H.R. 9759: Turn the Tide Act

This bill would extend and fund a wide range of federal programs related to opioid use disorder, substance use treatment, recovery support, prevention, and related public health and law enforcement activities through fiscal years 2027 to 2031, depending on the program.

What the bill would do

• Continue federal grant programs for opioid and substance-use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services under the SUPPORT Act and related laws.
• Support treatment and recovery services, including funding for medication-assisted treatment, recovery housing, peer support, and other recovery-focused services.
• Expand state and local grants for prevention, treatment, and recovery programs, including programs aimed at communities affected by opioid misuse.
• Fund workforce development such as training programs, loan repayment or loan assistance for providers, and other efforts to increase the behavioral health and addiction treatment workforce.
• Provide support for labs and related public health infrastructure connected to substance-use disorder response and enforcement.
• Continue and expand Department of Justice-related programs that address opioid misuse, drug-related crime, and related community response efforts.
• Support law enforcement wellness programs and childhood trauma response teams.

Health coverage and access changes

• Limits or eliminates cost-sharing for overdose-reversal medications, such as naloxone, meaning patients may pay less or nothing out of pocket.
• Restricts prior authorization and similar insurance barriers for medication-assisted treatment and overdose-reversal drugs, making it easier for people to get these medications quickly.
• Boosts Medicaid payments for certain mental health and substance-use disorder services, which could increase access to treatment and recovery housing.
• Expands support for behavioral health services, including care related to mental health and substance-use disorders.

Broader purpose

Overall, the bill is designed to strengthen the federal response to opioid addiction and related substance-use problems by funding treatment, prevention, recovery, training, and support programs, while also reducing insurance barriers to key medications used to treat addiction and reverse overdoses.

Relevant Companies

• CVS — Could be affected by changes to insurance coverage and pharmacy access for overdose-reversal drugs and medication-assisted treatment.
• WBA — Could be affected as a major pharmacy operator dispensing naloxone and other addiction-related medications.
• CI — Health insurer that could be affected by limits on cost-sharing and prior authorization for addiction treatment drugs.
• UNH — Health insurer and care provider that could be affected by mandated coverage changes for treatment and overdose-reversal medications.
• HUM — Health insurer that could be affected by Medicaid and behavioral health payment changes as well as coverage requirements.
• MCK — Drug distributor that could see indirect effects from higher demand for addiction-treatment and overdose-reversal medications.
• ABT — Could be affected if demand changes for diagnostic or lab-related services tied to substance-use treatment and public health response.