Addiction Treatment

To kick off April, ASAM co-sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing hosted by the Congressional Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery (ATR) Caucus titled "Sustainable Funding to Address the Overdose Epidemic." Representatives Paul Tonko (NY-20), Herb Conaway (NJ-03), and Madeleine Dean (PA-04) delivered opening remarks that focused on the need to continue prioritizing funding for addiction treatment and recovery services -- especially as tens of thousands of Americans continue to tragically die from drug-related overdoses each year. 

At the briefing, ASAM Public Policy Committee Vice Chair Malik Burnett, MD, MBA, MPH, sat on a panel with fellow addiction and substance use disorder (SUD) experts to discuss funding solutions to ensure Americans can access evidence-based addiction treatment. Medicaid -- and the proposals circulated by some lawmakers to enact steep cuts to the program -- drove much of the conversation. Dr. Burnett noted that the vast majority of his patients rely on Medicaid to finance their treatment. Without it, they would not be able to receive the care they need. Potential cuts to Medicaid, combined with further expected reductions in grant funding, could create a perfect storm that threatens to undo the progress made so far in reducing overdose deaths. 

ASAM continues to call on lawmakers to protect Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion for Americans living with addiction. Read our recent letter to Congressional leaders here.