Concord Ledger

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, led her colleagues Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL) and Angie Craig (MN-02) in introducing legislation to ensure access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone for communities nationwide. H.R. 4005, the Naloxone Affordability Act, underscores how critical reliable access to naloxone is in our efforts to end the addiction and mental health crisis. This policy was included in the STOP Fentanyl Overdoses Act and offered by Senator Markey (D-MA) to be included in a Senate HELP markup on May 11, 2023.

Full bill text is available here.

“Every life lost to overdose is a tragedy – we must utilize the resources we have to end the substance use crisis and prevent deaths,” said Rep. Kuster, founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. “That’s where harm reduction tools like naloxone are so crucial. I am proud to introduce legislation to ensure naloxone is affordable and accessible for communities in New Hampshire and across the country.”

“As we aim to combat the opioid epidemic in every corner of our country, we must ensure that every tool to save lives is at our disposal,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in an effort to expand harm-reduction strategies, including making access to naloxone easier. We’ll continue our work to expand these efforts and save every life possible.”

“The fentanyl crisis is costing American lives every day. We’ve got to invest in the tools we need to prevent additional suffering and work to expand addiction treatment resources to the communities that need them most. I’m proud to partner with Reps. Kuster and Blunt Rochester on this important bill and I’ll keep pushing to expand naloxone access and awareness,” said Rep. Craig.

Specifically, the Naloxone Affordability Act would:

• Require a Comptroller General study on the accessibility and affordability of naloxone, including:
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  • Insurance coverage of naloxone,
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  • Out-of-pocket costs to consumers seeking to purchase naloxone,
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  • And other factors impacting access.

Kuster is a leading advocate for addressing the substance use crisis in Congress. As Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, Kuster has consistently worked across the aisle to stop the flow of dangerous drugs and hold illicit distributors accountable, address the underlying demand for dangerous drugs, and help individuals access recovery care they need.

Original source can be found here.