BREWER, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) met with Maine people in recovery and treatment providers at the Bangor Area Recovery Network (BARN) in Brewer to discuss the importance of pre-existing condition protections for those seeking to recover from substance use disorders (SUDs). SUDs are considered a pre-existing condition, meaning that if allowed to discriminate against individuals with pre-existing conditions, insurers could refuse to cover or increase prices for individuals who have a history of substance use disorders, including opioid abuse – possibly deterring individuals battling SUDs from seeking treatment.

“The opioid epidemic has devastated communities across Maine, killing more than one person per day in our state – but through all of this pain, it is important to remember that addiction is not a death sentence,” said Senator King. “With the proper treatment and support system, those with substance use disorders can lead full, happy lives and make invaluable contributions to their communities. It’s up to all of us to be a part of that support system, and the men and women of the Bangor Area Recovery Network are leading the way and changing lives. They are an example to all Maine people of how we must stand with our loved ones, friends, and neighbors as they fight to overcome this deadly disease.”

Senator King’s visit to BARN comes following last week’s Senate passage of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, a sweeping opioids bill that included several King-backed provisions to help support Maine communities fighting against the opioid epidemic. Among these provisions are the permanent authorization for nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorders, which Senator King advocated for in a speech on the Senate floor, and a removal of the Institutions for Medical Disease (IMD) Exclusion that prevents residential treatment facilities with more than 16 beds from receiving federal reimbursement through Medicaid. This provision reflects pieces of the Improving Coverage for Substance Use Disorder Recovery Expansion Act, which Senator King introduced.

Senator King has made combating the opioid crisis one of his top priorities in Washington, and in June he highlighted the importance of the Affordable Care Act’s protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions to those struggling with substance use disorders. In July, Senator King hosted a panel of medical professionals, employers and advocates to discuss the opioid crisis and reduce the stigma surrounding Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). That same month, he met with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, Anne Hazlett, and a number of medical professionals, law enforcement officers, advocates and local leaders at a Bangor roundtable discussing the opioid epidemic’s impact on rural Maine. He has repeatedly called on Congress and both the Obama and Trump administrations to fund laws and agencies that help address the drug epidemic.

Senator King has held several roundtables throughout Maine – from Portland to Bangor to Milo to Paris – and has spoken with health professionals, first responders, community members, and people in recovery to find ways to help people get better and make Maine communities safer and healthier. He has also joined a group of his Senate colleagues to write to the nation’s top health insurers urging them to do their part to combat the opioid epidemic. In an effort to hold the insurance industry accountable, the Senators asked the companies to both review their existing policies in light of the epidemic, and to take additional steps to make sure they are working actively to help curb SUDs. In the FY 2018 Omnibus Federal Appropriations bill which passed in March, Senator King supported a provision which increased funding to fight the opioid and mental health crises by $3.3 billion, including an increase of $2.8 billion in treatment, prevention and research for programs within the Department of Health and Human Services. Also, in November 2017, Senator King led a letter to the Trump Administration urging additional funding for the opioid epidemic, and in October 2017 he joined a group of colleagues to introduce the Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, legislation that would invest $45 billion for prevention, detection, surveillance and treatment of opioids.