September 19, 2023 – U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski has introduced legislation to prevent overdose deaths and improve access to lifesaving naloxone. The Hospitals As Naloxone Distribution Sites (HANDS) Act would require Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE to cover the cost of naloxone when it’s provided to patients who are at risk of an overdose, before they are discharged, at zero cost to the patient.
“As communities across our country continue to face an overdose crisis, it’s critical that our hospitals and emergency rooms are empowered and have the resources necessary to dispense lifesaving mediation proactively to folks who are at risk,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “I’m proud to join Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen to introduce legislation that would improve access to naloxone by ensuring that Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare can cover the cost of this life saving medicine when it’s distributed preventatively to folks struggling with addiction.”
Congresswoman Budzinski is a member of the bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus, the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, and the bipartisan Addiction Treatment and Recovery Caucus.
