Senator Hassan Participates in Hearing Focused on Economic Impacts of Substance Misuse Crisis

Click here for video of Senator Hassan’s opening statement.

WASHINGTON – Highlighting the devastating impact of the substance misuse crisis on New Hampshire and America’s economy, and the importance of Medicaid in providing treatment and recovery services to help those struggling with substance misuse, Senator Maggie Hassan today acted as the ranking member at a Joint Economic Committee hearing on the “Economic Aspects of the Opioid Epidemic.”

In her opening statement, Senator Hassan discussed the families and individuals on the front lines of the substance misuse crisis across New Hampshire who have benefited from the bipartisan Medicaid expansion plan that was signed into law under her leadership as Governor.

The Trumpcare bill passed by the House of Representatives would place per capita caps on the Medicaid program, a move that is part of an effort by the Trump Administration and the House to cut $1.3 trillion from Medicaid over the next 10 years. Senator Hassan asked Dr. Richard G. Frank, a Professor of Health Economics at Harvard Medical School, how instituting per capita caps on Medicaid would impact a state’s ability to fight this epidemic or future public health emergencies. Dr. Frank highlighted the fact that the need for substance misuse treatment is growing at a much higher rate than the rate of inflation, so “when you have a per capita cap that’s based on inflation at the 2016 pattern, as new things happen or old things grow faster, you start to fall behind very quickly,” in providing critical treatment services.

Senator Hassan also highlighted the fact that Trumpcare would undermine the essential health benefits provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires that insurance companies cover substance use disorder services, a proposal that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says could increase out of pocket costs by thousands of dollars. Asked if he believes that would place a barrier to access to care for people struggling with substance use disorders, Dr. Frank responded “absolutely.”

Click here or see below for Senator Hassan’s opening statement:

Thank you Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Heinrich, and to our witnesses today, thank you for being here as well.  

As I travel across my home state of New Hampshire, I hear from countless families and those on the front lines about how the heroin, fentanyl, and opioid crisis has devastated communities across our state.

And I know that many of our colleagues have heard of the impacts in their states as well.

I’m proud that during my time as Governor, Republicans and Democrats put our differences aside and came together to pass – and reauthorize – our state’s bipartisan Medicaid expansion plan.

Medicaid expansion is providing quality, affordable health coverage to more than 50,000 Granite Staters, including coverage for behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment. And experts have said it is the number one tool we have to fight this crisis.

We should be coming together here – just as we did in my home state – to support those on the front lines and help those who are struggling with addiction. And while members of both parties and the Administration have discussed the severity of this crisis, we need these words to be matched by action.

What we cannot do, however, is end Medicaid expansion and institute deep and irresponsible cuts to the traditional Medicaid program.

This crisis is a public health and law enforcement issue, but it is also an economic issue. I believe the investments in helping people recover are a far better use of our dollars than the long-term cost of addiction, both in terms of state budgets but also in ensuring that individuals are healthy enough to contribute to our economy.

I am pleased that we are having this hearing today, I am very grateful to the Chair for calling it, but we need to continue to hold hearings on how proposals made here in Washington would affect our ability to stem and ultimately reverse the tide of this epidemic.

This is an issue that rises above partisanship, and this is the work that we need to be doing – because the lives of our people and our states depend on it.

I am going to continue to work with our colleagues on solutions, while standing firm against any policy that will pull us backwards.

And with that, I thank you, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses

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