DC Update

June 27, 2014

News from NASADAD

• NASADAD All States Policy Call scheduled for July 18^th from 4-5 pm EST
• Update on 42 CFR Part 2
• NASADAD sends letters to President and Vice President in support of ONDCP Acting Director Botticelli to serve as permanent Director

Around the Agencies

• SAMHSA releases two publications to help clinicians address viral hepatitis
• CDC releases resources on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
• CDC continues Tips from Former Smokers campaign with additional educational resources
• CMS announces $60 million in funding available to support Navigators in insurance marketplaces
• HHS announces auto-enrollment plans for current Marketplace consumers for 2015
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) releases report on tobacco product regulation

Capitol Hill News

• Mental Health Liaison Group and PhRMA sponsor Hill briefing on access to mental health treatment

Events

• White House hosts Men’s Health and My Brother’s Keeper briefing
• Faces and Voices of Recovery host America Honors Recovery reception

In the News

• The Washington Post publishes op-ed The Myths of Smoking Pot

News from NASADAD

NASADAD All States Policy Call scheduled for July 18^th from 4-5 pm EST

The next NASADAD All States Policy Call will be held on Friday, July 18^th from 4-5 pm EST (dial-in information below) and will feature a presentation by Mark Parrino, President of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD). Mr. Parrino will be discussing 42 CFR Part 2 among other issues. The All States Policy Calls will take place on the third Friday of each month from 4-5 pm EST, with the exception of the month of August. We wish everyone safe summer travels and will resume our regular call schedule in September.

NASADAD All States Policy Call Dial-In Information:

Toll Free: 1-855-747-8824

Passcode: 1287903424

Update on 42 CFR Part 2 – NASADAD did not send letter to SAMHSA

NASADAD will continue its discussions on 42 CFR Part 2. At this point, the Association has not sent any letters, but will continue to share updates and information with Members. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) held a public listening session on June 11^th to solicit information on 42 CFR Part 2. SAMHSA also accepted written comments through June 25^th. NASADAD discussed confidentiality issues during their Board Meeting at the NASADAD Annual Meeting in June and held an informational call on June 9^th with the Legal Action Center. NASADAD Members noted the need for additional dialogue in the coming months. We will share any new information or documents from other organizations to help keep Members informed on any 42 CFR Part 2 developments.

NASADAD sends letters to President and Vice President in support of ONDCP Acting Director Botticelli to serve as permanent Director

On June 20^th, NASADAD sent a letter to President Obama and Vice President Biden in support of nominating Michael Botticelli, Acting Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), to serve as the permanent Director. Acting Director Botticelli has been an exceptional ally on addiction issues, and NASADAD looks forward to his continued leadership.

Around the Agencies

SAMHSA releases two publications to help clinicians address viral hepatitis

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released two publications on viral hepatitis Addressing Viral Hepatitis in People with Substance Use Disorders, one for clinicians and one for clinicians and administrators. The documents provide an overview of the disease, as well as “information on screening, evaluation, treatment, side effects management, and potential interactions among medications used to treat chronic hepatitis” (SAMHSA press release). The resources also provide information about interactions with medications used to treat mental health and substance use disorders.

CDC releases resources on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a series of free materials that promote “alcohol-free pregnancies to women in your communities” (CDC web page). These materials cover a broad array of topics related to alcohol use during pregnancy, including information on risk factors, health consequences, and frequently asked questions. The research-based materials include a brochure, posters, print ads, health e-cards, and social media tools. These items are downloaded free-of-charge, with the option to order print copies from the CDC.

CDC continues Tips from Former Smokers campaign with additional educational resources

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the Tips from Former Smokers campaign in 2012. The campaign shares the stories of real individuals who are living with serious health problems due to smoking. The newest advertisements (radio, print, TV, posters, social media, etc.) will feature stories about cancer, stroke, pregnancy complications, and others. The ads remind viewers that there is a hotline available for people who want help to quit smoking. There are also a variety of other educational resources made available on the CDC website, including faith-based resources (Legacy Foundation update).

CMS announces $60 million in funding available to support Navigators in insurance marketplaces

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is accepting letters of intent through June 30^th to apply for funding to support Navigators in insurance marketplaces (both State- and federally-facilitated). “The funding opportunity announcement is open to eligible individuals, as well as private and public entities, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations applying to serve as Navigators in States with a federally-facilitated or State partnership marketplace. It is open to new and returning Navigator applicants” (CMS press release). The Navigator application closes on July 10^th. CMS is also hosting a pre-application webinar on July 1^st from 1:30-3:00 pm EST.

HHS announces auto-enrollment plans for current Marketplace consumers for 2015

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to provide assistance to insurance marketplace consumers and offer them a simple way to auto-enroll in their existing plan each year, rather going through the enrollment process in 2015. This option would be available to those that would like to keep their existing plan, while those who want to make changes will be free to do so. Under the plan, consumers will receive a notice on how to update their income information for tax credit purposes and will receive information from their insurer about premiums and any other relevant payment information.

Government Accountability Office (GAO) releases report on tobacco product regulation

The report, Tobacco Product Regulation: Most FDA Spending Funded Public Education, Regulatory Science, and Compliance and Enforcement Activities, was released on June 20^th. Required by the Tobacco Control Act, the report “examines (1) how FDA spent tobacco user fees for key activities using its authorities granted in the act, and (2) any challenges FDA encountered in using its authorities” (GAO highlights). Of the $1.88 billion in tobacco user fees the FDA has collected since 2009, $1.48 have been spent on various activities. Activities include public education ($508 million), regulatory science ($478 million), and compliance and enforcement ($181 million).

Capitol Hill News

Mental Health Liaison Group and PhRMA sponsor Hill briefing on access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment

Colleen Haller, NASADAD Public Policy Associate attended the briefing, titled Mental Health: Partnering for Access and Treatments for Patients and co-hosted by Representatives Leonard Lance (NJ) and Doris Matsui (CA). The information session included information on the needs of patients living with mental illness and substance use disorders and developments made in research and emerging treatments, particularly pharmacological advances. The panelists offered a broad range of perspectives from pharmaceutical research to community substance abuse and mental health providers to a patient’s perspective (please see the complete list below). The panelists cited a need to expand public and private research partnerships, as well as remove barriers to accessing comprehensive treatment.

Panelists:

• Moderator – Dr. Bill Chin, Executive Vice President, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, PhRMA
• Chuck Ingoglia, Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Practice Improvement, National Council for Behavioral Health and Co-Chair of the Mental Health Liaison Group
• Stevin Zorn, PhD, Executive Vice President and U.S. Site Head, Neuroscience Research and Development, Lundbeck Research USA
• Dr. Dario Mirski, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Events

White House hosts Men’s Health and My Brother’s Keeper briefing

Rob Morrison, NASADAD Executive Director attended the briefing which was co-hosted by the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and included information on a range of topics related to men’s health. The briefing included four sessions: Mental Health and Substance Abuse; Disease Prevention: Heart and Stroke, Diabetes, and Cancer; Engaging Young Men of Color in their Health; and My Brother’s Keeper: The Road Ahead. Dr. H. Westley Clark, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, served as a speaker and moderated the breakout session on substance abuse and mental illness. A complete list of speakers is included below.

Speakers:

• Marlon Marshall, Special Assistant to the President, Principal Deputy Director of Public Engagement
• Dr. Samuel Acre, Chairman of the National Hispanic Medical Association
• Gautam Raghavan, Public Engagement Advisor, Office of Public Engagement
• Marco Davis, Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Education Excellence for Hispanics
• Dr. H. Westley Clark, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Dr. George Askew, Chief Medical Officer for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Dr. Ananad Parekh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Jesse Moore, Speechwriter, Office of Public Engagement
• Heather Foster, Public Engagement Advisor, Office of Public Engagement

Faces and Voices of Recovery host America Honors Recovery reception

Rob Morrison, NASADAD Executive Director attended the reception which honors the recovery community and exceptional organizations that advocate for recovery. The reception, hosted by Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR), was held in Washington, D.C. on June 25^th, and awards were presented to 5 individuals and one recovery organization for “their significant contributions toward putting a face on recovery, fighting discrimination facing people with addiction, and advocating for recovery” (FAVOR press release).

In the News

The Washington Post publishes op-ed The Myths of Smoking Pot

Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus wrote the op-ed, featuring an interview with Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Dr. Volkow provided an overview of the research on marijuana use and important considerations and cautions related to efforts to legalize the drug for personal use. Dr. Volkow also discusses her particular concerns with adolescents and the effects of marijuana use during adolescent development. In addition to the health effects, Dr. Volkow also expressed concern about the impact of legalization on social norms and perceptions of risk, both of which have significant effects on youth and adolescent behavior.

