Press Releases

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced H.R. 5723, the Expanding Oversight of Opioid Prescribing and Payment Act of 2018. This bipartisan legislation requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to evaluate and report on adverse incentives that lead to the over prescription of opioids and under-utilization of non-opioid alternatives for post-surgery recovery and the treatment of chronic pain. This legislation comes after the House Ways and Means Committee solicited information and ideas to help combat the opioid epidemic.

This bill is sponsored by Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and cosponsored Representative David McKinley (R-WV-1).

“Too many people are suffering from addiction that started from an opioid prescription when an alternative might have been available,” said Rep. DelBene. “This bipartisan legislation allows us to find a pathway to paying for non-opioid alternatives to treat pain. This is a good first step in addressing this issue that affects countless individuals and families across my district and the nation.”

“As a member of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, I am committed to finding a comprehensive and compassionate solution to reverse the tide of the growing opioid addiction plaguing our communities and families. Often, an addiction to opioids begins with a prescription for pain-management.  It’s estimated that up to 29 percent of patients who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse the drug. With 115 people dying each day from an opioid overdose, we must find ways to prevent this abuse in the first place,” said Rep. Claudia Tenney. “That’s why I’ve introduced the Expanding Oversight of Opioid Prescribing and Payment Act to identify and roll back barriers that have inhibited the use of non-opioid alternatives to treat pain. This common-sense legislation seeks to identify current practices preventing the use of non-opioid treatments for pain management while determining incentives that have unintentionally led to the over-prescription of opioids. Too many families across the country have tragically lost a loved one to the opioid epidemic.”

“As we seek to reduce the over-prescription of opioid pain killers, it is essential that we have incentives to develop alternative methods for pain management,” said Rep. David B. McKinley. “This bill will enable Congress to effectively target funding towards the development of opioid alternatives by identifying incentives that drive innovation. We’re honored to join Representative Tenney on this effort and are thankful for her leadership on this issue.”

Rep. DelBene is a member of House Ways and Means Committee and Vice-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition.