Respond NOW Act

To address the opioid epidemic, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Respond to the Needs in the Opioid War Act Respond NOW Act 2. Table of contents The table of contents of this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Table of contents. Title I—Opioid Epidemic Response Fund Sec. 101. Opioid Epidemic Response Fund. Sec. 102. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Sec. 103. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sec. 104. Food and Drug Administration. Sec. 105. National Institutes of Health. Sec. 106. Health Resources and Services Administration. Sec. 107. Administration for Children and Families. Title II—Additional Investments in Existing Programs To Respond to the Opioid Epidemic Sec. 201. Increase in funding for regional partnership grants. Sec. 202. Account for the State and Tribal Response to the Opioid Abuse Crisis. Title III—Expanding Access to Treatment Services Sec. 301. Eliminating time limitation for nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants To be qualifying practitioners. Sec. 302. Coverage of methadone under Medicare part B. I Opioid Epidemic Response Fund 101. Opioid Epidemic Response Fund (a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary (b) Opioid Epidemic Response Fund (1) Establishment of account There is established in the Treasury an account, to be known as the Opioid Epidemic Response Fund (referred to in this section as the Fund (2) Transfer For each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, $5,000,000,000 shall be transferred to the Fund from the general fund of the Treasury. (3) Amounts deposited Any amounts transferred under paragraph (2) shall remain unavailable in the Fund until such amounts are appropriated pursuant to subsection (c). (c) Appropriations (1) Authorization of appropriations For the period of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, there is authorized to be appropriated from the Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, for the purpose of carrying out the programs and activities described in subsection (d), an amount not to exceed the total amount transferred to the Fund under subsection (b)(2), to remain available until expended. (2) Offsetting future appropriations For any of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, for any discretionary appropriation to the Department of Health and Human Services (or any agency therein) pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) for the purpose of carrying out the programs and activities described in subsection (d), the total amount of such appropriations for the applicable fiscal year (not to exceed the total amount remaining in the Account) shall be subtracted from the estimate of discretionary budget authority and the resulting outlays for any estimate under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, and the amount transferred to the Fund shall be reduced by the same amount. (d) Programs and activities Of the total amount authorized to be appropriated from the Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services by subsection (c)(1), such amount shall be allocated as follows: (1) SAMHSA For the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to carry out programs and activities pursuant to section 102, $3,650,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. (2) CDC For the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out programs and activities pursuant to section 103, $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. (3) FDA For the Food and Drug Administration to carry out programs and activities pursuant to section 104, $65,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. (4) NIH For the National Institutes of Health to carry out programs and activities pursuant to section 105, $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. (5) HRSA For the Health Resources and Services Administration to carry out programs and activities pursuant to section 106, $235,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. (6) ACF For the Administration for Children and Families to carry out programs and activities pursuant to section 107, $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. (e) Accountability and oversight (1) Work plan (A) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, a work plan including the proposed allocation of funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under sub­sec­tion (c) for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024 and the contents described in subparagraph (B). (B) Contents The work plan submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include— (i) the amount of money to be obligated or expended out of the Fund in each fiscal year for each program and activity described in subsection (d); and (ii) a description and justification of each such program and activity. (2) Reports (A) Annual reports Not later than October 1 of each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, a report including— (i) the amount of money obligated or expended out of the Fund in the prior fiscal year for each program and activity described in subsection (d); (ii) a description of all programs and activities using funds provided pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (c); and (iii) how the programs and activities are responding to the opioid epidemic. (B) Additional reports At the request of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions or the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, or the Committee on Energy and Commerce or the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide an update in the form of testimony and any additional reports to the respective congressional committee regarding the allocation of funding under this section or the description of the programs and activities undertaken with such funding. (f) Limitations Notwithstanding any transfer authority authorized by this Act or any appropriations Act, any funds made available pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (c) may not be used for any purpose other than the programs and activities described in subsection (d) to address the opioid and substance use epidemic. (g) Sunset This section shall expire at the end of fiscal year 2029. 102. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration The entirety of the funds made available pursuant to section 101(d)(1) shall be for carrying out subsections (b) and (c) of section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290ee–3 103. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a) Addressing opioid use disorder The entirety of the funds made available pursuant to section 101(d)(2) shall be for the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pursuant to applicable authorities in the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 201 (1) improving the timeliness and quality of data on the opioid epidemic, including improvement of— (A) data on fatal and nonfatal overdoses; (B) syndromic surveillance; (C) data on long-term sequelae (including neonatal abstinence syndrome); and (D) cause of death reporting related to substance abuse or opioid overdose; (2) expanding and strengthening evidence-based prevention and education strategies; (3) supporting responsible prescribing practices, including through development and dissemination of prescriber guidelines; (4) improving access to and use of effective prevention, treatment, and recovery support, including through grants and the provision of technical assistance to States and localities; (5) strengthening partnerships with first responders, including to protect their safety; (6) considering the needs of vulnerable populations; (7) addressing infectious diseases linked to the opioid crisis; (8) strengthening prescription drug monitoring programs; and (9) providing financial and technical assistance to State and local health department efforts to treat and prevent substance use disorder. (b) Limitation Of the funds made available pursuant to section 101(d)(2) for carrying out this section, not more than 20 percent may be used for intramural purposes. 104. Food and Drug Administration The entirety of the funds made available pursuant to section 101(d)(3) shall be for the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, pursuant to applicable authorities in the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 201 21 U.S.C. 301 (1) Facilitating the development of non-opioid and non-addictive pain treatments. (2) Advancing guidance documents for sponsors of non-opioid pain products. (3) Developing evidence to inform the potential for nonprescription overdose therapies. (4) Examining expanded labeling indications for medication-assisted treatment. (5) Conducting public education and outreach, including public workshops or public meetings, regarding the benefits of medication-assisted treatment, and approved non-opioid drug and device treatment options. (6) Exploring the expansion and possible mandatory nature of prescriber education regarding pain management and appropriate opioid prescribing through authorities under section 505–1 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 355–1 (7) Examining options to limit the duration of opioid prescriptions for acute pain, including through packaging options. (8) Increasing staff and infrastructure capacity to inspect and analyze packages at international mail facilities and pursue criminal investigations. 105. National Institutes of Health The entirety of the funds made available pursuant to section 101(d)(4) shall be for the Director of the National Institutes of Health, pursuant to applicable authorities in the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 201 (1) accelerating research for addressing the opioid epidemic, including developing non-opioid medications and interventions, including non-addictive medications, to manage pain, as well as to treat and to prevent substance use disorders; (2) conducting and supporting research on which treatments (in terms of pain management as well as treating and preventing substance use disorders) are optimal for which patients; and (3) conducting and supporting research on creating longer-lasting or faster-acting antidotes for opioid overdose, particularly in response to the prevalence of fentanyl and carfentanyl overdoses. 106. Health Resources and Services Administration The entirety of the funds made available pursuant to section 101(d)(5) shall be for the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, pursuant to applicable authorities in titles III, VII, and VIII of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 241 107. Administration for Children and Families Of the funds made available pursuant to section 101(d)(6) for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024— (1) $25,000,000 for each such fiscal year shall be for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out title I of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5101 (2) $25,000,000 for each such fiscal year shall be for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out title II of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5116 II Additional Investments in Existing Programs To Respond to the Opioid Epidemic 201. Increase in funding for regional partnership grants Section 436 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 629f (1) in subsection (a), by striking $345,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021 $385,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2024 (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking 2017 through 2021 2018 through 2024 (B) in paragraph (5), by striking $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021 $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2024 202. Account for the State and Tribal response to the opioid abuse crisis Section 1003(h) of the 21st Century Cures Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290ee–3 $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2021 $500,000,000 for fiscal years 2019 and $3,750,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2023 III Expanding Access to Treatment Services 301. Eliminating time limitation for nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants To be qualifying practitioners Section 303(g)(2)(G)(iii)(III) of the Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 823(g)(2)(G)(iii)(III) for the period beginning on October 1, 2018, and ending on October 1, 2023, 302. Coverage of methadone under Medicare part B (a) Coverage Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2) (1) by striking and (2) by adding and (3) by inserting after subparagraph (HH) the following new subparagraph: (II) methadone, if furnished or dispensed (including by prescription) in an oral form on or after January 1, 2019, to an individual for the purpose of maintenance or detoxification treatment by a physician or other practitioner who has in effect a registration or waiver under section 303(g) of such Act ( 21 U.S.C. 823(g) . (b) Payment (1) In connection with physician and supplier service Section 1842(o)(1) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395u(o)(1) (H) In the case of methadone (as described in section 1861(s)(2)(II)), the amount provided under section 1847A for such drug. . (2) Covered OPD service Section 1833(t)(1)(B)(iii) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(1)(B)(iii) and methadone described in paragraph (2)(II) of such section section 1861(s) (c) Budget neutrality The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall implement the amendments made by this section in a manner such that— (1) estimated expenditures under the physician fee schedule under section 1848 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w–4 (2) estimated expenditures under the prospective payment system under section 1833(t) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)

Summary: Respond to the Needs in the Opioid War Act or the Respond NOW Act This bill establishes the Opioid Epidemic Response Fund through FY2024 to fund programs and activities addressing the opioid and substance use epidemic, including Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration demonstration grants; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance, prevention, and treatment programs; Food and Drug Administration support of innovation in non-opioid and nonaddictive medical products for pain treatment; National Institutes of Health research on creating longer-lasting or faster-acting antidotes for opioid overdoses; Health Resources and Services Administration efforts to increase the availability and capacity of the behavioral health workforce; and Administration for Children and Families programs for child abuse prevention and treatment. The bill also extends funding through FY2024 for programs to help states and tribal organizations address substance use prevention and treatment, allows a practitioner to dispense narcotic drugs for maintenance treatment or detoxification treatment to an increased number of patients under specified conditions, and includes methadone treatment in Medicare coverage.