Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021

H.R. 2256/S. 834 - Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act H.R. 2903/S. 1512 - CONNECT for Health Act H.R. 4323/S. 2069 - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act H.R.3345 - Helping MOMS Act H.R.4587 - Value in Health Care Act of 2021 H.R.7053/S. 3792 - Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act Issues related to Section 203 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 Issues related to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Issues related to the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) programs Issues related to the Medicare sequester S.748 - Medicare Sequester Relief Act

Client expense: $490,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, White House Office

H.R. 2903/S. 1512, The CONNECT for Health Act and H.R. 1332/S. 368, The Telehealth Modernization Act, as they relate to telehealth. H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact (TRIA) Act, as it relates to payments for post-acute care providers. S. 2021/H.R. 3806, The SAFE Hospitals Act of 2021, as it relates to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments. S. 2689/H.R. 5414, Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021 and issues related to the Medicaid institutions for mental diseases exclusion. H.R. 2256/S. 834, The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021. H.R. 4407/S. 1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act. S. 2069/H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health Addiction Treatment Act. Monitored H.R.432, Mental Health Access Improvement Act. Issues involving mandatory COVID vaccines for health care providers. Issues related to Medicare sequestration. Issues related to the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rule for Fiscal Year 2023. H.R. 7053 / S. 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act and issues related to Acute Hospital Care at Home program. H.R. 2617 (P.L. 117-328), the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, as it relates to Medicare Dependent Hospitals, Low Volume Hospital Payments, telehealth flexibilities, the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, and graduate medical education residency positions. Issues related to Medicaid payments for safety net providers.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE

Legislation and policies relating to: Adoption of recommendations of the National Academy of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity Provisions of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) Reauthorization of the Childrens Health Insurance Program Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act Section 2706 of the ACA regarding provider non-discrimination Policies affecting nurse practitioner education and workforce Definition, evaluation and enforcement of essential health benefits and provider network adequacy Health information technology and electronic health records Mental health services and violence prevention H.R. 66, Comprehensive Access to Robust Insurance Now Guaranteed for Kids (CARING for Kids) Act H.R. 482/S. 350, Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2021 H.R. 485, Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act H.R. 550, Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 909/S. 484, Moms Matter Act H.R. 959/S. 346, Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 H.R. 1065/S. 1486, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act H.R. 1324/S/ 467, Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2021 H.R. 1390, Childrens Health Insurance Program Pandemic Enhancement and Relief (CHIPPER) Act H.R. 1620, Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021 H.R. 1791, Childrens Health Insurance Program Permanency (CHIPP) Act H.R. 2094/S. 1301, Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act H.R. 2347/S. 2691, Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 H.R. 3173/S. 3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021 H.R. 3182, Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021 H.R. 3407/S. 411, Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness (MOMMAs) Act H.R. 3655, Vaccine Injury Compensation Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 4217/S. 2779, Taskforce Recommending Improvements for Unaddressed Mental Perinatal & Postpartum Health (TRIUMPH) for New Moms Act H.R. 5376, Inflation Reduction Act - provisions related to health equity and mental and behavioral health for patients and health care providers H.R. 5487/S. 3972, Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act of 2021 H.R. 5585, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health (ARPA-H) Act H.R. 7076, Supporting Childrens Mental Health Care Access Act of 2022 H.R. 7236, Strengthen Kids Mental Health Now Act of 2022 H.R. 7666, Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022 H.R. 7780, Mental Health Matters Act H.R. 8296, Womens Health Protection Act of 2022 H.R. 8391, Continuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act of 2022 H.R. 8450, Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act S. 104/H.R. 379, Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2021 S. 248/H.R. 804, Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act S. 499/H.R. 369, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2021 S. 674, Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act S. 844/H.R. 3109, PHIT Act of 2021 S. 1259, Safe Cribs Act S. 1275/H.R. 2119, Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021 S. 1658/H.R. 3110, Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act S. 1675/H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act S. 2069/H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act S. 3479/H.R. 8151, Building a Sustainable Workforce for Healthy Communities Act S. 3623, Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 S. 3799, Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act) S. 4170, Mental Health Reform Reauthorization Act of 2022

Working toward passage of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R.4323). Advocating for expanded funding opportunities in Medicare, Medicaid and the private and public mental health systems to ensure individuals with behavioral health illnesses get the care they need. Efforts in both chambers to advance policies intended to address the opioid crisis. Pursuing policies on behalf of the National Council for Behavioral Health related to COVID 19 response and federal support considered for inclusion in the Build Back Better Act. Pursued inclusion of mental health policies in S. 2938, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $40,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE

H.R. 2256/S. 834 - Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act H.R. 2903/S. 1512 - CONNECT for Health Act H.R. 4323/S. 2069 - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act H.R.3345 - Helping MOMS Act H.R.4587 - Value in Health Care Act of 2021 H.R.7053/S. 3792 - Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act Issues related to Section 203 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 Issues related to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Issues related to the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) programs Issues related to the Medicare sequester S.748 - Medicare Sequester Relief Act

Client expense: $390,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, White House Office

H.R. 2903/S. 1512, The CONNECT for Health Act and H.R. 1332/S. 368, The Telehealth Modernization Act, as they relate to telehealth. H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact (TRIA) Act, as it relates to payments for post-acute care providers. S. 2021/H.R. 3806, The SAFE Hospitals Act of 2021, as it relates to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments. S. 2689/H.R. 5414, Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021 and issues related to the Medicaid institutions for mental diseases exclusion. H.R. 2256/S. 834, The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021. H.R. 4407/S. 1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act. H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act, as it relates to Uncompensated Care Pools and Disproportionated Share Hospital Payments. S. 2069/H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health Addiction Treatment Act. Monitored H.R.432, Mental Health Access Improvement Act. Issues involving mandatory COVID vaccines for health care providers. Issues related to Medicare sequester relief. Issues related to the extension of telehealth flexibilities. Issues related to the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule for Fiscal Year 2023. S. 2938, Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, as it relates to certified community behavioral health centers.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000

H.R. 2903/S. 1512, The CONNECT for Health Act and H.R. 1332/S. 368, The Telehealth Modernization Act, as they relate to telehealth. H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact (TRIA) Act, as it relates to payments for post-acute care providers. S. 2021/H.R. 3806, The SAFE Hospitals Act of 2021, as it relates to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments. S. 2689/H.R. 5414, Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021 and issues related to the Medicaid institutions for mental diseases exclusion. H.R. 2256/S. 834, The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021. H.R. 4407/S. 1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act. H.R. 5376 (P.L. 117-169), the Inflation Reduction Act, as it relates to Uncompensated Care Pools and Disproportionated Share Hospital Payments. S. 2069/H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health Addiction Treatment Act. Monitored H.R.432, Mental Health Access Improvement Act. Issues involving mandatory COVID vaccines for health care providers. Issues related to Medicare sequester relief. Issues related to the extension of telehealth flexibilities. Issues related to the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule for Fiscal Year 2023. H.R. 7053 / S. 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act and issues related to hospital at home program. H.R. 6833, Making Continuing Appropriations for FY 2023 and for other purposes, and issues related to Medicare Dependent Hospitals and Low Volume Hospital Payments.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000

Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act (S. 2069/ H.R. 4323), all provisions related to expanding and extending the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Medicaid demonstration program. Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432), all provisions related to allowing marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to directly bill Medicare for their services. Medicaid Reentry Act (H.R. 955/S. 285), all provisions related to allowing Medicaid coverage for eligible incarcerated individuals to be re-established up to 30 days before their release from jail or prison. Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services in Medicare (PEERS) Act of 2021 (H.R. 2767), all provisions related to allowing peer support specialists to participate in behavioral health integration services under Medicare. Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act (H.R. 3447), all provisions related to expanding access to audio-only telehealth under Medicare. Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act (H.R. 1647/S. 340), all provisions related to coverage of certain telehealth services under Medicare. Excellence in Recovery Housing Act (H.R. 2376/S. 2901), all provisions related to the availability of high-quality recovery housing for individuals with substance use disorders. Due Process Continuity of Care Act (H.R. 6636/S. 2697), all provisions related to the removal of the Medicaid coverage exclusion for inmates in custody pending disposition of charges. Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2022 (H.R. 8800), all provisions related to the extension of certain increases in payments for physicians services under the Medicare program through 2023.

Client expense: $150,000 · Firm income: Not reported

The Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432); The Medicaid Reentry Act of 2021 (S. 285/H.R. 955), Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069/H.R. 4323);Issues related to workforce shortages; Issues related to opioid use/overdose; Issues related to telehealth flexibilities.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $10,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Legislation and policies relating to: Adoption of recommendations of the National Academy of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity Provisions of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) Reauthorization of the Childrens Health Insurance Program Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act Section 2706 of the ACA regarding provider non-discrimination Policies affecting nurse practitioner education and workforce Definition, evaluation and enforcement of essential health benefits and provider network adequacy Health information technology and electronic health records Mental health services and violence prevention Implementation of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (P.L. 117-105) H.R. 66, Comprehensive Access to Robust Insurance Now Guaranteed for Kids (CARING for Kids) Act H.R. 482/S. 350, Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2021 H.R. 485, Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act H.R. 550, Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 909/S. 484, Moms Matter Act H.R. 959/S. 346, Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 H.R. 1065/S. 1486, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act H.R. 1324/S/ 467, Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2021 H.R. 1390, Childrens Health Insurance Program Pandemic Enhancement and Relief (CHIPPER) Act H.R. 1620, Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021 H.R. 1791, Childrens Health Insurance Program Permanency (CHIPP) Act H.R. 2094/S. 1301, Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act H.R. 2347/S. 2691, Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 H.R. 3173/S. 3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021 H.R. 3182, Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021 H.R. 3407/S. 411, Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness (MOMMAs) Act H.R. 4217/S. 2779, Taskforce Recommending Improvements for Unaddressed Mental Perinatal & Postpartum Health (TRIUMPH) for New Moms Act H.R. 5376, Build Back Better Act - provisions related to nursing education infrastructure, health equity, social determinants of health, mental and behavioral health for patients and health care providers, and child and maternal health H.R. 5487/S. 3972, Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act of 2021 H.R. 5585, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health (ARPA-H) Act H.R. 7076, Supporting Childrens Mental Health Care Access Act of 2022 H.R. 7236, Strengthen Kids Mental Health Now Act of 2022 H.R. 7666, Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022 H.R. 7790, Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 S. 104/H.R. 379, Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2021 S. 248/H.R. 804, Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act S. 499/H.R. 369, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2021 S. 674, Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act S. 844/H.R. 3109, PHIT Act of 2021 S. 1259, Safe Cribs Act S. 1275/H.R. 2119, Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021 S. 1658/H.R. 3110, Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act S. 1675/H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act S. 1738, Hallways to Health Care Act S. 2069/H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act S. 3479, Building a Sustainable Workforce for Healthy Communities Act S. 3623, Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 S. 3799, Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act) S. 4170, Mental Health Reform Reauthorization Act of 2022

