Turn the Tide Act

Shaheen, Jeanne

Turn the Tide Act This bill provides funding for various programs and activities to prevent, treat, and otherwise address substance use disorders. It also makes changes to insurance coverage for substance use disorders. Specifically, the bill provides funding for <ul> <li>training and other support for students, health care providers, and others in the substance use disorder workforce;</li> <li>prescription drug take-back programs;</li> <li>surveillance and public health activities to detect and respond to substance use issues;</li> <li>treatment and recovery services, including for specified populations;</li> <li>housing services for individuals in treatment and recovery;</li> <li>drug treatment courts, peer mentoring and wellness support in law enforcement agencies, and other criminal justice activities; and</li> <li>drug-free community coalitions.</li> </ul> In addition, the bill modifies insurance coverage for substance use disorder drugs and treatments by <ul> <li>prohibiting prior authorizations and other utilization control policies for medication-assisted treatments under Medicaid and private insurance plans, and</li> <li>requiring Medicare drug plans and private insurance plans to offer at least one opioid reversal drug without cost-sharing.</li> </ul> Furthermore, the bill increases Medicaid payment rates for mental and behavioral health services and requires the federal government to cover the costs of this increase. Additionally, the bill requires that non-opioid treatment options associated with surgery be reimbursed separately, instead of on a packaged basis, under Medicare. The bill also extends certain Medicaid waivers for delivery reform incentive payments for states that have high rates of drug overdose deaths.