May 13, 2021

Manchin Bill To Prevent Fatal Overdoses, Support Opioid Victims

Bipartisan IMPROVE Addiction Care Act seeks to prevent fatal opioid overdoses

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) reintroduced the bipartisan Improving Medicaid Programs’ Response to Overdose Victims and Enhancing (IMPROVE) Addiction Care Act to provide greater assistance to individuals who have struggled with substance use disorder. This legislation would require state Medicaid programs to use jointly-funded Drug Utilization Review programs to help connect patients to treatment and boost safeguards for those on Medicaid who have experienced a non-fatal, opioid-related overdose. The IMPROVE Addiction Care Act would also close a dangerous information gap that currently keeps prescribers from being informed about a patient who overdoses.

“Every West Virginian has experienced the impacts of the drug epidemic on our family, friends, loved ones, and neighbors.  Today I joined Senator Toomey to introduce the bipartisan IMPROVE Addiction Care Act to strengthen Drug Utilization Review programs across the nation to prevent overdoses by helping to better connect Medicaid patients to treatment options. Americans who have overdosed need our help getting back on their feet through treatment programs, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this commonsense legislation,” said Senator Manchin.

The IMPROVE Addiction Care Act would:

  • Alert: Ensure that doctors are aware if their Medicaid-enrolled patient has suffered a previous nonfatal overdose and alert the prescriber when one of their patients suffers a fatal overdose.
  • Treat: Connect recent opioid overdose survivors who receive Medicaid benefits with treatment opportunities.
  • Educate: Perform ongoing reviews and offer provider education.

Background information can be found here.

Bill text can be found here.