H.R. 2256/S. 834 - Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act H.R. 2903/S. 1512 - CONNECT for Health Act H.R. 4323/S. 2069 - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act H.R.3345 - Helping MOMS Act H.R.4587 - Value in Health Care Act of 2021 Issues related to Section 203 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 Issues related to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Issues related to the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) programs Issues related to the Medicare sequester S.748 - Medicare Sequester Relief Act

Client expense: $330,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, White House Office

H.R. 2903/S. 1512, The CONNECT for Health Act and H.R. 1332/S. 368, The Telehealth Modernization Act, as they relate to telehealth. H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact (TRIA) Act, as it relates to payments for post-acute care providers. S. 2021/H.R. 3806, The SAFE Hospitals Act of 2021, as it relates to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments. S. 2689/H.R. 5414, Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021 and issues related to the Medicaid institutions for mental diseases exclusion. H.R. 2256/S. 834, The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021. H.R. 4407/S. 1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act. H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act, as it relates to Uncompensated Care Pools and Disproportionated Share Hospital Payments. S. 2069/H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health Addiction Treatment Act. Monitored H.R.432, Mental Health Access Improvement Act. Issues involving mandatory COVID vaccines for health care providers. Issues related to Medicare sequester relief. Issues related to the extension of telehealth flexibilities. Issues related to the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule for Fiscal Year 2023. S. 2938, Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, as it relates to certified community behavioral health centers.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000

Telehealth (H.R. 4058 - Telemental Health Expansion Act, S. 2061 - Telemental Health Care Access Act) CCBHCs - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069/ H.R.4323) 988 - S.1902/H.R.5611 - Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Telehealth (H.R. 4058 - Telemental Health Expansion Act, S. 2061 - Telemental Health Care Access Act) CCBHCs - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069/H.R.4323) H.R.5611/S.1902 - Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act H.R.432/S 828 - Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Working toward passage of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R.4323) Advocating for expanded funding opportunities in Medicare, Medicaid and the private and public mental health systems to ensure individuals with behavioral health illnesses get the care they need. Efforts in both chambers to advance policies intended to address the opioid crisis. Pursuing policies on behalf of the National Council for Behavioral Health related to COVID 19 response and federal support considered for inclusion in the Build Back Better Act. Pursued inclusion of mental health policies in S. 2938, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $40,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE

The Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432); The Medicaid Reentry Act of 2021 (S. 285/H.R. 955), Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069/H.R. 4323);Issues related to workforce shortages; Issues related to opioid use/overdose; Issues related to telehealth flexibilities.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $10,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act (S. 2069/ H.R. 4323), all provisions related to expanding and extending the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Medicaid demonstration program. Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432), all provisions related to allowing marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to directly bill Medicare for their services. Medicaid Reentry Act (H.R. 955/S. 285), all provisions related to allowing Medicaid coverage for eligible incarcerated individuals to be re-established up to 30 days before their release from jail or prison. Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services in Medicare (PEERS) Act of 2021 (H.R. 2767), all provisions related to allowing peer support specialists to participate in behavioral health integration services under Medicare. Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act (H.R. 3447), all provisions related to expanding access to audio-only telehealth under Medicare. Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act (H.R. 1647/S. 340), all provisions related to coverage of certain telehealth services under Medicare. Excellence in Recovery Housing Act (H.R. 2376/S. 2901), all provisions related to the availability of high-quality recovery housing for individuals with substance use disorders. Due Process Continuity of Care Act (H.R. 6636/S. 2697), all provisions related to the removal of the Medicaid coverage exclusion for inmates in custody pending disposition of charges.

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Legislation and policies relating to: Adoption of recommendations of the National Academy of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity Provisions of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) Reauthorization of the Childrens Health Insurance Program Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act Section 2706 of the ACA regarding provider non-discrimination Policies affecting nurse practitioner education and workforce Definition, evaluation and enforcement of essential health benefits and provider network adequacy Health information technology and electronic health records Mental health services and violence prevention Provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58) related to public health infrastructure improvements H.R. 66, Comprehensive Access to Robust Insurance Now Guaranteed for Kids (CARING for Kids) Act H.R. 482/S. 350, Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2021 H.R. 485, Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act H.R. 550, Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 909/S. 484, Moms Matter Act H.R. 959/S. 346, Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 H.R. 1065/S. 1486, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act H.R. 1324/S/ 467, Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2021 H.R. 1390, Childrens Health Insurance Program Pandemic Enhancement and Relief (CHIPPER) Act H.R. 1791, Childrens Health Insurance Program Permanency (CHIPP) Act H.R. 2094/S. 1301, Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act H.R. 2347/S. 2691, Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 H.R. 3173/S. 3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021 H.R. 3182, Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021 H.R. 3407/S. 411, Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness (MOMMAs) Act H.R. 4217/S. 2779, Taskforce Recommending Improvements for Unaddressed Mental Perinatal & Postpartum Health (TRIUMPH) for New Moms Act H.R. 5376, Build Back Better Act - provisions related to nursing education infrastructure, health equity, social determinants of health, mental and behavioral health for patients and health care providers, and child and maternal health H.R. 5487/S. 3972, Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act of 2021 H.R. 7076, Supporting Childrens Mental Health Care Access Act of 2022 S. 104/H.R. 379, Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2021 S. 248/H.R. 804, Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act S. 499/H.R. 369, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2021 S. 610/H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act S. 674, Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act S. 844/H.R. 3109, PHIT Act of 2021 S. 1259, Safe Cribs Act S. 1275/H.R. 2119, Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021 S. 1658/H.R. 3110, Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act S. 1675/H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act S. 2069/H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act S. 3479, Building a Sustainable Workforce for Healthy Communities Act S. 3799, Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act)

H.R. 1738 - Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act H.R. 2256/S. 834 - Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act H.R. 2903/S. 1512 - CONNECT for Health Act H.R. 4323/S. 2069 - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act H.R. 955/S. 285 - Medicaid Reentry Act H.R.3345 - Helping MOMS Act H.R.4587 - Value in Health Care Act of 2021 Issues related to Section 203 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 issues related to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Issues related to the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) programs S.748 - Medicare Sequester Relief Act H.R. 7053 and S. 3792 - Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act

Client expense: $340,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, White House Office

Working toward passage of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R.4323) Advocating for expanded funding opportunities in Medicare, Medicaid and the private and public mental health systems to ensure individuals with behavioral health illnesses get the care they need. Efforts in both chambers to advance policies intended to address the opioid crisis. Pursuing policies on behalf of the National Council for Behavioral Health related to COVID 19 response and federal support considered for inclusion in the Build Back Better Act.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $40,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE

The Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432); The Medicaid Reentry Act of 2021 (S. 285/H.R. 955), Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069/H.R. 4323).

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $10,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Telehealth (H.R. 4058 - Telemental Health Expansion Act, S. 2061 - Telemental Health Care Access Act) CCBHCs - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069/ H.R.4323) 988 - S.1902/H.R.5611 - Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Telehealth (H.R. 4058 - Telemental Health Expansion Act, S. 2061 - Telemental Health Care Access Act) CCBHCs - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069/H.R.4323) H.R.5611/S.1902 - Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act H.R.432/S 828 - Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

H.R. 2903/S. 1512, The CONNECT for Health Act and H.R. 1332/S. 368, The Telehealth Modernization Act, as they relate to telehealth. H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact (TRIA) Act, as it relates to payments for post-acute care providers. S. 2021/H.R. 3806, The SAFE Hospitals Act of 2021, as it relates to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments. S. 2689/H.R. 5414, Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021 and issues related to the Medicaid institutions for mental diseases exclusion. H.R. 2256/S. 834, The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021. H.R. 4407/S. 1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act. H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act, as it relates to Uncompensated Care Pools and Disproportionated Share Hospital Payments. Monitored H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health Addiction Treatment Act. Monitored H.R.432, Mental Health Access Improvement Act. Issues involving mandatory COVID vaccines for health care providers. H.R. 2471, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, issues related to Medicare sequester relief. H.R. 2471, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, as it relates to the extension of telehealth flexibilities.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000

Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act (S. 2069/ H.R. 4323), all provisions related to expanding and extending the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Medicaid demonstration program. Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432), all provisions related to allowing marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to directly bill Medicare for their services. Medicaid Reentry Act (H.R. 955/S. 285), all provisions related to allowing Medicaid coverage for eligible incarcerated individuals to be re-established up to 30 days before their release from jail or prison. Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services in Medicare (PEERS) Act of 2021 (H.R. 2767), all provisions related to allowing peer support specialists to participate in behavioral health integration services under Medicare. Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act (H.R. 3447), all provisions related to expanding access to audio-only telehealth under Medicare. Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act (H.R. 1647/S. 340), all provisions related to coverage of certain telehealth services under Medicare. Excellence in Recovery Housing Act (H.R. 2376/S. 2901), all provisions related to the availability of high-quality recovery housing for individuals with substance use disorders. Due Process Continuity of Care Act (H.R. 6636/S. 2697), all provisions related to the removal of the Medicaid coverage exclusion for inmates in custody pending disposition of charges.

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Telehealth (H.R. 3447 - Permanency for Audio Only, H.R. 4058 - Telemental Health Expansion Act, S. 2061 - Telemental Health Care Access Act) CCBHCs - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069) / H.R.4323 H.R.5611/S.1902 - Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act

Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Telehealth (H.R. 3447 - Permanency for Audio Only, H.R. 4058 - Telemental Health Expansion Act, S. 2061 - Telemental Health Care Access Act) CCBHCs - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069) / H.R.4323 988 - S.1902/H.R.5611 - Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act

Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Increase in the Medicaid FMAP and long-term or permanent increase in the FMAP for HCBS; The Coronavirus Medicaid Response Act; Medicaid Funding Threats/Reform; permanency for the Money Follows the Person demonstration ; permanency for the Spousal Impoverishment Protection for HCBS; expansion of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Program; Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Ac (S. 2069/HR. 4323)Extending Postpartum Medicaid coverage; Medicare and Medicaid telehealth; Medicaid Retainer Payments / Appendix K Regulatory Issues; implementation of The Coronavirus Families First Act; implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act of 2021(S. 646/ HR. 1735) Better Care for Better Jobs Act (S. 2210).

Client expense: $231,480 · Firm income: Not reported

The Mental Health Access Improvement Act; The Improving Access to Mental Health Act; Treatment Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act; The Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act of 2019; The ABLE Age Adjustment Act; The Coronavirus Families First Act Implementation; The CARES Act Implementation; Efforts related to increase the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), specifically the Coronavirus Medicaid Response Act, and to increase the FMAP for Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS); telehealth (audio-only authority/geographic-site restrictions/for mental health and long-term services and supports in the CARES Act and to make permanent in both Medicare and private insurance), including the Telemental Health Care Access Act; crisis response, suicide prevention and The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act implementation; the Parity Implementation Assistance Act (S. 1962); Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act (Observation Stay); Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act (S. 2069/H.R. 4323); Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act of 2021 (S. 646/H.R. 1735); The Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services (Helping MOMS) Act, The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 implementation; and The Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act.

