Oregon lawmakers voted to introduce several health-related legislative concepts as bills during the upcoming session during a House Interim Committee on Health Care meeting on Wednesday. Committee members voted to introduce Legislative Concept (LC) 929, LC 1496, LC 1498, LC 1605, and LC 2857 as bills during the meeting. Specific elements of the … Read more
Here is this month’s edition of “5 Things We’re Watching” in the Michigan health policy landscape, including some legislation we’re watching, new data and recommendations from MDHHS on rising opioid overdose rates, and information on the state’s procurement of children’s crisis stabilization providers. Thanks for your engagement with us. As always, feel free to send me story … Read more
Washington counties will have additional resources to fight the state’s opioid epidemic following the disbursement of funds from a lawsuit settlement with 3 opioid distributors. Attorney General Bob Ferguson discussed settlement details during a press conference at Seattle’s Kerry Park on Monday. Ferguson and his team went to trial against McKesson Corp., Cardinal … Read more
Several Oregon substance abuse treatment initiatives will receive a financial boost as the state received its first installment of funds from a historic opioid settlement. Oregon will receive a total of more than $270 million over 18 payments as the state’s settlement share of nationwide lawsuits against pharmaceutical manufacturers AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and … Read more
Alaska’s drug overdose death rate rose by 15 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021 compared to 2020. The Alaska Health Analytics and Vital Records Section and the Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention released the 2021 Drug Overdose Mortality Update on July 25th. The report states that Alaska had 253 drug overdose … Read more
Though we are still a ways out, we’re excited to announce that we’ve already begun planning for the 2022 Oregon State of Reform Health Policy Conference! After going virtual for the last two years, we’re very much looking forward to hosting this event in person on October 25th at the Hilton Portland Downtown. You’ll find more details … Read more
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is launching a new initiative called Project Gabe this summer to provide opioid misuse awareness, education, and prevention resources to industrial workers. Project Gabe is named in honor of Gabe Johnston, who died of an opioid overdose in January, and was the son of … Read more
Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a package of legislation investing $800 million dollars in treatment, prevention, mental health in response to the Opioid Crisis. Together, Senate Bills 993, 994, and 995 manage the disbursement of settlement funds as a result of opioid-related lawsuits and create the Opioid Advisory Commission to advance policy to prevent, treat, … Read more
As elective surgeries deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic begin to ramp up, a new study from University of Michigan Medical School researchers details important considerations for surgical patients with recent opioid use versus those who have never taken opioids. The study, led by Mark Bicket, M.D., Ph.D., of the U-M Health Department of Anesthesiology, Jennifer Waljee, M.D., … Read more
Jennifer Strohecker is Utah’s new Medicaid director. Before she was appointed by Governor Spencer Cox, Strohecker was the director of the Bureau of Healthcare Policy and Authorization and the Medicaid pharmacy director. In this Q&A, Strohecker discusses her priorities in her new role, addressing the opioid crisis in the state, and preparing for the end … Read more