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House and Senate leaders Wednesday agreed to <a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20180924/HR6.pdf">sweeping new legislation</a> to respond to the national opioid epidemic, including authorizing $8 billion in grant programs for states, expanding access to prevention and treatment, and cracking down on illicit drug shipments in the mail.



A section-by-section analysis of the legislation can be found <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__energycommerce.house.gov_wp-2Dcontent_uploads_2018_09_HR6-5F09.26.18-2DFinal-2DOpioid-2DSec-2Dby-2DSec-5FBIPART-2DBICAM.pdf&amp;d=DwMFAg&amp;c=tlFs99Fl3Rlo51LXUBQcug&amp;r=IBlATBCE-HcC5TsewbmtEO1rqHIG4NnQw39wBu6HhuU&amp;m=Bjc9o2umjpQPlZ-FzXhLrTP1RsaLPflfb0mjAuCLNeg&amp;s=z5aJSnf1LC7U1gzOyDXa0S69PgvBhJSmHJhcJBbi21o&amp;e=">here</a>.

The House is scheduled to vote on the bill this week before adjourning for the midterm elections. The Senate is expected to vote early next month, sending the bill to the White House, where aides say President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law.

Among the provisions dropped from the final legislation were changes to privacy rules that would have allowed substance abuse treatment records to be shared more widely among providers. Also not included was an unrelated change to drug discounts that pharmaceutical manufacturers provide in the Medicare Part D coverage gap.

Related Ohio Clock blog coverage of the opioids bill can be found <a href="https://www.ohioclock.com/2018/09/senate-oks-opioids-response-bill-as-lawmakers-scramble-to-pass-final-measure/">here</a>.

Congress Agrees to Final Opioids Bill With Vote Scheduled This Week