Client expense: $231,480 · Firm income: Not reported

The Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432); The Medicaid Reentry Act of 2021 (S. 285/H.R. 955), Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069/H.R. 4323).

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $10,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act (S. 2069/ H.R. 4323), all provisions related to expanding and extending the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Medicaid demonstration program. Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432), all provisions related to allowing marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to directly bill Medicare for their services. Medicaid Reentry Act (H.R. 955/S. 285), all provisions related to allowing Medicaid coverage for eligible incarcerated individuals to be re-established up to 30 days before their release from jail or prison. Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services in Medicare (PEERS) Act of 2021 (H.R. 2767), all provisions related to allowing peer support specialists to participate in behavioral health integration services under Medicare. Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act (H.R. 3447), all provisions related to expanding access to audio-only telehealth under Medicare. Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act (H.R. 1647/S. 340), all provisions related to coverage of certain telehealth services under Medicare. Excellence in Recovery Housing Act (H.R. 2376/S. 2901), all provisions related to the availability of high-quality recovery housing for individuals with substance use disorders. Due Process Continuity of Care Act (S. 2697), all provisions related to the removal of the Medicaid coverage exclusion for inmates in custody pending disposition of charges.

Client expense: $75,400 · Firm income: Not reported

Working toward passage of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R.4323) Advocating for expanded funding opportunities in Medicare, Medicaid and the private and public mental health systems to ensure individuals with behavioral health illnesses get the care they need. Efforts in both chambers to advance policies intended to address the opioid crisis. Pursuing policies on behalf of the National Council for Behavioral Health related to COVID 19 response and federal support considered for inclusion in the Build Back Better Act.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $40,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE

H.R. 2903/S. 1512, The CONNECT for Health Act and H.R. 1332/S. 368, The Telehealth Modernization Act, as they relate to telehealth. H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact (TRIA) Act, as it relates to payments for post-acute care providers. S. 2021/H.R. 3806, The SAFE Hospitals Act of 2021, as it relates to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments. S. 2689/H.R. 5414, Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021 and issues related to the Medicaid institutions for mental diseases exclusion. H.R. 2256/S. 834, The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021. H.R. 4407/S. 1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act. H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act, as it relates to Uncompensated Care Pools and Disproportionated Share Hospital Payments. S. 610 (P.L. 117-71), the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act, as it relates to Medicare sequestration. H.R. 4323, Excellence in Mental Health Addiction Treatment Act. H.R.432, Mental Health Access Improvement Act. Issues involving mandatory COVID vaccines for health care providers.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000

Mental health policy; Role of psychiatric pharmacists and reimbursement for their services under Medicare; Enable access to mental health and substance use treatment services during COVID-19 pandemic; Remove barriers to pharmacists engagement in public health; Amend PREP Act to allow pharmacists to order and administer monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of COVID; Continuation of telehealth waivers through 2021, including audio only services and payment parity with in-person care; H.R. 721 - Mental Health Services for Students Act; H.R. 1384/S. 445 - Mainstreaming Addiction Act; H.R. 1475 - Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act; H.R. 1205 - Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department Act; H.R. 1480 - Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act; H.R. 586 - STANDUP Act; H.R. 1364 - Parity Enforcement Act; H.R. 3753/S. 1962 - Parity Implementation Assistance Act; H.R. 1324/S. 467 - Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act; H.R. 2955 - Suicide Prevention Act; H.R. 2981 - Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act; H.R. 2862 - Campaign to Prevent Suicide Act; H.R. 909/S.484 - Moms Matter Act; H.R. 4323/S. 2069 - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion; Providing guidance to schools on MH programming; Reducing barriers to use of PDMPs; Support for Miriam Delphin-Rittmon for Asst Secretary for MH and SU; Inclusion of pharmacists in Buprenorphine Practice Guidelines; Support removal of the X Waiver for MAT providers; 340B Drug Discount Program; H.R. 4217/S. 2779 - TRIUMPH for New Moms Act of 2021; H.R. 955/S. 285 - Medicaid Reentry Act of 2021; H.R. 4575/S. 2386 - Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000

Working toward passage of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R.4323) Advocating for expanded funding opportunities in Medicare, Medicaid and the private and public mental health systems to ensure individuals with behavioral health illnesses get the care they need. Efforts in both chambers to advance policies intended to address the opioid crisis. Pursuing policies on behalf of the National Council for Behavioral Health related to COVID 19 response and federal support considered for inclusion in Congress Build Back Better proposals.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $40,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE

Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act (S. 2069/ H.R. 4323), all provisions related to expanding and extending the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Medicaid demonstration program. Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432), all provisions related to allowing marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to directly bill Medicare for their services. Medicaid Reentry Act (H.R. 955/S. 285), all provisions related to allowing Medicaid coverage for eligible incarcerated individuals to be re-established up to 30 days before their release from jail or prison. Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services in Medicare (PEERS) Act of 2021 (H.R. 2767), all provisions related to allowing peer support specialists to participate in behavioral health integration services under Medicare. Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act (H.R. 3447), all provisions related to expanding access to audio-only telehealth under Medicare. Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act (H.R. 1647/S. 340), all provisions related to coverage of certain telehealth services under Medicare.

Client expense: $91,960 · Firm income: Not reported

Telehealth (H.R. 3447 - Permanency for Audio Only, H.R. 4058 - Telemental Health Expansion Act, S. 2061 - Telemental Health Care Access Act) CCBHCs - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069) / H.R.4323

Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Telehealth (H.R. 3447 - Permanency for Audio Only, H.R. 4058 - Telemental Health Expansion Act, S. 2061 - Telemental Health Care Access Act) CCBHCs - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 (S. 2069) / H.R.4323

Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Mental health policy; Role of psychiatric pharmacists and reimbursement for their services under Medicare; Enable access to mental health and substance use treatment services during COVID-19 pandemic; Remove barriers to pharmacists engagement in public health; Amend PREP Act to allow pharmacists to order and administer monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of COVID; Continuation of telehealth waivers through 2021, including audio only services and payment parity with in-person care; H.R. 721 - Mental Health Services for Students Act; H.R. 1384/S. 445 - Mainstreaming Addiction Act; H.R. 1475 - Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act; H.R. 1205 - Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department Act; H.R. 1480 - Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act; H.R. 586 - STANDUP Act; H.R. 1364 - Parity Enforcement Act; H.R. 3753/S. 1962 - Parity Implementation Assistance Act; H.R. 1324/S. 467 - Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act; H.R. 2955 - Suicide Prevention Act; H.R. 2981 - Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act; H.R. 2862 - Campaign to Prevent Suicide Act; H.R. 909/S.484 - Moms Matter Act; H.R. 4323/S. 2069 - Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion; Providing guidance to schools on MH programming; Reducing barriers to use of PDMPs; Support for Miriam Delphin-Rittmon for Asst Secretary for MH and SU; Inclusion of pharmacists in Buprenorphine Practice Guidelines; Support removal of the X Waiver for MAT providers; 340B Drug Discount Program; H.R. 4217/S. 2779 - TRIUMPH for New Moms Act of 2021; H.R. 955/S. 285 - Medicaid Reentry Act of 2021; H.R. 4575/S. 2386 - Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000

