Here’s what you should know:
1. The Senate voted to pass the legislation 98 to one, a year after President Trump declared the opioid crisis a national emergency. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, was the lone dissenting vote. The House passed it 393 to eight in September.
2. The bill would require the U.S. Postal Service to screen international shipments for fentanyl and establish a grant program for recovery centers that provide housing, job training and healthcare. It would also expand access to medication-assisted treatment.
3. The legislation entails changing a rule barring Medicaid from covering patients with substance abuse disorders who received treatment in a mental health facility with more than 16 beds. The bill would permit 30 days of residential treatment coverage.
4. Congress devoted $8.5 billion to opioid-related programs this year, but there’s no guarantee of subsequent funding. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., proposed committing $100 billion to fighting the crisis over the next decade.
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