Congress Seeks to Advance ID and Opioid Efforts

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee are voting on new legislation this week to address the opioid epidemic.  Both committees will consider bills that include recommendations from the IDSA/HIVMA/PIDS policy brief released last month, including: expanded surveillance of infectious diseases related to substance use disorder, health care provider training on the  intersection between infectious diseases and the opioid epidemic, increased flexibility to use telehealth to provide care to patients with substance use disorders and related infectious diseases, and an increased limit of the number of patients who can be prescribed medication assistedtreatment (MAT).  

Our societies are working closely with Congress to advance and improve the legislation, including advocating for greater emphasis on coordinated treatment of infectious diseases and substance use disorders and the inclusion of ID and HIV physicians in a new loan repayment opportunity.  Following action by the committees, the bills will be considered by their respective chambers.