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Calling all PA advocates!

Posted over 5 years ago by Bradley Pace

Calling all PA advocates!
 
Your quick advocacy action is needed to ensure that PAs can continue to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to patients struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD).  All PAs should contact their Senators today and urge them to ensure that when the Senate considers legislation addressing the opioid epidemic that it includes a House-passed provision to make permanent the federal waiver program that authorizes PAs and nurse practitioners (NPs) to prescribe buprenorphine to treat OUD. Click here to take action.
 
On Friday, June 22, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6, the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, which included provisions to permanently extend the waiver program that allows PAs to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction treatment.  The bipartisan legislative package was passed on a vote of 396-14. Now the Senate needs to take similar action to ensure that PAs can continue to provide access to this life-saving intervention.
 
All PAs are encouraged to contact their Senators and urge them to cosponsor S. 2317, the Senate bill to make waiver program permanent, and that they support its provisions being included in any opioid-related legislation to be considered by the Senate . To learn how to connect with your Senators at home this summer, check out AAPA's grassroots resources here.  Or, go to AAPA’s Advocacy Action Center to send an email with talking points today.  Thank you!
 
Kristin Butterfield, MA
Director, Grassroots and Political Advocacy