Congress needs to change federal laws that create “significant barriers to treating opioid use disorder,” a bipartisan group of 39 state attorneys general asserted.
Their Aug. 5 letter to House and Senate leaders comes at a time when local governments face increased demands for costly social services and criminal justice needs. The letter cites a White House Council of Economic Advisers report that said the economic cost of the opioid crisis topped $500 billion in 2015.
The attorneys general want Congress to change strict privacy requirements under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Making it easier for medical professionals...