The American Health Care Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in early May, is ill-conceived, damaging and downright cruel. I have come to this conviction after studying the preliminary numbers forecasting the bill’s impact, and speaking with health professionals and people in our state.
The bill would not only make coverage more expensive and harder to get for most people in Maine, but it would also allow states to waive requirements for insurance companies to provide essential health benefits, such as coverage for substance abuse treatment. At a time when the opioid epidemic is tearing at the fabric of communities across Maine and the country, we cannot risk a massive upheaval that takes away substance abuse treatment coverage and funding for those who need it most.
For nearly three years I’ve been working on the opioid issue in the Senate. I’ve been meeting with people throughout Maine — in hospitals, with people in recovery, and with families, and parents, and law enforcement. And the one thing that comes through loud and clear is that treatment works and that we need it. This is a terrible disease, but the most tragic thing of all is when someone finally reaches the point when they’re ready to ask for help and they’re told, ‘Sorry, there’s a three-week wait’ or ‘there’s a three-month wait.’ That’s when lives are lost and families are destroyed.
People in Maine have seen firsthand the benefit of comprehensive funding and treatment options for the drug crisis. Andrew Kiezulas, a Portland native, overcame substance abuse disorders, and is now the president and co-founder of Students in Recovery at the University of Southern Maine. He graduated from college last weekend. Justin Reid struggled with addiction, but now runs Providence Place, a sober house in Portland.
Matt Braun from Cape Elizabeth, whose parents fought with their insurance company to get his treatment covered, is now preparing to take the Medical College Admission Test, with the goal of supporting those who are struggling in the same way he did. These young men were brought back from the edge – from the grip of addiction – because there were treatment options.
The administration has also recently indicated that they are considering dismantling the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the federal government’s lead office in coordinating the fight against the opioid epidemic raging on in states like Maine. The proposal would slash funding by 95 percent in the FY 2018 budget, a $364 million reduction from $388 to $24 million. Here we are in the midst of the most serious drug crisis in the history of this country and the administration is talking about gutting the very office that’s supposed to lead the fight.
Talking about this problem is not going to solve it. And we can’t arrest our way out of this problem. Treatment is going to solve it. Money for treatment is going to solve it. More beds for treatment are going to solve it. Detox centers are going to solve it. More resources for law enforcement are going to solve it. There is no single answer. But at the core is commitment. Passing this bill in the House — that drastically undermines all of those elements of treatment and prevention and then by talking about dismantling the office that has led this fight in the entire federal government — is beyond comprehension in the midst of where we are.
I will continue to work with my colleagues in Washington and with people in Maine to raise awareness about the drug crisis and ensure there is a comprehensive effort across all levels of government to combat it. Doing so helps the countless men and women trying to seek treatment, supports their families and strengthens the safety of our communities.