D.C. Update

June 20, 2014

Around the Agencies

• ONDCP hosts summit on heroin and prescription drug abuse
• CMS launches “From Coverage to Care” to assist consumers with new health coverage
• The National Institutes of Health release resource to help older adults stop smoking

Capitol Hill News

• Sen. Hatch (UT) and Sen. Levin (MI) host Senate forum on buprenorphine
• Friends of NIDA host Congressional briefing, “Marijuana: Health Effects, Changing Patterns of Use and Societal Impact”

Events

• Upcoming webinar “Building a State Health Workforce Center: Lessons Learned in the Carolinas”
• The National Health Policy Forum host meeting on “Controlling Opioid Drug Excess: Health Plan Interventions”

Resources

• Applications to BHbusiness Plus open through August 15^th

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Around the Agencies

ONDCP hosts summit on heroin and prescription drug abuse

Robert Morrison, Executive Director presented at the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) summit on heroin and prescription drug abuse on June 19^th. Mr. Morrison reviewed NASADAD’s report that was released just weeks ago detailing the actions that State substance abuse agencies have taken to address heroin and prescription drug abuse. The report found that 42 States categorize prescription drug abuse as “most” or “very” important, and that 37 States have seen increases in admissions to treatment for heroin abuse during the past two years. Mr. Morrison’s presentation was followed by two panels: “Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment” and “Overdose and Infectious Disease Prevention.” Other presenters included ONDCP Acting Director Michael Botticelli, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Governor Peter Shumlin (VT), and representatives from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). Presenters discussed national opioid abuse trends and sought to “identify innovative practices and models, and discuss how practitioners at every level can help reduce overdose deaths and public health consequences” (Federal Register notice).

View the webcast at: https://www.youtube.com/ONDCP. There are multiple video clips uploaded to the site, NASADAD’s presentation is labeled: “Rx Drug and Heroin Epidemic in the States.”

Also check out NASADAD’s inquiry report on State responses to prescription drug and heroin abuse.

CMS launches “From Coverage to Care” to assist consumers with new health coverage

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released their web-based resource, From Coverage to Care (C2C), “which is designed to help answer questions that people may have about their new health coverage, to help them make the most of their new benefits, including taking full advantage of primary care and preventive services. It also seeks to give health care providers the tools they need to promote patient engagement” (CMS press release). The website contains a variety of educational videos and other resources such as the Roadmap to Better Care and a Healthier You, which helps consumers and providers understand the terms and benefits of their new coverage, including how to use those benefits to seek primary care and preventive services. These and other resources are available on the C2C website.

The National Institutes of Health release resource to help older adults stop smoking

The web-based resource, “Quitting Smoking for Older Adults” features videos, worksheets, health information, quitting strategies, and other resources for older adults who want to quit smoking. The latest Surgeon General’s report, The Health Consequences of Smoking – 50 Years of Progress “provides new data that links smoking to bone disease, cataract, diabetes, macular degeneration, and erectile dysfunction. Research shows that people who quit smoking, regardless of their age, are less likely than those who continue to smoke to die from smoking-related illness. Although the rates of smoking have declined in recent years for all age groups, nearly 10 percent of adults over 65 – almost 4 million older Americans – continue to smoke” (NIH Press Release).

Capitol Hill News

Sen. Hatch (UT) and Sen. Levin (MI) host Senate forum on buprenorphine

Robert Morrison, Executive Director and Colleen Haller, Public Policy Associate attended the forum convened by Senators Hatch and Levin on June 18^th and titled “Buprenorphine in the Treatment of Opioid Addiction: Successes and the Impediments of Expanded Access.” Panelists (complete list of panelists below) were asked to discuss the benefits of medication-assisted treatment, particularly buprenorphine, and the challenges associated with expanding access to buprenorphine. Senator Levin expressed an interest in identifying clear action steps that could be taken at the federal level to expand access to buprenorphine. Of particular concern were identifying ways to reduce physician barriers to becoming buprenorphine prescribers, discussing the 100 patient limit and potential modifications, and strategies to improve coverage for buprenorphine treatment for patients with private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare. A variety of strategies were discussed and participants agreed that the ultimate goal should be to expand quality access to buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorders.

