On a 99-1 vote, the U.S. Senate passed legislation yesterday to address the ever-increasing opioid crisis. (here) Yesterday’s bill must still be reconciled with the U.S. House bill passed several months ago, but differences are relatively small. It is hoped that the two houses can reach a compromise bill expeditiously.

The Senate’s legislation is a compilation of 70 separate bills and has a total price tag of $8.4 billion. It attacks the opioid problem on several different fronts.

Evidence is very clear that over the past six years, the dramatic increase in opioid deaths is due to the use of illegal fentanyl and heroin. (here) Fentanyl is shipped from foreign suppliers through the U.S. mail in a powder form and is reconstituted to enhance the potency of other illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroin. The Senate bill requires digital tracking of 70 percent of incoming postal packages by the end of 2018 and 100 percent by 2020.

The bill also has the following measures:

• Increases communication between U.S. Customs and the FDA;
• Expands NIH research on non-addictive pain killers;
• Limits the number of narcotic pills providers can prescribe at one time;
• Reduces drug manufacturing quotas;
• Increases the use of telemedicine for the remote prescribing of overdose treatments;
• Advocacy groups.

The U.S. House bill passed several months ago also includes:

• More methadone treatment centers funded by Medicaid;
• Insurance parity between mental and physical health;
• Allows providers to share patient information with family and other facilities;
• Gives Medicaid money to treatment centers with more than 16 beds.

Critics of the Senate bill are concerned because the legislation lacks urgency, lacks breadth of treatments, and does not provide long-term funding. With $50 billion spent annually and over $1 trillion spent so far on the “war on drugs,” $8.4 billion can seem a rather small amount.

Dealing with the opioid crisis should be a priority of government. Entitlements should be returned to true safety-net programs and the savings then allocated to fighting the illegal drug problem.