Sessions Touts Trump Administration’s Handling of Opioid Crisis While Pushing Health Care Plan That Would Worsen It

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 22 -- The Pennsylvania Democratic Party issued the following news:

Jeff Sessions visited Harrisburg today to push the Trump Administration's continued lie that they are doing everything they can to fight the opioid epidemic. Sessions says that the administration is taking this epidemic seriously, but Trump and his administration has proposed budget cuts to substance abuse programs.

Now Trump is backing the Cassidy-Graham health care repeal plan, which would devastate Pennsylvania's ability to combat the opioid crisis. Not only would the plan cut Medicaid by $8.2 billion in Pennsylvania, it would allow insurers to drop the ACA's required coverage for substance abuse treatment.

"Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions need to drop the act and stop telling Pennsylvanians lies about their efforts to fight the opioid epidemic," said Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesperson Brandon Cwalina. "Washington should be taking their cues from Pennsylvania, not the other way around. Governor Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro have prioritized fighting the opioid epidemic - it's time for Trump and Sessions to do the same. The first step they can take is to drop the disastrous Cassidy-Graham repeal bill and work with Democrats to make health care like substance abuse treatment affordable and accessible to everyone."

BACKGROUND

The Cassidy-Graham-Heller repeal plan:

* Does not include additional funding to combat the opioid epidemic.

* Makes deep cuts to Medicaid that are even worse than repealing the ACA expansion alone - every state, even those that did not expand Medicaid, will see cuts.

* Converts Medicaid to a per-capita program, making it more difficult for states to combat public health emergencies like the opioid epidemic.

* Ends the guarantee of protections for people with preexisting conditions and allows insurance companies to charge people higher premiums based on their health status, hurting people suffering from opioid addiction.

* Gives states the ability to waive the ACA's essential health benefits - which guarantee coverage for substance abuse treatment and mental health care.