Advocated for Increased appropriations for HRSAs Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program. This program provides student loan repayment for addiction treatment professionals who commit to working in underserved or high-risk communities. Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program. This Program provides grants to institutions with training opportunities for fellows in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry who have demonstrated interest in providing addiction treatment in underserved communities Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program. This program provides grants to expand the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, and social workers trained to provide addiction and mental health services in underserved community-based settings that integrate primary care, mental health, and addiction services. Advocated for increased appropriations for federal initiatives that lead to a more diverse addiction treatment workforce, such as scholarships and loan repayment targeting underrepresented minority addiction medicine professionals, including SAMHSAs Minority Fellowship Program. Advocated for the alignment of coverage and payment policies in Medicare and Medicaid with evidence-based and nationally recognized addiction treatment and placement criteria and standards (e.g., The ASAM Criteria). This would include permanent modification to the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion to allow federal Medicaid funds to serve individuals with SUDs in those residential and inpatient settings that are able to demonstrate that patient assessments, clinical services, level-of-care and length-of-stay recommendations are consistent with The ASAM Criteria and that evidence based medication management using Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications are available to patients in such settings Advocated for regulatory/sub-regulatory/application guidance that would require the use of evidence-based practices in the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant, including requiring each grantee delivering SUD treatment services to provide access to all FDA-approved medications for SUDs treated by that grantee. Advocated for a requirement that SAPT, State Opioid Response Grant (SOR), and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grantees that receive grant funds for the delivery of addiction treatment services should be limited to Medicaid providers in order to better integrate federal grant dollars and Medicaid funds and Administration support for increased oversight and improved mechanisms for ensuring that such funding does not supplant the consistent and scalable funding that Medicaid (or Medicare) provides. Advocated for S 2235/HR 2067 - Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act of 2021: This legislation would ensure most Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to identify, treat, and manage patients with SUD and would allow accredited health professional schools and residency programs to fulfill the training requirement through their own curricula, as well as provide them with resources to do so. Advocated for simultaneous passage of S 445/HR 1384 - Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which would eliminate the requirement that practitioners apply for a separate waiver through the DEA to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction and eliminate the patient limits on buprenorphine prescribers. Advocated for S 285/HR 955 - the Medicaid Reentry Act: This legislation would allow for reestablishment of health insurance coverage under Medicaid for eligible individuals who are incarcerated, during the 30-day period preceding their release from jail or prison. Advocated for S 1821/HR 3514 - the Humane Correctional Health Care Act, which would repeal the inmate exclusion that bars the use of federal Medicaid matching funds from covering health care services in jails and prisons. Advocated for S1727/HR 3450 - The Medicaid Bump Act of 2021: This legislation would provide an enhanced Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage rate of 90 percent for State Medicaid spending on mental health and substance use disorder services in excess of 2019 levels. It would also require states to use the additional federal funds as a supplement to rather than a replacement for state funding levels, and to use the funds to increase the capacity, efficiency, and quality of behavioral health services, including through increasing provider reimbursement rates; Advocated for Section 9 of S. 1010 - the Turn the Tide Act - These provisions would increase Medicaid fees for addiction treatment services to at least Medicare levels; Advocated for HR 1364 - the Parity Enforcement Act: This legislation would expand the U.S. Department of Labors authority to hold health insurers and plan sponsors accountable for offering health plans that violate the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 or for employing utilization review processes that prove more restrictive for mental health and addiction care than for other medical care in violation of the MHPAEA Advocated for S 340/HR 1674 - TREATS Act: This legislation would make permanent a new, audio-video, telehealth evaluation exception to the Ryan Haight Acts in-person exam requirement, which would allow clinicians to prescribe certain addiction treatment medications, like buprenorphine, to new patients through telehealth. It would also clarify Medicares continued ability, beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency, to reimburse for audio-only, SUD and mental health telehealth services after an in-person or telehealth evaluation. Provided technical assistance regarding a possible audio-only exception to Ryan Haight for initiation of buprenorphine for OUD. Advocated for HR 3925 Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Treatment Act: This legislation would prohibit states receiving Federal funding for medication-assisted treatment under Medicaid from imposing utilization control policies or procedures (as defined by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services), including prior authorization requirements, with respect to such treatment. Advocated for the Administration to support continuous collaboration and sharing of information between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and SAMHSA, which should include new, strategic efforts to provide technical assistance funds to states to support their operation of CMS-approved Section 1115 SUD waivers related to the IMD exclusion and to enhance their care delivery systems for patients. Advocated for the Administration to increase promotion to State Medicaid programs of adoption of two, new sets of bundled G codes to increase or establish payment for outpatient opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and treatment services provided by opioid treatment programs (OTPs) at Medicare payment rates or higher. Advocated for the Administration to support the following regulatory and administrative efforts that would reduce barriers to accessing addiction treatment: Creation of safe-harbor provisions to the Anti-Kickback Statute and Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act Civil, as they may be applied to the implementation of contingency management (CM) for the treatment of addiction. Approval of a prescription to over the counter (OTC) switch for at least one naloxone product. This change would save lives and reduce existing barriers that prevent access to this critical medication; Regulatory changes that would allow Medicaid reimbursement for the room and board portion of SUD residential levels of care that meet level of care standards set forth in The ASAM Criteria; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would create a special registration exemption for jails, prisons, and their authorized personnel to prescribe and otherwise dispense controlled medications for initiation, maintenance or withdrawal management of OUD that is significantly less burdensome than currently applicable registration requirements in the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Such special registration should not limit the number of persons who are detained or incarcerated who can be treated with such medications by a qualified practitioner; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would allow pharmacy dispensing and/or administration of methadone that has been prescribed by a legally authorized prescriber of controlled medications who is affiliated with an OTP or is a board-certified addiction specialist physician; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would make permanent the opioid treatment program (OTP) flexibilities, including the methadone unsupervised dosing flexibilities, implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency while continuing study of the impact of these flexibilities; Assessment of current opioid order systems and monitoring programs to more fully understand the potential negative implications for patient access to buprenorphine at pharmacies and other controlled substance medications used to treat OUD; ; In the absence of Congressional action to eliminate the x-waiver, efforts to increase the DATA 2000 waiver patient limit -- aka, the applicable number; Issuance of regulations relating to a special registration for telemedicine, as was directed in Section 3232 of the SUPPORT Act of 2018. Advocated for the S.834/H.R.2256 Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would increase the number of Medicare GME slots by 14,000 over 7 years, including its inclusion in the next reconciliation package Advocated for House Resolution 349, which would support the goals of Overdose Awareness Day by lowering the United States flag to halfstaff on all Federal buildings on August 31st of each year. Advocated for the Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of (S.T.O.P) Fentanyl Act of 2021 (H.R. 2366 / S. 1457). This legislation would expand fentanyl research and education, enhance overdose prevention and access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and provide critical public health data and additional training support for various stakeholders. Advocated for changes to a draft opioid treatment program bill to make permanent certain COVID-19 flexibilities allowed to states for unsupervised doses, as well as "time in treatment" regulatory changes and to permit pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder treatment for certain experienced cohorts of prescribers Submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlining suggested improvements to the proposed Physician Payment Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2022. Among other recommendations, ASAM urged that CMS work with Congress to avoid a 2.5% cut in reimbursements for addiction medicine (ADM), finalize coding and payment rules for take-home naloxone nasal spray, and extend audio-only flexibility for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to furnish therapy and counseling payments for substance use disorder (SUD). Advocated for the inclusion of enhanced mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) parity enforcement within the Senates version of the budget reconciliation proposal. These enhanced enforcement measures would authorize the Department of Labor to assess civil monetary penalties against insurers that violate the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Supported $195 million over five years to the Employee Benefits Security Administration for enforcement. Advocated for the Moms Matter Act (H.R. 909). The Moms Matter Act is a bipartisan bill that would increase federal funding for culturally congruent, community-based mental and behavior health programs. Advocated for H.R 1693 / S. 79, the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act. This legislation would eliminate the federal crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity and apply it retroactively to those already convicted or sentenced. Supported nomination of Dr. Rahul Gupta to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a critical position for coordinating the nations drug policy and response to the nations drug addiction and overdose crisis. Supported the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R. 4323). This legislation would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs. Supported implemented recommendations regarding the CARES Acts amendment of 42 CFR Part 2 to advance further alignment of 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations (TPO). Advocated for H.R. 2786/ S. 1314, the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021, which would increase the federal excise tax on cigarettes and set federal tax rates for other tobacco products at an equivalent level. Supported the tobacco tax provisions included in the portion of the Build Back Better Act that was approved by the Ways and Means Committee Advocated for passage of the Advancing FASD Research, Services, and Prevention Act (S.2238 and H.R.4151), known as the FASD Respect Act. The legislation would in part reauthorize and strengthen existing federal FASD programs at NIAAA, CDC, and HRSA, and for the first time calls for long-neglected, meaningful support for individuals and families living with FASD. Supported H.R.4244 - STOP Stigma Act, which would make amendments to the names of certain agencies to help end the stigmatization of substance use disorder, and for other purposes. Supported the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) efforts to enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative data through their recommendations to the Secretary but highlighted the important role of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set as serving the needs of a data-driven health system by allowing physicians, patients, researchers, medical groups, allied health care professionals, health systems, hospitals, medical coders, accreditation organizations, payers, and health information technology professionals to easily exchange data on the medical services and procedures provided to patients. Supported draft legislation that would amend the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of days before which certain controlled substances for maintenance or detoxification treatment must be administered, and for other purposes.

Advocated for Increased appropriations for HRSAs Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program. This program provides student loan repayment for addiction treatment professionals who commit to working in underserved or high-risk communities. Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program. This Program provides grants to institutions with training opportunities for fellows in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry who have demonstrated interest in providing addiction treatment in underserved communities Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program. This program provides grants to expand the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, and social workers trained to provide addiction and mental health services in underserved community-based settings that integrate primary care, mental health, and addiction services. Advocated for increased appropriations for federal initiatives that lead to a more diverse addiction treatment workforce, such as scholarships and loan repayment targeting underrepresented minority addiction medicine professionals, including SAMHSAs Minority Fellowship Program. Advocated for the alignment of coverage and payment policies in Medicare and Medicaid with evidence-based and nationally recognized addiction treatment and placement criteria and standards (e.g., The ASAM Criteria). This would include permanent modification to the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion to allow federal Medicaid funds to serve individuals with SUDs in those residential and inpatient settings that are able to demonstrate that patient assessments, clinical services, level-of-care and length-of-stay recommendations are consistent with The ASAM Criteria and that evidence based medication management using Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications are available to patients in such settings Advocated for regulatory/sub-regulatory/application guidance that would require the use of evidence-based practices in the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant, including requiring each grantee delivering SUD treatment services to provide access to all FDA-approved medications for SUDs treated by that grantee. Advocated for a requirement that SAPT, State Opioid Response Grant (SOR), and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grantees that receive grant funds for the delivery of addiction treatment services should be limited to Medicaid providers in order to better integrate federal grant dollars and Medicaid funds and Administration support for increased oversight and improved mechanisms for ensuring that such funding does not supplant the consistent and scalable funding that Medicaid (or Medicare) provides. Advocated for S 2235/HR 2067 - Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act of 2021: This legislation would ensure most Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to identify, treat, and manage patients with SUD and would allow accredited health professional schools and residency programs to fulfill the training requirement through their own curricula, as well as provide them with resources to do so. Advocated for simultaneous passage of S 445/HR 1384 - Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which would eliminate the requirement that practitioners apply for a separate waiver through the DEA to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction and eliminate the patient limits on buprenorphine prescribers. Advocated for S 285/HR 955 - the Medicaid Reentry Act: This legislation would allow for reestablishment of health insurance coverage under Medicaid for eligible individuals who are incarcerated, during the 30-day period preceding their release from jail or prison. Advocated for S 1821/HR 3514 - the Humane Correctional Health Care Act, which would repeal the inmate exclusion that bars the use of federal Medicaid matching funds from covering health care services in jails and prisons. Advocated for S1727/HR 3450 - The Medicaid Bump Act of 2021: This legislation would provide an enhanced Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage rate of 90 percent for State Medicaid spending on mental health and substance use disorder services in excess of 2019 levels. It would also require states to use the additional federal funds as a supplement to rather than a replacement for state funding levels, and to use the funds to increase the capacity, efficiency, and quality of behavioral health services, including through increasing provider reimbursement rates; Advocated for Section 9 of S. 1010 - the Turn the Tide Act - These provisions would increase Medicaid fees for addiction treatment services to at least Medicare levels; Advocated for HR 1364 - the Parity Enforcement Act: This legislation would expand the U.S. Department of Labors authority to hold health insurers and plan sponsors accountable for offering health plans that violate the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 or for employing utilization review processes that prove more restrictive for mental health and addiction care than for other medical care in violation of the MHPAEA Advocated for S 340/HR 1674 - TREATS Act: This legislation would make permanent a new, audio-video, telehealth evaluation exception to the Ryan Haight Acts in-person exam requirement, which would allow clinicians to prescribe certain addiction treatment medications, like buprenorphine, to new patients through telehealth. It would also clarify Medicares continued ability, beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency, to reimburse for audio-only, SUD and mental health telehealth services after an in-person or telehealth evaluation. Provided technical assistance regarding a possible audio-only exception to Ryan Haight for initiation of buprenorphine for OUD. Advocated for HR 3925 Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Treatment Act: This legislation would prohibit states receiving Federal funding for medication-assisted treatment under Medicaid from imposing utilization control policies or procedures (as defined by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services), including prior authorization requirements, with respect to such treatment. Advocated for the Administration to support continuous collaboration and sharing of information between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and SAMHSA, which should include new, strategic efforts to provide technical assistance funds to states to support their operation of CMS-approved Section 1115 SUD waivers related to the IMD exclusion and to enhance their care delivery systems for patients. Advocated for the Administration to increase promotion to State Medicaid programs of adoption of two, new sets of bundled G codes to increase or establish payment for outpatient opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and treatment services provided by opioid treatment programs (OTPs) at Medicare payment rates or higher. Advocated for the Administration to support the following regulatory and administrative efforts that would reduce barriers to accessing addiction treatment: Creation of safe-harbor provisions to the Anti-Kickback Statute and Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act Civil, as they may be applied to the implementation of contingency management (CM) for the treatment of addiction. Approval of a prescription to over the counter (OTC) switch for at least one naloxone product. This change would save lives and reduce existing barriers that prevent access to this critical medication; Regulatory changes that would allow Medicaid reimbursement for the room and board portion of SUD residential levels of care that meet level of care standards set forth in The ASAM Criteria; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would create a special registration exemption for jails, prisons, and their authorized personnel to prescribe and otherwise dispense controlled medications for initiation, maintenance or withdrawal management of OUD that is significantly less burdensome than currently applicable registration requirements in the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Such special registration should not limit the number of persons who are detained or incarcerated who can be treated with such medications by a qualified practitioner; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would allow pharmacy dispensing and/or administration of methadone that has been prescribed by a legally authorized prescriber of controlled medications who is affiliated with an OTP or is a board-certified addiction specialist physician; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would make permanent the opioid treatment program (OTP) flexibilities, including the methadone unsupervised dosing flexibilities, implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency while continuing study of the impact of these flexibilities; Assessment of current opioid order systems and monitoring programs to more fully understand the potential negative implications for patient access to buprenorphine at pharmacies and other controlled substance medications used to treat OUD; ; In the absence of Congressional action to eliminate the x-waiver, efforts to increase the DATA 2000 waiver patient limit -- aka, the applicable number; Issuance of regulations relating to a special registration for telemedicine, as was directed in Section 3232 of the SUPPORT Act of 2018. Advocated for the S.834/H.R.2256 Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would increase the number of Medicare GME slots by 14,000 over 7 years, including its inclusion in the next reconciliation package Advocated for House Resolution 349, which would support the goals of Overdose Awareness Day by lowering the United States flag to halfstaff on all Federal buildings on August 31st of each year. Advocated for the Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of (S.T.O.P) Fentanyl Act of 2021 (H.R. 2366 / S. 1457). This legislation would expand fentanyl research and education, enhance overdose prevention and access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and provide critical public health data and additional training support for various stakeholders. Advocated for changes to a draft opioid treatment program bill to make permanent certain COVID-19 flexibilities allowed to states for unsupervised doses, as well as "time in treatment" regulatory changes and to permit pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder treatment for certain experienced cohorts of prescribers Submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlining suggested improvements to the proposed Physician Payment Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2022. Among other recommendations, ASAM urged that CMS work with Congress to avoid a 2.5% cut in reimbursements for addiction medicine (ADM), finalize coding and payment rules for take-home naloxone nasal spray, and extend audio-only flexibility for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to furnish therapy and counseling payments for substance use disorder (SUD). Advocated for the inclusion of enhanced mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) parity enforcement within the Senates version of the budget reconciliation proposal. These enhanced enforcement measures would authorize the Department of Labor to assess civil monetary penalties against insurers that violate the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Supported $195 million over five years to the Employee Benefits Security Administration for enforcement. Advocated for the Moms Matter Act (H.R. 909). The Moms Matter Act is a bipartisan bill that would increase federal funding for culturally congruent, community-based mental and behavior health programs. Advocated for H.R 1693 / S. 79, the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act. This legislation would eliminate the federal crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity and apply it retroactively to those already convicted or sentenced. Supported nomination of Dr. Rahul Gupta to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a critical position for coordinating the nations drug policy and response to the nations drug addiction and overdose crisis. Supported the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R. 4323). This legislation would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs. Supported implemented recommendations regarding the CARES Acts amendment of 42 CFR Part 2 to advance further alignment of 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations (TPO). Advocated for H.R. 2786/ S. 1314, the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021, which would increase the federal excise tax on cigarettes and set federal tax rates for other tobacco products at an equivalent level. Supported the tobacco tax provisions included in the portion of the Build Back Better Act that was approved by the Ways and Means Committee Advocated for passage of the Advancing FASD Research, Services, and Prevention Act (S.2238 and H.R.4151), known as the FASD Respect Act. The legislation would in part reauthorize and strengthen existing federal FASD programs at NIAAA, CDC, and HRSA, and for the first time calls for long-neglected, meaningful support for individuals and families living with FASD. Supported H.R.4244 - STOP Stigma Act, which would make amendments to the names of certain agencies to help end the stigmatization of substance use disorder, and for other purposes. Supported the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) efforts to enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative data through their recommendations to the Secretary but highlighted the important role of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set as serving the needs of a data-driven health system by allowing physicians, patients, researchers, medical groups, allied health care professionals, health systems, hospitals, medical coders, accreditation organizations, payers, and health information technology professionals to easily exchange data on the medical services and procedures provided to patients. Supported draft legislation that would amend the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of days before which certain controlled substances for maintenance or detoxification treatment must be administered, and for other purposes.

