Las Vegas, Nev. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after two of her bipartisan bills addressing the opioids crisis were signed into law.
“I am proud to see two of my bipartisan bills in the opioids package signed into law by the President today. This legislation prioritizes the health and safety of Nevadans impacted by the opioid crisis, and provides our law enforcement with vital tools to help keep our communities safe. I will continue to fight in the Senate to see that we build the infrastructure we need to beat this public health crisis and support individuals struggling with addiction.”
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.
###