Update on H.R. 4841, a bill introduced by Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ)

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA), along with Subcommittee on Health Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI), released legislative proposals to help combat the opioid crisis.

More than three out of five drug overdoses involves an opioid. Overdose deaths from opioids, including prescription opioids, have increased by more than five times since 1999. The time to act is now. These proposals come as the result of bipartisan work with public and private stakeholders to determine how lawmakers can work best with federal, state, and local partners to fully utilize all tools at their disposal to help our families and communities impacted by the opioid crisis.

Upon releasing these bills, Chairman Brady said:

“This is the next step to ensure that the over 42 million Americans who receive prescriptions through the Medicare program are not going to fall victim to the opioid crisis. Together, we have identified legislative solutions for our Committee to consider that will help our families and communities overcome this crisis. We know there is still a long way to go, and I thank all of our Members for their dedicated work on this front. I look forward to working together to move many of these important proposals to the House floor.”

The Committee plans to mark up four “packages.” These packages are:

H.R. 5773, “Preventing Addiction for Susceptible Seniors (PASS) Act” – Sponsored by Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL), Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL)

H.R. 5774, “Combatting Opioid Abuse for Care in Hospitals (COACH) Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA)

H.R. 5775, “Providing Reliable Options for Patients and Educational Resources (PROPER) Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN)

H.R. 5776, “Medicare and Opioid Safe Treatment (MOST) Act” – Sponsored by Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA)

The above packages will include measures from many of the following pieces of legislation:

H.R. 5675, “To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require prescription drug plan sponsors under the Medicare program to establish drug management programs for at-risk beneficiaries” – Sponsored by Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL), Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI)

H.R. 4841, “Standardizing Electronic Prior Authorization for Safe Prescribing” – Sponsored by Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ)

H.R. 5676, “Stop Excessive Narcotics in our Retirement (SENIOR) Communities Protection Act” – Sponsored by Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)

H.R. 5684, “Protecting Seniors from Opioid Abuse Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)

H.R. 5699, “Hospital Opioid Solutions Toolkit (HOST) Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL)

H.R. 5686, “Medicare Clear Health Options in Care for Enrollees (CHOICE) Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN)

H.R. 5715, “Strengthening Partnerships to Prevent Opioid Abuse Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH)

H.R. 5716, “Commit to Opioid Medical Prescriber Accountability and Safety for Seniors (COMPASS) Act” – Sponsored by Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL)

H.R. 5723, “Expanding Oversight of Opioid Prescribing and Payment Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA)

H.R. 5718, “Perioperative Reduction of Opioids (PRO) Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY)

H.R. 5714, “Education for Disposal of Unused (EDU) Opioids Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN)

H.R. 5719, “Reduce Overprescribing Opioids in Treatment (ROOT) Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN)

H.R. 5725, “Benefit Evaluation of Safe Treatment (BEST) Act” – Sponsored by Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL)

H.R. 5722, “Dr. Todd Graham Pain Management Improvement Act of 2018” – Sponsored by Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA)

H.R. 5779, “Promoting Quality of Care in Pain Management Act” – Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)

H.R. 5777, “Centralized Opioid Guidance (COG) Act of 2018” – Sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

H.R. 5769, “Expanding Access to Treatment Act of 2018” – Sponsored by Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA) and Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)

H.R. 5080, “A bill based on the Comprehensive Opioid Management and Bundled Addiction Treatment Act of 2018” – Sponsored by Rep. George Holding (R-NC)

H.R. 5083, “Expanding Access to Evidence-Based Opioid Treatment for Seniors Act of 2018” – Sponsored by Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA)

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