PQA Applauds Congressional Passage of Opioid Legislation

The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has released a statement praising the bipartisan efforts of Congress in passing the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (HR 6), comprehensive legislation aimed at combating the growing opioid abuse crisis.¹

HR 6—which was passed in the Senate on Wednesday and in the House of Representatives last week—instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a technical expert panel to review quality measures regarding opioids and opioid use disorders. Once established, the panel will evaluate current and in-development quality measures, identify gaps in these measures, and make recommendations.^1,2

The bill also allows patients with substance abuse disorders to receive 30 days of residential treatment coverage through Medicaid when treated at a mental health facility.²

In the statement, PQA Chief Executive Officer Laura Cranston, RPh, lauded the legislation’s emphasis on quality measures that could lead to safer opioid prescribing practices.¹

“While more funding and additional strategies are needed to fight the opioid addiction crisis, we are encouraged by this bipartisan effort to expand treatment and better equip clinicians, communities and the patients they serve to appropriately use medications and address misuse and abuse,” she said in the statement.¹

HR 6 will now head to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law or vetoed.²

References

• Laura Cranston, RPh, chief executive officer, Pharmacy Quality Alliance, on the approval of federal legislation to combat the opioid epidemic. PQA website. pqaalliance.org/statement-on-opioid-legislation. Published October 5, 2018. Accessed October 5, 2018.
• Itkowitz C. Senate easily passes sweeping opioids legislation, sending to President Trump. The Washington Post. October 3, 2018. washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/03/senate-is-poised-send-sweeping-opioids-legislation-president-trump/?utm_term=.5a30ccff0efd. Accessed October 5, 2018.