The SUPPORT Act: New Tools in Medicaid to Address the Opioid Epidemic

The Senate passed H.R. 6, The Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (the “SUPPORT Act”) on October 3. On November 16, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar, with technical experts from Manatt Health, on the SUPPORT Act. Most stakeholders agree that the bill is a significant step forward in addressing the opioid epidemic, reflecting a range of important policy changes such as initiatives to increase access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), new grant, pilot and demonstration projects, and a series of changes to Medicaid and Medicare. During this webinar, experts from Manatt Health reviewed major health provisions of the new law and implications for states.