Senators Hassan, Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

WASHINGTON – Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Extending Access to Addiction Treatment Act, which would permanently expand coverage for medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder under Medicaid.

This Medicaid coverage currently only goes through 2025, but as Congress works to reauthorize the SUPPORT Act – a landmark investment into substance misuse prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement efforts that Senator Hassan worked to pass into law in 2018 – Senator Hassan is pushing to ensure that this Medicaid coverage continues permanently.  

“Medication-assisted treatment is the gold standard for treating people struggling with opioid use, and addressing the opioid epidemic requires breaking down the barriers that prevent people from accessing this lifesaving care,” said Senator Hassan. “As we work to reauthorize the SUPPORT Act, the bipartisan legislation I am introducing with Senator Blackburn ensures that medication-assisted treatment is always available for those on Medicaid on their path to recovery.”  

“In Tennessee, the impact of the opioid crisis is felt every day, touching families, communities, and institutions,” said Senator Blackburn. “To address this challenge head-on, it's essential to think beyond short-term solutions. By permanently expanding Medicaid coverage for medication-assisted treatment, we are making a firm commitment to providing comprehensive care for those with substance use disorders, laying the groundwork for healthier communities.”

Senator Hassan has worked on bipartisan efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and continues to work to reauthorize the SUPPORT Act. Recently, Senator Hassan introduced bipartisan legislation that expands access to short-term inpatient treatment at addiction treatment facilities, which could also be part of the SUPPORT Act reauthorization. Since 2017, Senator Hassan has successfully worked to secure a nine-fold increase in funding to New Hampshire to address the substance use disorder epidemic. Senator Hassan successfully passed into law her bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, to increase the number of medical professionals authorized to prescribe the gold standard of opioid treatment. Senator Hassan also worked with her colleagues to pass into law the bipartisan INTERDICT Act, which has provided critical tools to Customs and Border Protection to help detect and intercept fentanyl and other illegal synthetic opioids.

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