House Democrats said bipartisan efforts to combat the opioid epidemic wouldn’t do any good if Republicans continue to try to cut Medicaid.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to advance to the 26 bills to combat opioid abuse along with four other bills. But Democrats criticized Republican efforts to roll back Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion as part of efforts last year to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
“You cannot on one hand say we are addressing this public health crisis and the other say we are going to undermine Medicaid,” said Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla.
Other Democrats said the legislation is not meant to take the place of Medicaid.
“We have to preserve Medicaid,” said Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. “That is essentially the lifeline. We can’t have these bills as a substitute.”
Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., said efforts to expand access to treatment won’t do any good without insurance.
“The money you are putting in this bill to build health treatment facilities, yet don’t let your patients have the insurance or remove insurance, then they won’t be able to afford the services,” Ruiz said.
This is the first of two hearings that the committee has planned to move more than 50 opioid bills to the full House. Committee leaders hope to get the bills through the House by the Memorial Day recess.
