WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) welcomed the House of Representative’s passage of the Nurturing and Supporting (NAS) Healthy Babies Act, legislation he has also introduced in the Senate with his colleague, Senator Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). The bill, which was passed as part of a broader legislative package, would examine the rising rate and treatment costs of neonatal abstinence syndrome or NAS, a withdrawal condition in newborns often caused by the prenatal use of opioids in pregnant women.

“The opioid epidemic knows no bounds, affecting even the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society – newborns. And not only is that heartbreaking, it’s unacceptable,” Senator King said. “We can and must do more to understand and prevent this terrible problem, which is why it’s encouraging to see the House of Representatives put its stamp of approval on our bill to support healthy babies.”

The Nurturing and Supporting (NAS) Healthy Babies Act, which Senator King introduced in the Senate last month with Senators Capito and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), will expand our knowledge of NAS and how to care for NAS babies. The legislation directs the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to identify any federal obstacles to care for NAS babies by examining the prevalence of NAS in the United States, the number of NAS babies covered by Medicaid, the types of treatment for NAS, and the costs associated with such treatment.

Newborns with NAS require specialized care which can result in longer hospital stays and increased costs. A recent study found that these costs – most of which are being paid by Medicaid – can be more than five times the cost of treating other newborns.

In February, Senators King and Capito also introduced the Cradle Act, bipartisan legislation to improve care for babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome from exposure to opioids during pregnancy.

The Senate previously passed its own comprehensive bill to fight opioid and heroin addiction, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), in March. The House is expected in the coming months to proceed to a conference committee with the Senate to reconcile the differences between the legislative package it passed today and the Senate-passed CARA.

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