Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after the Senate passed bipartisan opioid legislation that include two of her bipartisan bills addressing the opioids crisis.
“The legislation signed into law today will enable local communities and law enforcement to take important steps to combat the opioid epidemic in Nevada, and curtail fraud in our healthcare system. I look forward to continuing to work in a bipartisan way to ensure that Nevadans struggling with opioid addiction receive the crucial treatment and rehabilitation services they need to recover and thrive.”
BACKGROUND:
In August, Senator Cortez Masto and Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) jointly introduced the Stop Excessive Narcotics in our Retirement (SENIOR) Communities Protection Act to crack down on criminals who scam the Medicare system.
The Stop Excessive Narcotics in our Retirement (SENIOR) Communities Protection Act will:
- Protect seniors from criminals who misuse the Medicare system to illicitly acquire opioids and other prescription drugs
- Give Medicare Part D, or the Medicare prescription drug benefit, the ability to suspend payments to a pharmacy that is under investigation for fraud. This is the same tool that is available to Medicare Parts A and B.
The text of the Stop Excessive Narcotics in our Retirement (SENIOR) Communities Protection Act can be found HERE.
In May, Senator Cortez Masto and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced the Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act to hold fraudulent substance abuse treatment programs and recovery centers accountable by empowering the Federal Trade Commission to bring enforcement actions to combat scams.
The Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act will:
- Clarify and reaffirm the power of the FTC to hold accountable opioid treatment scams, including deceptive treatment claims and bogus products.
- Provide the FTC additional tools, including civil penalties, to ensure bad actors face penalties and create strong deterrents to these unlawful practices.
- Protect individuals with opioid use disorder and their families from harmful and misleading addiction treatment programs or products.
The text of the Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act can be found HERE.