policy

September 18, 2018

The Honorable Lamar Alexander
Chairman, Senate HELP Committee

The Honorable Patty Murray
Ranking Member, Senate HELP Committee

The Honorable Orrin Hatch
Chairman, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member

The Honorable Ron Wyden
Senate Finance Committee

The Honorable Greg Walden
Chairman, House Energy and Commerce Committee

The Honorable Frank Pallone
Ranking Member, House Energy and Commerce Committee

The Honorable Kevin Brady
Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee

The Honorable Richard Neal
Ranking Member, House Ways and Means Committee

Re: Letter on ACAP Recommendations regarding H.R.6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act

Sent via Electronic Communication

Dear Chairmen and Ranking Members:

On behalf of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) and the 62 Safety Net Health Plans and the more than 21 million Americans they serve, I write to you the members of the House/Senate conference committee on H.R.6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, to outline ACAP’s position on the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill and urge the members of the Conference to adopt federal policy that will protect and enhance the ability of safety net health plans to effectively care for their enrollees suffering from opioid and other substance use disorders (SUD).

ACAP applauds the House and Senate for taking this action to address America’s horrific opioid crisis. Representing those on the front lines of caring for Americans with substance use disorders, ACAP and our members urge House/Senate conferees to come to an expedited resolution over the differences between the two versions of the bills and start the process of stemming the tide of devastation that opioids is having on American families and communities.

While ACAP generally supports the language passed in both the House and the Senate, we wanted to offer our recommendations on specific differences between the two packages and to urge the conference negotiators to accept these recommendations as part of the final conference agreement.

In advance, thank you for your consideration of our input.

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