Advocated for Increased appropriations for HRSAs Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program. This program provides student loan repayment for addiction treatment professionals who commit to working in underserved or high-risk communities. Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program. This Program provides grants to institutions with training opportunities for fellows in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry who have demonstrated interest in providing addiction treatment in underserved communities Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program. This program provides grants to expand the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, and social workers trained to provide addiction and mental health services in underserved community-based settings that integrate primary care, mental health, and addiction services. Advocated for increased appropriations for federal initiatives that lead to a more diverse addiction treatment workforce, such as scholarships and loan repayment targeting underrepresented minority addiction medicine professionals, including SAMHSAs Minority Fellowship Program. Advocated for the alignment of coverage and payment policies in Medicare and Medicaid with evidence-based and nationally recognized addiction treatment and placement criteria and standards (e.g., The ASAM Criteria). This would include permanent modification to the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion to allow federal Medicaid funds to serve individuals with SUDs in those residential and inpatient settings that are able to demonstrate that patient assessments, clinical services, level-of-care and length-of-stay recommendations are consistent with The ASAM Criteria and that evidence based medication management using Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications are available to patients in such settings Advocated for regulatory/sub-regulatory/application guidance that would require the use of evidence-based practices in the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant, including requiring each grantee delivering SUD treatment services to provide access to all FDA-approved medications for SUDs treated by that grantee. Advocated for a requirement that SAPT, State Opioid Response Grant (SOR), and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grantees that receive grant funds for the delivery of addiction treatment services should be limited to Medicaid providers in order to better integrate federal grant dollars and Medicaid funds and Administration support for increased oversight and improved mechanisms for ensuring that such funding does not supplant the consistent and scalable funding that Medicaid (or Medicare) provides. Advocated for S 2235/HR 2067 - Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act of 2021: This legislation would ensure most Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to identify, treat, and manage patients with SUD and would allow accredited health professional schools and residency programs to fulfill the training requirement through their own curricula, as well as provide them with resources to do so. Advocated for simultaneous passage of S 445/HR 1384 - Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which would eliminate the requirement that practitioners apply for a separate waiver through the DEA to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction and eliminate the patient limits on buprenorphine prescribers. Advocated for S 285/HR 955 - the Medicaid Reentry Act: This legislation would allow for reestablishment of health insurance coverage under Medicaid for eligible individuals who are incarcerated, during the 30-day period preceding their release from jail or prison. Advocated for S 1821/HR 3514 - the Humane Correctional Health Care Act, which would repeal the inmate exclusion that bars the use of federal Medicaid matching funds from covering health care services in jails and prisons. Advocated for S1727/HR 3450 - The Medicaid Bump Act of 2021: This legislation would provide an enhanced Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage rate of 90 percent for State Medicaid spending on mental health and substance use disorder services in excess of 2019 levels. It would also require states to use the additional federal funds as a supplement to rather than a replacement for state funding levels, and to use the funds to increase the capacity, efficiency, and quality of behavioral health services, including through increasing provider reimbursement rates; Advocated for Section 9 of S. 1010 - the Turn the Tide Act - These provisions would increase Medicaid fees for addiction treatment services to at least Medicare levels; Advocated for HR 1364 - the Parity Enforcement Act: This legislation would expand the U.S. Department of Labors authority to hold health insurers and plan sponsors accountable for offering health plans that violate the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 or for employing utilization review processes that prove more restrictive for mental health and addiction care than for other medical care in violation of the MHPAEA Advocated for S 340/HR 1674 - TREATS Act: This legislation would make permanent a new, audio-video, telehealth evaluation exception to the Ryan Haight Acts in-person exam requirement, which would allow clinicians to prescribe certain addiction treatment medications, like buprenorphine, to new patients through telehealth. It would also clarify Medicares continued ability, beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency, to reimburse for audio-only, SUD and mental health telehealth services after an in-person or telehealth evaluation. Provided technical assistance regarding a possible audio-only exception to Ryan Haight for initiation of buprenorphine for OUD. Advocated for HR 3925 Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Treatment Act: This legislation would prohibit states receiving Federal funding for medication-assisted treatment under Medicaid from imposing utilization control policies or procedures (as defined by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services), including prior authorization requirements, with respect to such treatment. Advocated for the Administration to support continuous collaboration and sharing of information between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and SAMHSA, which should include new, strategic efforts to provide technical assistance funds to states to support their operation of CMS-approved Section 1115 SUD waivers related to the IMD exclusion and to enhance their care delivery systems for patients. Advocated for the Administration to increase promotion to State Medicaid programs of adoption of two, new sets of bundled G codes to increase or establish payment for outpatient opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and treatment services provided by opioid treatment programs (OTPs) at Medicare payment rates or higher. Advocated for the Administration to support the following regulatory and administrative efforts that would reduce barriers to accessing addiction treatment: Creation of safe-harbor provisions to the Anti-Kickback Statute and Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act Civil, as they may be applied to the implementation of contingency management (CM) for the treatment of addiction. Approval of a prescription to over the counter (OTC) switch for at least one naloxone product. This change would save lives and reduce existing barriers that prevent access to this critical medication; Regulatory changes that would allow Medicaid reimbursement for the room and board portion of SUD residential levels of care that meet level of care standards set forth in The ASAM Criteria; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would create a special registration exemption for jails, prisons, and their authorized personnel to prescribe and otherwise dispense controlled medications for initiation, maintenance or withdrawal management of OUD that is significantly less burdensome than currently applicable registration requirements in the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Such special registration should not limit the number of persons who are detained or incarcerated who can be treated with such medications by a qualified practitioner; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would allow pharmacy dispensing and/or administration of methadone that has been prescribed by a legally authorized prescriber of controlled medications who is affiliated with an OTP or is a board-certified addiction specialist physician; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would make permanent the opioid treatment program (OTP) flexibilities, including the methadone unsupervised dosing flexibilities, implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency while continuing study of the impact of these flexibilities; Assessment of current opioid order systems and monitoring programs to more fully understand the potential negative implications for patient access to buprenorphine at pharmacies and other controlled substance medications used to treat OUD; ; In the absence of Congressional action to eliminate the x-waiver, efforts to increase the DATA 2000 waiver patient limit -- aka, the applicable number; Issuance of regulations relating to a special registration for telemedicine, as was directed in Section 3232 of the SUPPORT Act of 2018. Advocated for the S.834/H.R.2256 Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would increase the number of Medicare GME slots by 14,000 over 7 years, including its inclusion in the next reconciliation package Advocated for House Resolution 349, which would support the goals of Overdose Awareness Day by lowering the United States flag to halfstaff on all Federal buildings on August 31st of each year. Advocated for the Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of (S.T.O.P) Fentanyl Act of 2021 (H.R. 2366 / S. 1457). This legislation would expand fentanyl research and education, enhance overdose prevention and access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and provide critical public health data and additional training support for various stakeholders. Advocated for changes to a draft opioid treatment program bill to make permanent certain COVID-19 flexibilities allowed to states for unsupervised doses, as well as "time in treatment" regulatory changes and to permit pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder treatment for certain experienced cohorts of prescribers Submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlining suggested improvements to the proposed Physician Payment Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2022. Among other recommendations, ASAM urged that CMS work with Congress to avoid a 2.5% cut in reimbursements for addiction medicine (ADM), finalize coding and payment rules for take-home naloxone nasal spray, and extend audio-only flexibility for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to furnish therapy and counseling payments for substance use disorder (SUD). Advocated for the inclusion of enhanced mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) parity enforcement within the Senates version of the budget reconciliation proposal. These enhanced enforcement measures would authorize the Department of Labor to assess civil monetary penalties against insurers that violate the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Supported $195 million over five years to the Employee Benefits Security Administration for enforcement. Advocated for the Moms Matter Act (H.R. 909). The Moms Matter Act is a bipartisan bill that would increase federal funding for culturally congruent, community-based mental and behavior health programs. Advocated for H.R 1693 / S. 79, the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act. This legislation would eliminate the federal crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity and apply it retroactively to those already convicted or sentenced. Supported nomination of Dr. Rahul Gupta to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a critical position for coordinating the nations drug policy and response to the nations drug addiction and overdose crisis. Supported the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R. 4323). This legislation would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs. Supported implemented recommendations regarding the CARES Acts amendment of 42 CFR Part 2 to advance further alignment of 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations (TPO). Advocated for H.R. 2786/ S. 1314, the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021, which would increase the federal excise tax on cigarettes and set federal tax rates for other tobacco products at an equivalent level. Supported the tobacco tax provisions included in the portion of the Build Back Better Act that was approved by the Ways and Means Committee Advocated for passage of the Advancing FASD Research, Services, and Prevention Act (S.2238 and H.R.4151), known as the FASD Respect Act. The legislation would in part reauthorize and strengthen existing federal FASD programs at NIAAA, CDC, and HRSA, and for the first time calls for long-neglected, meaningful support for individuals and families living with FASD. Supported H.R.4244 - STOP Stigma Act, which would make amendments to the names of certain agencies to help end the stigmatization of substance use disorder, and for other purposes. Supported the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) efforts to enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative data through their recommendations to the Secretary but highlighted the important role of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set as serving the needs of a data-driven health system by allowing physicians, patients, researchers, medical groups, allied health care professionals, health systems, hospitals, medical coders, accreditation organizations, payers, and health information technology professionals to easily exchange data on the medical services and procedures provided to patients. Supported draft legislation that would amend the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of days before which certain controlled substances for maintenance or detoxification treatment must be administered, and for other purposes.

