Dupage Policy Journal

A bill designed to restrict opioid abuse, introduced in May by Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL), recently passed unanimously in the U.S. House of Representatives.

H.R. 5773, the Preventing Addiction for Susceptible Seniors (PASS) Act, will create electronic reporting channels to authorize and track opioid prescriptions for those covered by Medicare Part D while establishing a portal where fraud and abuse can be monitored.

“The secretary is required to use the portal to notify plans of providers that have program integrity violations,” according to the text of the bill.

After the House vote, Roskam issued a release praising the bill’s passage.

“Yesterday we took a significant step towards our goal of eliminating this crisis,” Roskam said in the press release. “This bill encourages the use of alternative treatments, increases provider education and assists with detection of those who are at risk. I am pleased to see the commitment by Members on both sides of the aisle to bring assistance to the Medicare beneficiaries affected by this opioid epidemic.”