AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ADDICTION MEDICINE

Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program ($30M) and discussed with HRSA officials ways to increase the addiction specialist physician workforce pipeline Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program ($50M). Advocated for reintroduction of Residential Recovery for Seniors Act. This first-of-its-kind legislation would create a Medicare Part A benefit for residential addiction treatment programs meeting nationally recognized standards, categorized as Level 3.1: Clinically Managed Low-intensity Residential Treatment; Level 3.5: Clinically Managed High-intensity Residential Treatment, and/or Level 3.7: Medically Managed Residential Treatment. It would also establish a prospective payment system for these programs, ensuring that reimbursement for covered residential addiction treatment services is based on pre-determined, fixed amounts. Advocated for reintroduction of S. 644 - the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, which would allow specially registered addiction specialist physicians to prescribe methadone for OUD that could be accessed at pharmacies. Joined coalition letter urging House and Senate appropriations leaders to pass a full-year Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill for Fiscal Year 2026. Lobbied for the reversal of the administration's significant and abrupt terminations of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant funding for addiction care. Joined coalition letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking clarification that an existing, single consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations under 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) satisfies the H.R. 1 substance use disorder (SUD) community engagement exemption requirements. ASAM has urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update Medicare payment and coding policies for outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to reflect advances in treatment standards. In a letter to CMS Administrator Oz, highlighted several issues necessitated the need to update existing SUD office-based bundled codes, including changes in The ASAM Criteria, the absence of codes to appropriately describe medically managed outpatient treatment, and data showing that millions of Medicare beneficiaries continue to lack access to treatment. Submitted comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to their request for information related to Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH). In comments to the agency, ASAM emphasized the need to balance protecting patients from fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) with simultaneously protecting patient access to legitimate treatment options. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress offering revisions to H.R. 5629 to promote safety, integrated care, affordability, patient choice, and provider diversification in the context of methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress regarding appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, calling on Congress to provide $310 million in funding for tobacco prevention and cessation initiatives run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ASAM urged federal officials not to finalize parts of a newly proposed rule that could make it harder for people to get addiction treatment services. ASAM warned that proposed changes for essential health benefits (EHBs) could unintentionally lead states to scale back coverage for SUD treatment. ASAM also raised alarms about proposed changes to allow marketplace insurers to operate with fewer or even no contracted providers, and remove network adequacy standards like time/distance, and appointment wait times. Sent embargoed copy of ASAM's Implementation Guide for Hospital and Emergency Department Substance Use Disorder Care and cannabis use disorder guideline proposals to ONDCP for its review.

Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program ($30M) and discussed with HRSA officials ways to increase the addiction specialist physician workforce pipeline Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program ($50M). Advocated for reintroduction of Residential Recovery for Seniors Act. This first-of-its-kind legislation would create a Medicare Part A benefit for residential addiction treatment programs meeting nationally recognized standards, categorized as Level 3.1: Clinically Managed Low-intensity Residential Treatment; Level 3.5: Clinically Managed High-intensity Residential Treatment, and/or Level 3.7: Medically Managed Residential Treatment. It would also establish a prospective payment system for these programs, ensuring that reimbursement for covered residential addiction treatment services is based on pre-determined, fixed amounts. Advocated for reintroduction of S. 644 - the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, which would allow specially registered addiction specialist physicians to prescribe methadone for OUD that could be accessed at pharmacies. Joined coalition letter urging House and Senate appropriations leaders to pass a full-year Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill for Fiscal Year 2026. Lobbied for the reversal of the administration's significant and abrupt terminations of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant funding for addiction care. Joined coalition letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking clarification that an existing, single consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations under 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) satisfies the H.R. 1 substance use disorder (SUD) community engagement exemption requirements. ASAM has urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update Medicare payment and coding policies for outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to reflect advances in treatment standards. In a letter to CMS Administrator Oz, highlighted several issues necessitated the need to update existing SUD office-based bundled codes, including changes in The ASAM Criteria, the absence of codes to appropriately describe medically managed outpatient treatment, and data showing that millions of Medicare beneficiaries continue to lack access to treatment. Submitted comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to their request for information related to Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH). In comments to the agency, ASAM emphasized the need to balance protecting patients from fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) with simultaneously protecting patient access to legitimate treatment options. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress offering revisions to H.R. 5629 to promote safety, integrated care, affordability, patient choice, and provider diversification in the context of methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress regarding appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, calling on Congress to provide $310 million in funding for tobacco prevention and cessation initiatives run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ASAM urged federal officials not to finalize parts of a newly proposed rule that could make it harder for people to get addiction treatment services. ASAM warned that proposed changes for essential health benefits (EHBs) could unintentionally lead states to scale back coverage for SUD treatment. ASAM also raised alarms about proposed changes to allow marketplace insurers to operate with fewer or even no contracted providers, and remove network adequacy standards like time/distance, and appointment wait times. Sent embargoed copy of ASAM's Implementation Guide for Hospital and Emergency Department Substance Use Disorder Care and cannabis use disorder guideline proposals to ONDCP for its review.

Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program ($30M) and discussed with HRSA officials ways to increase the addiction specialist physician workforce pipeline Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program ($50M). Advocated for reintroduction of Residential Recovery for Seniors Act. This first-of-its-kind legislation would create a Medicare Part A benefit for residential addiction treatment programs meeting nationally recognized standards, categorized as Level 3.1: Clinically Managed Low-intensity Residential Treatment; Level 3.5: Clinically Managed High-intensity Residential Treatment, and/or Level 3.7: Medically Managed Residential Treatment. It would also establish a prospective payment system for these programs, ensuring that reimbursement for covered residential addiction treatment services is based on pre-determined, fixed amounts. Advocated for reintroduction of S. 644 - the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, which would allow specially registered addiction specialist physicians to prescribe methadone for OUD that could be accessed at pharmacies. Joined coalition letter urging House and Senate appropriations leaders to pass a full-year Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill for Fiscal Year 2026. Lobbied for the reversal of the administration's significant and abrupt terminations of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant funding for addiction care. Joined coalition letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking clarification that an existing, single consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations under 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) satisfies the H.R. 1 substance use disorder (SUD) community engagement exemption requirements. ASAM has urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update Medicare payment and coding policies for outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to reflect advances in treatment standards. In a letter to CMS Administrator Oz, highlighted several issues necessitated the need to update existing SUD office-based bundled codes, including changes in The ASAM Criteria, the absence of codes to appropriately describe medically managed outpatient treatment, and data showing that millions of Medicare beneficiaries continue to lack access to treatment. Submitted comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to their request for information related to Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH). In comments to the agency, ASAM emphasized the need to balance protecting patients from fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) with simultaneously protecting patient access to legitimate treatment options. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress offering revisions to H.R. 5629 to promote safety, integrated care, affordability, patient choice, and provider diversification in the context of methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress regarding appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, calling on Congress to provide $310 million in funding for tobacco prevention and cessation initiatives run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ASAM urged federal officials not to finalize parts of a newly proposed rule that could make it harder for people to get addiction treatment services. ASAM warned that proposed changes for essential health benefits (EHBs) could unintentionally lead states to scale back coverage for SUD treatment. ASAM also raised alarms about proposed changes to allow marketplace insurers to operate with fewer or even no contracted providers, and remove network adequacy standards like time/distance, and appointment wait times. Sent embargoed copy of ASAM's Implementation Guide for Hospital and Emergency Department Substance Use Disorder Care and cannabis use disorder guideline proposals to ONDCP for its review.

Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program ($30M) and discussed with HRSA officials ways to increase the addiction specialist physician workforce pipeline Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program ($50M). Advocated for reintroduction of Residential Recovery for Seniors Act. This first-of-its-kind legislation would create a Medicare Part A benefit for residential addiction treatment programs meeting nationally recognized standards, categorized as Level 3.1: Clinically Managed Low-intensity Residential Treatment; Level 3.5: Clinically Managed High-intensity Residential Treatment, and/or Level 3.7: Medically Managed Residential Treatment. It would also establish a prospective payment system for these programs, ensuring that reimbursement for covered residential addiction treatment services is based on pre-determined, fixed amounts. Advocated for reintroduction of S. 644 - the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, which would allow specially registered addiction specialist physicians to prescribe methadone for OUD that could be accessed at pharmacies. Joined coalition letter urging House and Senate appropriations leaders to pass a full-year Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill for Fiscal Year 2026. Lobbied for the reversal of the administration's significant and abrupt terminations of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant funding for addiction care. Joined coalition letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking clarification that an existing, single consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations under 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) satisfies the H.R. 1 substance use disorder (SUD) community engagement exemption requirements. ASAM has urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update Medicare payment and coding policies for outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to reflect advances in treatment standards. In a letter to CMS Administrator Oz, highlighted several issues necessitated the need to update existing SUD office-based bundled codes, including changes in The ASAM Criteria, the absence of codes to appropriately describe medically managed outpatient treatment, and data showing that millions of Medicare beneficiaries continue to lack access to treatment. Submitted comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to their request for information related to Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH). In comments to the agency, ASAM emphasized the need to balance protecting patients from fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) with simultaneously protecting patient access to legitimate treatment options. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress offering revisions to H.R. 5629 to promote safety, integrated care, affordability, patient choice, and provider diversification in the context of methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress regarding appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, calling on Congress to provide $310 million in funding for tobacco prevention and cessation initiatives run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ASAM urged federal officials not to finalize parts of a newly proposed rule that could make it harder for people to get addiction treatment services. ASAM warned that proposed changes for essential health benefits (EHBs) could unintentionally lead states to scale back coverage for SUD treatment. ASAM also raised alarms about proposed changes to allow marketplace insurers to operate with fewer or even no contracted providers, and remove network adequacy standards like time/distance, and appointment wait times. Sent embargoed copy of ASAM's Implementation Guide for Hospital and Emergency Department Substance Use Disorder Care and cannabis use disorder guideline proposals to ONDCP for its review.

Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program ($30M) and discussed with HRSA officials ways to increase the addiction specialist physician workforce pipeline Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program ($50M). Advocated for reintroduction of Residential Recovery for Seniors Act. This first-of-its-kind legislation would create a Medicare Part A benefit for residential addiction treatment programs meeting nationally recognized standards, categorized as Level 3.1: Clinically Managed Low-intensity Residential Treatment; Level 3.5: Clinically Managed High-intensity Residential Treatment, and/or Level 3.7: Medically Managed Residential Treatment. It would also establish a prospective payment system for these programs, ensuring that reimbursement for covered residential addiction treatment services is based on pre-determined, fixed amounts. Advocated for reintroduction of S. 644 - the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, which would allow specially registered addiction specialist physicians to prescribe methadone for OUD that could be accessed at pharmacies. Joined coalition letter urging House and Senate appropriations leaders to pass a full-year Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill for Fiscal Year 2026. Lobbied for the reversal of the administration's significant and abrupt terminations of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant funding for addiction care. Joined coalition letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking clarification that an existing, single consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations under 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) satisfies the H.R. 1 substance use disorder (SUD) community engagement exemption requirements. ASAM has urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update Medicare payment and coding policies for outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to reflect advances in treatment standards. In a letter to CMS Administrator Oz, highlighted several issues necessitated the need to update existing SUD office-based bundled codes, including changes in The ASAM Criteria, the absence of codes to appropriately describe medically managed outpatient treatment, and data showing that millions of Medicare beneficiaries continue to lack access to treatment. Submitted comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to their request for information related to Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH). In comments to the agency, ASAM emphasized the need to balance protecting patients from fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) with simultaneously protecting patient access to legitimate treatment options. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress offering revisions to H.R. 5629 to promote safety, integrated care, affordability, patient choice, and provider diversification in the context of methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress regarding appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, calling on Congress to provide $310 million in funding for tobacco prevention and cessation initiatives run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ASAM urged federal officials not to finalize parts of a newly proposed rule that could make it harder for people to get addiction treatment services. ASAM warned that proposed changes for essential health benefits (EHBs) could unintentionally lead states to scale back coverage for SUD treatment. ASAM also raised alarms about proposed changes to allow marketplace insurers to operate with fewer or even no contracted providers, and remove network adequacy standards like time/distance, and appointment wait times. Sent embargoed copy of ASAM's Implementation Guide for Hospital and Emergency Department Substance Use Disorder Care and cannabis use disorder guideline proposals to ONDCP for its review.

Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program ($30M) and discussed with HRSA officials ways to increase the addiction specialist physician workforce pipeline Advocated for increased FY27 funding for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program ($50M). Advocated for reintroduction of Residential Recovery for Seniors Act. This first-of-its-kind legislation would create a Medicare Part A benefit for residential addiction treatment programs meeting nationally recognized standards, categorized as Level 3.1: Clinically Managed Low-intensity Residential Treatment; Level 3.5: Clinically Managed High-intensity Residential Treatment, and/or Level 3.7: Medically Managed Residential Treatment. It would also establish a prospective payment system for these programs, ensuring that reimbursement for covered residential addiction treatment services is based on pre-determined, fixed amounts. Advocated for reintroduction of S. 644 - the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, which would allow specially registered addiction specialist physicians to prescribe methadone for OUD that could be accessed at pharmacies. Joined coalition letter urging House and Senate appropriations leaders to pass a full-year Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill for Fiscal Year 2026. Lobbied for the reversal of the administration's significant and abrupt terminations of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant funding for addiction care. Joined coalition letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking clarification that an existing, single consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations under 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) satisfies the H.R. 1 substance use disorder (SUD) community engagement exemption requirements. ASAM has urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update Medicare payment and coding policies for outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to reflect advances in treatment standards. In a letter to CMS Administrator Oz, highlighted several issues necessitated the need to update existing SUD office-based bundled codes, including changes in The ASAM Criteria, the absence of codes to appropriately describe medically managed outpatient treatment, and data showing that millions of Medicare beneficiaries continue to lack access to treatment. Submitted comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to their request for information related to Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH). In comments to the agency, ASAM emphasized the need to balance protecting patients from fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) with simultaneously protecting patient access to legitimate treatment options. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress offering revisions to H.R. 5629 to promote safety, integrated care, affordability, patient choice, and provider diversification in the context of methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. Joined coalition letter to Members of Congress regarding appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, calling on Congress to provide $310 million in funding for tobacco prevention and cessation initiatives run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ASAM urged federal officials not to finalize parts of a newly proposed rule that could make it harder for people to get addiction treatment services. ASAM warned that proposed changes for essential health benefits (EHBs) could unintentionally lead states to scale back coverage for SUD treatment. ASAM also raised alarms about proposed changes to allow marketplace insurers to operate with fewer or even no contracted providers, and remove network adequacy standards like time/distance, and appointment wait times. Sent embargoed copy of ASAM's Implementation Guide for Hospital and Emergency Department Substance Use Disorder Care and cannabis use disorder guideline proposals to ONDCP for its review.