Advocated for Increased appropriations for HRSAs Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program. This program provides student loan repayment for addiction treatment professionals who commit to working in underserved or high-risk communities. Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program. This Program provides grants to institutions with training opportunities for fellows in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry who have demonstrated interest in providing addiction treatment in underserved communities Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program. This program provides grants to expand the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, and social workers trained to provide addiction and mental health services in underserved community-based settings that integrate primary care, mental health, and addiction services. Advocated for increased appropriations for federal initiatives that lead to a more diverse addiction treatment workforce, such as scholarships and loan repayment targeting underrepresented minority addiction medicine professionals, including SAMHSAs Minority Fellowship Program. Advocated for the alignment of coverage and payment policies in Medicare and Medicaid with evidence-based and nationally recognized addiction treatment and placement criteria and standards (e.g., The ASAM Criteria). This would include permanent modification to the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion to allow federal Medicaid funds to serve individuals with SUDs in those residential and inpatient settings that are able to demonstrate that patient assessments, clinical services, level-of-care and length-of-stay recommendations are consistent with The ASAM Criteria and that evidence based medication management using Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications are available to patients in such settings Advocated for regulatory/sub-regulatory/application guidance that would require the use of evidence-based practices in the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant, including requiring each grantee delivering SUD treatment services to provide access to all FDA-approved medications for SUDs treated by that grantee. Advocated for a requirement that SAPT, State Opioid Response Grant (SOR), and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grantees that receive grant funds for the delivery of addiction treatment services should be limited to Medicaid providers in order to better integrate federal grant dollars and Medicaid funds and Administration support for increased oversight and improved mechanisms for ensuring that such funding does not supplant the consistent and scalable funding that Medicaid (or Medicare) provides. Advocated for S 2235/HR 2067 - Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act of 2021: This legislation would ensure most Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to identify, treat, and manage patients with SUD and would allow accredited health professional schools and residency programs to fulfill the training requirement through their own curricula, as well as provide them with resources to do so. Advocated for simultaneous passage of S 445/HR 1384 - Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which would eliminate the requirement that practitioners apply for a separate waiver through the DEA to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction and eliminate the patient limits on buprenorphine prescribers. Advocated for S 285/HR 955 - the Medicaid Reentry Act: This legislation would allow for reestablishment of health insurance coverage under Medicaid for eligible individuals who are incarcerated, during the 30-day period preceding their release from jail or prison. Advocated for S 1821/HR 3514 - the Humane Correctional Health Care Act, which would repeal the inmate exclusion that bars the use of federal Medicaid matching funds from covering health care services in jails and prisons. Advocated for S1727/HR 3450 - The Medicaid Bump Act of 2021: This legislation would provide an enhanced Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage rate of 90 percent for State Medicaid spending on mental health and substance use disorder services in excess of 2019 levels. It would also require states to use the additional federal funds as a supplement to rather than a replacement for state funding levels, and to use the funds to increase the capacity, efficiency, and quality of behavioral health services, including through increasing provider reimbursement rates; Advocated for Section 9 of S. 1010 - the Turn the Tide Act - These provisions would increase Medicaid fees for addiction treatment services to at least Medicare levels; Advocated for HR 1364 - the Parity Enforcement Act: This legislation would expand the U.S. Department of Labors authority to hold health insurers and plan sponsors accountable for offering health plans that violate the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 or for employing utilization review processes that prove more restrictive for mental health and addiction care than for other medical care in violation of the MHPAEA Advocated for S 340/HR 1674 - TREATS Act: This legislation would make permanent a new, audio-video, telehealth evaluation exception to the Ryan Haight Acts in-person exam requirement, which would allow clinicians to prescribe certain addiction treatment medications, like buprenorphine, to new patients through telehealth. It would also clarify Medicares continued ability, beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency, to reimburse for audio-only, SUD and mental health telehealth services after an in-person or telehealth evaluation. Provided technical assistance regarding a possible audio-only exception to Ryan Haight for initiation of buprenorphine for OUD. Advocated for HR 3925 Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Treatment Act: This legislation would prohibit states receiving Federal funding for medication-assisted treatment under Medicaid from imposing utilization control policies or procedures (as defined by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services), including prior authorization requirements, with respect to such treatment. Advocated for the Administration to support continuous collaboration and sharing of information between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and SAMHSA, which should include new, strategic efforts to provide technical assistance funds to states to support their operation of CMS-approved Section 1115 SUD waivers related to the IMD exclusion and to enhance their care delivery systems for patients. Advocated for the Administration to increase promotion to State Medicaid programs of adoption of two, new sets of bundled G codes to increase or establish payment for outpatient opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and treatment services provided by opioid treatment programs (OTPs) at Medicare payment rates or higher. Advocated for the Administration to support the following regulatory and administrative efforts that would reduce barriers to accessing addiction treatment: Creation of safe-harbor provisions to the Anti-Kickback Statute and Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act Civil, as they may be applied to the implementation of contingency management (CM) for the treatment of addiction. Approval of a prescription to over the counter (OTC) switch for at least one naloxone product. This change would save lives and reduce existing barriers that prevent access to this critical medication; Regulatory changes that would allow Medicaid reimbursement for the room and board portion of SUD residential levels of care that meet level of care standards set forth in The ASAM Criteria; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would create a special registration exemption for jails, prisons, and their authorized personnel to prescribe and otherwise dispense controlled medications for initiation, maintenance or withdrawal management of OUD that is significantly less burdensome than currently applicable registration requirements in the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Such special registration should not limit the number of persons who are detained or incarcerated who can be treated with such medications by a qualified practitioner; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would allow pharmacy dispensing and/or administration of methadone that has been prescribed by a legally authorized prescriber of controlled medications who is affiliated with an OTP or is a board-certified addiction specialist physician; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would make permanent the opioid treatment program (OTP) flexibilities, including the methadone unsupervised dosing flexibilities, implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency while continuing study of the impact of these flexibilities; Assessment of current opioid order systems and monitoring programs to more fully understand the potential negative implications for patient access to buprenorphine at pharmacies and other controlled substance medications used to treat OUD; ; In the absence of Congressional action to eliminate the x-waiver, efforts to increase the DATA 2000 waiver patient limit -- aka, the applicable number; Issuance of regulations relating to a special registration for telemedicine, as was directed in Section 3232 of the SUPPORT Act of 2018. Advocated for the S.834/H.R.2256 Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would increase the number of Medicare GME slots by 14,000 over 7 years, including its inclusion in the next reconciliation package Advocated for House Resolution 349, which would support the goals of Overdose Awareness Day by lowering the United States flag to halfstaff on all Federal buildings on August 31st of each year. Advocated for the Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of (S.T.O.P) Fentanyl Act of 2021 (H.R. 2366 / S. 1457). This legislation would expand fentanyl research and education, enhance overdose prevention and access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and provide critical public health data and additional training support for various stakeholders. Advocated for changes to a draft opioid treatment program bill to make permanent certain COVID-19 flexibilities allowed to states for unsupervised doses, as well as "time in treatment" regulatory changes and to permit pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder treatment for certain experienced cohorts of prescribers Submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlining suggested improvements to the proposed Physician Payment Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2022. Among other recommendations, ASAM urged that CMS work with Congress to avoid a 2.5% cut in reimbursements for addiction medicine (ADM), finalize coding and payment rules for take-home naloxone nasal spray, and extend audio-only flexibility for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to furnish therapy and counseling payments for substance use disorder (SUD). Advocated for the inclusion of enhanced mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) parity enforcement within the Senates version of the budget reconciliation proposal. These enhanced enforcement measures would authorize the Department of Labor to assess civil monetary penalties against insurers that violate the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Supported $195 million over five years to the Employee Benefits Security Administration for enforcement. Advocated for the Moms Matter Act (H.R. 909). The Moms Matter Act is a bipartisan bill that would increase federal funding for culturally congruent, community-based mental and behavior health programs. Advocated for H.R 1693 / S. 79, the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act. This legislation would eliminate the federal crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity and apply it retroactively to those already convicted or sentenced. Supported nomination of Dr. Rahul Gupta to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a critical position for coordinating the nations drug policy and response to the nations drug addiction and overdose crisis. Supported the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R. 4323). This legislation would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs. Supported implemented recommendations regarding the CARES Acts amendment of 42 CFR Part 2 to advance further alignment of 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations (TPO). Advocated for H.R. 2786/ S. 1314, the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021, which would increase the federal excise tax on cigarettes and set federal tax rates for other tobacco products at an equivalent level. Supported the tobacco tax provisions included in the portion of the Build Back Better Act that was approved by the Ways and Means Committee Advocated for passage of the Advancing FASD Research, Services, and Prevention Act (S.2238 and H.R.4151), known as the FASD Respect Act. The legislation would in part reauthorize and strengthen existing federal FASD programs at NIAAA, CDC, and HRSA, and for the first time calls for long-neglected, meaningful support for individuals and families living with FASD. Supported H.R.4244 - STOP Stigma Act, which would make amendments to the names of certain agencies to help end the stigmatization of substance use disorder, and for other purposes. Supported the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) efforts to enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative data through their recommendations to the Secretary but highlighted the important role of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set as serving the needs of a data-driven health system by allowing physicians, patients, researchers, medical groups, allied health care professionals, health systems, hospitals, medical coders, accreditation organizations, payers, and health information technology professionals to easily exchange data on the medical services and procedures provided to patients. Supported draft legislation that would amend the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of days before which certain controlled substances for maintenance or detoxification treatment must be administered, and for other purposes.