Panelists:

• Michael Botticelli, Acting Director, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
• June Sivilli, Chief, Treatment Branch, Office of Demand Reduction, ONDCP
• Jayme Delano, Policy Analyst, ONDCP
• Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
• Dr. Jack Stein, Director, Office of Science Policy and Communications, NIDA
• Dr. Westley Clark, Director, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, Chief Medical Officer, SAMHSA
• Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Medical Director, Phoenix House Foundation; President, Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing
• Dr. John Kitzmiller, Certified Buprenorphine Prescriber, Lake Orion, Michigan
• Dr. Corey Waller, American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM)
• Colleen LaBelle, Program Director, State Technical Assistance Treatment Expansion Office Based Opioid Treatment with Buprenorphine
• Two buprenorphine patients in recovery

Also check out NASADAD’s consensus statement on medication-assisted treatment.

Friends of NIDA host Congressional briefing, “Marijuana: Health Effects, Changing Patterns of Use and Societal Impact”

Colleen Haller, Public Policy Associate attended the briefing hosted by Friends of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in conjunction with the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus on Thursday 19^th. Members of the Congressional Caucus were also in attendance including Rep. John Fleming (LA), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY), and Rep. Andy Harris (MD). Topics covered include youth perceptions of marijuana use risk, marijuana’s changing legal status, and the long-term effects of increased marijuana use on individuals’ health and society. Presentations were made by:

• Wilson Compton, MD, Deputy Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, will provide an overview of NIDA’s current and planned portfolio on marijuana research as well as scientific information on what we know about the health effects of marijuana use.
• Robert Booth, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, will discuss results from his NIDA-funded research on changing patterns of marijuana use and its consequences.
• Former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, Co-Founder Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana).

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Events

Upcoming webinar “Building a State Health Workforce Center: Lessons Learned in the Carolinas”

The webinar will be held on June 25^th at 2 pm EST and will feature a presentation by Linda M. Lacey, Director of the Office for Healthcare Workforce Analysis and Planning in South Carolina. Ms. Lacey has been part of the development process of two health workforce centers, one for the North Carolina nursing workforce and one working with all health worker groups in South Carolina. She will share her experience in working on these two projects and any important lessons learned. This webinar will be hosted by the Health Workforce Technical Assistance Center (HWTAC) and does not require prior registration.

The National Health Policy Forum held a meeting on “Controlling Opioid Drug Excess: Health Plan Interventions”

Colleen Haller, Public Policy Associate attended the National Health Policy Forum’s discussion called “Controlling Opioid Drug Excess: Health Plan Interventions” on June 20^th. The event was moderated by Judith Miller Jones, Director of the National Health Policy Forum and features presentations from four health plans: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Florida Blue, Humana Pharmacy Solutions, and the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (complete list of the presenters below). The presentations focused primarily on supply-side solutions to the opioid pain reliever epidemic that health plans have undertaken, including prescriber and patient education, prescription drug utilization monitoring, and collaborating with pharmacies. Each of the panelists discussed these efforts in relation to commercial insurance plans, Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and dual-eligible populations.

Panelists:

• Thomas Kowalski, RPh; Clinical Pharmacy Director, Health and Medical Management; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
• Cynthia Griffin, PharmD; Senior Director, Pharmacy Government Programs; Florida Blue
• Kim Caldwell, RPh; Director of Pharmacy Professional Affairs; Humana Pharmacy Solutions
• Deborah Kilstein, JD, MBA; Vice President, Quality Management and Operational Support; Association for Community Affiliated Plans

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Resources

Applications to BHbusiness Plus open through August 15^th

BHbusiness is accepting applications now through August 15^th for round one learning networks to be held in October 2014 (rounds two and three will be held in winter and spring 2015, respectively). Applicants can join a learning network in two ways: as an individual provider who will be placed into a network or as a convener or group of providers to form a network. Single State Agencies (SSAs), State Mental Health Agencies, and ATTCs are all potential conveners. These learning networks offer more customized technical assistance with shorter time periods. Covered topics include “billing, third-party contract negotiations, new business planning, mergers and acquisitions, enrollment and eligibility, and much more” (BHbusiness press release).