A report by the Congressional Joint Economic Committee highlights fears that deep cuts to Medicaid proposed by Republican lawmakers could jeopardize treatment for over a million Americans struggling with opioid addiction. Democrats criticize these cuts, linking them to funding tax breaks for the wealthy. Medicaid has become a crucial provider of addiction treatment, especially since the expansion of coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Drug policy experts note that this funding has contributed to a significant reduction in overdose deaths, emphasizing the importance of maintaining these support systems in the fight against the fentanyl crisis.
"President Trump and Congressional Republicans have proposed gutting Medicaid in order to pay for tax breaks for corporate special interests and billionaires, which would jeopardize addiction care just as our country is finally starting to see progress in addressing the fentanyl crisis," said Sen. Maggie Hassan.
Over the last decade, as more states expanded Medicaid coverage under provisions of the Affordable Care Act, the program emerged as the leading source of insurance coverage for high quality addiction treatment in the U.S.
A study released in February by the Brookings Institution found nearly 90 percent of medical treatment for opioid and fentanyl addiction in the U.S. is paid for at least in part through Medicaid.
While it's not yet clear how Republican budget proposals will impact Medicaid and its role in drug treatment, House GOP leaders have floated ideas that include slashing as much as $2.3 trillion from the program over the next decade.
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