Advocated for Increased appropriations for HRSAs Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program. This program provides student loan repayment for addiction treatment professionals who commit to working in underserved or high-risk communities. Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program. This Program provides grants to institutions with training opportunities for fellows in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry who have demonstrated interest in providing addiction treatment in underserved communities Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program. This program provides grants to expand the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, and social workers trained to provide addiction and mental health services in underserved community-based settings that integrate primary care, mental health, and addiction services. Advocated for increased appropriations for federal initiatives that lead to a more diverse addiction treatment workforce, such as scholarships and loan repayment targeting underrepresented minority addiction medicine professionals, including SAMHSAs Minority Fellowship Program. Advocated for the alignment of coverage and payment policies in Medicare and Medicaid with evidence-based and nationally recognized addiction treatment and placement criteria and standards (e.g., The ASAM Criteria). This would include permanent modification to the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion to allow federal Medicaid funds to serve individuals with SUDs in those residential and inpatient settings that are able to demonstrate that patient assessments, clinical services, level-of-care and length-of-stay recommendations are consistent with The ASAM Criteria and that evidence based medication management using Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications are available to patients in such settings Advocated for regulatory/sub-regulatory/application guidance that would require the use of evidence-based practices in the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant, including requiring each grantee delivering SUD treatment services to provide access to all FDA-approved medications for SUDs treated by that grantee. Advocated for a requirement that SAPT, State Opioid Response Grant (SOR), and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grantees that receive grant funds for the delivery of addiction treatment services should be limited to Medicaid providers in order to better integrate federal grant dollars and Medicaid funds and Administration support for increased oversight and improved mechanisms for ensuring that such funding does not supplant the consistent and scalable funding that Medicaid (or Medicare) provides. Advocated for S 2235/HR 2067 - Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act of 2021: This legislation would ensure most Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to identify, treat, and manage patients with SUD and would allow accredited health professional schools and residency programs to fulfill the training requirement through their own curricula, as well as provide them with resources to do so. Advocated for simultaneous passage of S 445/HR 1384 - Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which would eliminate the requirement that practitioners apply for a separate waiver through the DEA to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction and eliminate the patient limits on buprenorphine prescribers. Advocated for S 285/HR 955 - the Medicaid Reentry Act: This legislation would allow for reestablishment of health insurance coverage under Medicaid for eligible individuals who are incarcerated, during the 30-day period preceding their release from jail or prison. Advocated for S 1821/HR 3514 - the Humane Correctional Health Care Act, which would repeal the inmate exclusion that bars the use of federal Medicaid matching funds from covering health care services in jails and prisons. Advocated for S1727/HR 3450 - The Medicaid Bump Act of 2021: This legislation would provide an enhanced Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage rate of 90 percent for State Medicaid spending on mental health and substance use disorder services in excess of 2019 levels. It would also require states to use the additional federal funds as a supplement to rather than a replacement for state funding levels, and to use the funds to increase the capacity, efficiency, and quality of behavioral health services, including through increasing provider reimbursement rates; Advocated for Section 9 of S. 1010 - the Turn the Tide Act - These provisions would increase Medicaid fees for addiction treatment services to at least Medicare levels; Advocated for HR 1364 - the Parity Enforcement Act: This legislation would expand the U.S. Department of Labors authority to hold health insurers and plan sponsors accountable for offering health plans that violate the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 or for employing utilization review processes that prove more restrictive for mental health and addiction care than for other medical care in violation of the MHPAEA Advocated for S 340/HR 1674 - TREATS Act: This legislation would make permanent a new, audio-video, telehealth evaluation exception to the Ryan Haight Acts in-person exam requirement, which would allow clinicians to prescribe certain addiction treatment medications, like buprenorphine, to new patients through telehealth. It would also clarify Medicares continued ability, beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency, to reimburse for audio-only, SUD and mental health telehealth services after an in-person or telehealth evaluation. Provided technical assistance regarding a possible audio-only exception to Ryan Haight for initiation of buprenorphine for OUD. Advocated for HR 3925 Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Treatment Act: This legislation would prohibit states receiving Federal funding for medication-assisted treatment under Medicaid from imposing utilization control policies or procedures (as defined by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services), including prior authorization requirements, with respect to such treatment. Advocated for the Administration to support continuous collaboration and sharing of information between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and SAMHSA, which should include new, strategic efforts to provide technical assistance funds to states to support their operation of CMS-approved Section 1115 SUD waivers related to the IMD exclusion and to enhance their care delivery systems for patients. Advocated for the Administration to increase promotion to State Medicaid programs of adoption of two, new sets of bundled G codes to increase or establish payment for outpatient opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and treatment services provided by opioid treatment programs (OTPs) at Medicare payment rates or higher. Advocated for the Administration to support the following regulatory and administrative efforts that would reduce barriers to accessing addiction treatment: Creation of safe-harbor provisions to the Anti-Kickback Statute and Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act Civil, as they may be applied to the implementation of contingency management (CM) for the treatment of addiction. Approval of a prescription to over the counter (OTC) switch for at least one naloxone product. This change would save lives and reduce existing barriers that prevent access to this critical medication; Regulatory changes that would allow Medicaid reimbursement for the room and board portion of SUD residential levels of care that meet level of care standards set forth in The ASAM Criteria; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would create a special registration exemption for jails, prisons, and their authorized personnel to prescribe and otherwise dispense controlled medications for initiation, maintenance or withdrawal management of OUD that is significantly less burdensome than currently applicable registration requirements in the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Such special registration should not limit the number of persons who are detained or incarcerated who can be treated with such medications by a qualified practitioner; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would allow pharmacy dispensing and/or administration of methadone that has been prescribed by a legally authorized prescriber of controlled medications who is affiliated with an OTP or is a board-certified addiction specialist physician; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would make permanent the opioid treatment program (OTP) flexibilities, including the methadone unsupervised dosing flexibilities, implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency while continuing study of the impact of these flexibilities; Assessment of current opioid order systems and monitoring programs to more fully understand the potential negative implications for patient access to buprenorphine at pharmacies and other controlled substance medications used to treat OUD; ; In the absence of Congressional action to eliminate the x-waiver, efforts to increase the DATA 2000 waiver patient limit -- aka, the applicable number; Issuance of regulations relating to a special registration for telemedicine, as was directed in Section 3232 of the SUPPORT Act of 2018. Advocated for the S.834/H.R.2256 Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would increase the number of Medicare GME slots by 14,000 over 7 years, including its inclusion in the next reconciliation package Advocated for House Resolution 349, which would support the goals of Overdose Awareness Day by lowering the United States flag to halfstaff on all Federal buildings on August 31st of each year. Advocated for the Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of (S.T.O.P) Fentanyl Act of 2021 (H.R. 2366 / S. 1457). This legislation would expand fentanyl research and education, enhance overdose prevention and access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and provide critical public health data and additional training support for various stakeholders. Advocated for changes to a draft opioid treatment program bill to make permanent certain COVID-19 flexibilities allowed to states for unsupervised doses, as well as "time in treatment" regulatory changes and to permit pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder treatment for certain experienced cohorts of prescribers Submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlining suggested improvements to the proposed Physician Payment Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2022. Among other recommendations, ASAM urged that CMS work with Congress to avoid a 2.5% cut in reimbursements for addiction medicine (ADM), finalize coding and payment rules for take-home naloxone nasal spray, and extend audio-only flexibility for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to furnish therapy and counseling payments for substance use disorder (SUD). Advocated for the inclusion of enhanced mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) parity enforcement within the Senates version of the budget reconciliation proposal. These enhanced enforcement measures would authorize the Department of Labor to assess civil monetary penalties against insurers that violate the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Supported $195 million over five years to the Employee Benefits Security Administration for enforcement. Advocated for the Moms Matter Act (H.R. 909). The Moms Matter Act is a bipartisan bill that would increase federal funding for culturally congruent, community-based mental and behavior health programs. Advocated for H.R 1693 / S. 79, the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act. This legislation would eliminate the federal crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity and apply it retroactively to those already convicted or sentenced. Supported nomination of Dr. Rahul Gupta to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a critical position for coordinating the nations drug policy and response to the nations drug addiction and overdose crisis. Supported the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R. 4323). This legislation would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs. Supported implemented recommendations regarding the CARES Acts amendment of 42 CFR Part 2 to advance further alignment of 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations (TPO). Advocated for H.R. 2786/ S. 1314, the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021, which would increase the federal excise tax on cigarettes and set federal tax rates for other tobacco products at an equivalent level. Supported the tobacco tax provisions included in the portion of the Build Back Better Act that was approved by the Ways and Means Committee Advocated for passage of the Advancing FASD Research, Services, and Prevention Act (S.2238 and H.R.4151), known as the FASD Respect Act. The legislation would in part reauthorize and strengthen existing federal FASD programs at NIAAA, CDC, and HRSA, and for the first time calls for long-neglected, meaningful support for individuals and families living with FASD. Supported H.R.4244 - STOP Stigma Act, which would make amendments to the names of certain agencies to help end the stigmatization of substance use disorder, and for other purposes. Supported the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) efforts to enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative data through their recommendations to the Secretary but highlighted the important role of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set as serving the needs of a data-driven health system by allowing physicians, patients, researchers, medical groups, allied health care professionals, health systems, hospitals, medical coders, accreditation organizations, payers, and health information technology professionals to easily exchange data on the medical services and procedures provided to patients. Supported draft legislation that would amend the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of days before which certain controlled substances for maintenance or detoxification treatment must be administered, and for other purposes.

Advocated for Increased appropriations for HRSAs Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program. This program provides student loan repayment for addiction treatment professionals who commit to working in underserved or high-risk communities. Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program. This Program provides grants to institutions with training opportunities for fellows in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry who have demonstrated interest in providing addiction treatment in underserved communities Advocated for increased appropriations for HRSAs Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program. This program provides grants to expand the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, and social workers trained to provide addiction and mental health services in underserved community-based settings that integrate primary care, mental health, and addiction services. Advocated for increased appropriations for federal initiatives that lead to a more diverse addiction treatment workforce, such as scholarships and loan repayment targeting underrepresented minority addiction medicine professionals, including SAMHSAs Minority Fellowship Program. Advocated for the alignment of coverage and payment policies in Medicare and Medicaid with evidence-based and nationally recognized addiction treatment and placement criteria and standards (e.g., The ASAM Criteria). This would include permanent modification to the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion to allow federal Medicaid funds to serve individuals with SUDs in those residential and inpatient settings that are able to demonstrate that patient assessments, clinical services, level-of-care and length-of-stay recommendations are consistent with The ASAM Criteria and that evidence based medication management using Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications are available to patients in such settings Advocated for regulatory/sub-regulatory/application guidance that would require the use of evidence-based practices in the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant, including requiring each grantee delivering SUD treatment services to provide access to all FDA-approved medications for SUDs treated by that grantee. Advocated for a requirement that SAPT, State Opioid Response Grant (SOR), and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grantees that receive grant funds for the delivery of addiction treatment services should be limited to Medicaid providers in order to better integrate federal grant dollars and Medicaid funds and Administration support for increased oversight and improved mechanisms for ensuring that such funding does not supplant the consistent and scalable funding that Medicaid (or Medicare) provides. Advocated for S 2235/HR 2067 - Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act of 2021: This legislation would ensure most Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to identify, treat, and manage patients with SUD and would allow accredited health professional schools and residency programs to fulfill the training requirement through their own curricula, as well as provide them with resources to do so. Advocated for simultaneous passage of S 445/HR 1384 - Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which would eliminate the requirement that practitioners apply for a separate waiver through the DEA to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction and eliminate the patient limits on buprenorphine prescribers. Advocated for S 285/HR 955 - the Medicaid Reentry Act: This legislation would allow for reestablishment of health insurance coverage under Medicaid for eligible individuals who are incarcerated, during the 30-day period preceding their release from jail or prison. Advocated for S 1821/HR 3514 - the Humane Correctional Health Care Act, which would repeal the inmate exclusion that bars the use of federal Medicaid matching funds from covering health care services in jails and prisons. Advocated for S1727/HR 3450 - The Medicaid Bump Act of 2021: This legislation would provide an enhanced Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage rate of 90 percent for State Medicaid spending on mental health and substance use disorder services in excess of 2019 levels. It would also require states to use the additional federal funds as a supplement to rather than a replacement for state funding levels, and to use the funds to increase the capacity, efficiency, and quality of behavioral health services, including through increasing provider reimbursement rates; Advocated for Section 9 of S. 1010 - the Turn the Tide Act - These provisions would increase Medicaid fees for addiction treatment services to at least Medicare levels; Advocated for HR 1364 - the Parity Enforcement Act: This legislation would expand the U.S. Department of Labors authority to hold health insurers and plan sponsors accountable for offering health plans that violate the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 or for employing utilization review processes that prove more restrictive for mental health and addiction care than for other medical care in violation of the MHPAEA Advocated for S 340/HR 1674 - TREATS Act: This legislation would make permanent a new, audio-video, telehealth evaluation exception to the Ryan Haight Acts in-person exam requirement, which would allow clinicians to prescribe certain addiction treatment medications, like buprenorphine, to new patients through telehealth. It would also clarify Medicares continued ability, beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency, to reimburse for audio-only, SUD and mental health telehealth services after an in-person or telehealth evaluation. Provided technical assistance regarding a possible audio-only exception to Ryan Haight for initiation of buprenorphine for OUD. Advocated for HR 3925 Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Treatment Act: This legislation would prohibit states receiving Federal funding for medication-assisted treatment under Medicaid from imposing utilization control policies or procedures (as defined by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services), including prior authorization requirements, with respect to such treatment. Advocated for the Administration to support continuous collaboration and sharing of information between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and SAMHSA, which should include new, strategic efforts to provide technical assistance funds to states to support their operation of CMS-approved Section 1115 SUD waivers related to the IMD exclusion and to enhance their care delivery systems for patients. Advocated for the Administration to increase promotion to State Medicaid programs of adoption of two, new sets of bundled G codes to increase or establish payment for outpatient opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and treatment services provided by opioid treatment programs (OTPs) at Medicare payment rates or higher. Advocated for the Administration to support the following regulatory and administrative efforts that would reduce barriers to accessing addiction treatment: Creation of safe-harbor provisions to the Anti-Kickback Statute and Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act Civil, as they may be applied to the implementation of contingency management (CM) for the treatment of addiction. Approval of a prescription to over the counter (OTC) switch for at least one naloxone product. This change would save lives and reduce existing barriers that prevent access to this critical medication; Regulatory changes that would allow Medicaid reimbursement for the room and board portion of SUD residential levels of care that meet level of care standards set forth in The ASAM Criteria; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would create a special registration exemption for jails, prisons, and their authorized personnel to prescribe and otherwise dispense controlled medications for initiation, maintenance or withdrawal management of OUD that is significantly less burdensome than currently applicable registration requirements in the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Such special registration should not limit the number of persons who are detained or incarcerated who can be treated with such medications by a qualified practitioner; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would allow pharmacy dispensing and/or administration of methadone that has been prescribed by a legally authorized prescriber of controlled medications who is affiliated with an OTP or is a board-certified addiction specialist physician; Regulatory (or legislative) changes that would make permanent the opioid treatment program (OTP) flexibilities, including the methadone unsupervised dosing flexibilities, implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency while continuing study of the impact of these flexibilities; Assessment of current opioid order systems and monitoring programs to more fully understand the potential negative implications for patient access to buprenorphine at pharmacies and other controlled substance medications used to treat OUD; ; In the absence of Congressional action to eliminate the x-waiver, efforts to increase the DATA 2000 waiver patient limit -- aka, the applicable number; Issuance of regulations relating to a special registration for telemedicine, as was directed in Section 3232 of the SUPPORT Act of 2018. Advocated for the S.834/H.R.2256 Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would increase the number of Medicare GME slots by 14,000 over 7 years, including its inclusion in the next reconciliation package Advocated for House Resolution 349, which would support the goals of Overdose Awareness Day by lowering the United States flag to halfstaff on all Federal buildings on August 31st of each year. Advocated for the Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of (S.T.O.P) Fentanyl Act of 2021 (H.R. 2366 / S. 1457). This legislation would expand fentanyl research and education, enhance overdose prevention and access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and provide critical public health data and additional training support for various stakeholders. Advocated for changes to a draft opioid treatment program bill to make permanent certain COVID-19 flexibilities allowed to states for unsupervised doses, as well as "time in treatment" regulatory changes and to permit pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder treatment for certain experienced cohorts of prescribers Submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlining suggested improvements to the proposed Physician Payment Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2022. Among other recommendations, ASAM urged that CMS work with Congress to avoid a 2.5% cut in reimbursements for addiction medicine (ADM), finalize coding and payment rules for take-home naloxone nasal spray, and extend audio-only flexibility for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to furnish therapy and counseling payments for substance use disorder (SUD). Advocated for the inclusion of enhanced mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) parity enforcement within the Senates version of the budget reconciliation proposal. These enhanced enforcement measures would authorize the Department of Labor to assess civil monetary penalties against insurers that violate the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Supported $195 million over five years to the Employee Benefits Security Administration for enforcement. Advocated for the Moms Matter Act (H.R. 909). The Moms Matter Act is a bipartisan bill that would increase federal funding for culturally congruent, community-based mental and behavior health programs. Advocated for H.R 1693 / S. 79, the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act. This legislation would eliminate the federal crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity and apply it retroactively to those already convicted or sentenced. Supported nomination of Dr. Rahul Gupta to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a critical position for coordinating the nations drug policy and response to the nations drug addiction and overdose crisis. Supported the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R. 4323). This legislation would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs. Supported implemented recommendations regarding the CARES Acts amendment of 42 CFR Part 2 to advance further alignment of 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations (TPO). Advocated for H.R. 2786/ S. 1314, the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021, which would increase the federal excise tax on cigarettes and set federal tax rates for other tobacco products at an equivalent level. Supported the tobacco tax provisions included in the portion of the Build Back Better Act that was approved by the Ways and Means Committee Advocated for passage of the Advancing FASD Research, Services, and Prevention Act (S.2238 and H.R.4151), known as the FASD Respect Act. The legislation would in part reauthorize and strengthen existing federal FASD programs at NIAAA, CDC, and HRSA, and for the first time calls for long-neglected, meaningful support for individuals and families living with FASD. Supported H.R.4244 - STOP Stigma Act, which would make amendments to the names of certain agencies to help end the stigmatization of substance use disorder, and for other purposes. Supported the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) efforts to enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative data through their recommendations to the Secretary but highlighted the important role of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set as serving the needs of a data-driven health system by allowing physicians, patients, researchers, medical groups, allied health care professionals, health systems, hospitals, medical coders, accreditation organizations, payers, and health information technology professionals to easily exchange data on the medical services and procedures provided to patients. Supported draft legislation that would amend the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of days before which certain controlled substances for maintenance or detoxification treatment must be administered, and for other purposes.

Working toward reintroduction of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R.4323) Advocating for expanded funding opportunities in Medicare, Medicaid and the private and public mental health systems to ensure individuals with behavioral health illnesses get the care they need. Efforts in both chambers to advance policies intended to address the opioid crisis. Pursuing policies on behalf of the National Council for Behavioral Health related to COVID 19 response and federal support proposed by the Presidents American Jobs Act and American Family Plan.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $40,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE