The following quote is attributable to:
Bobby Mukkamala, M.D.
AMA president-elect and chair of the AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force
“The American Medical Association (AMA) commends Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for renewing the public health emergency (PHE) declaration to address the nation’s opioid epidemic. While the CDC’s latest data shows a historic 24% drop in overdose deaths, overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44. Continuing the PHE is a recognition of the ongoing severity of the epidemic and the need to take decisive action now to save lives.
“The AMA urges policymakers to use this renewed emergency declaration to address health insurance and pharmacy barriers by enforcing mental health and substance use parity laws. Many payers continue to defy federal and state laws mandating equal coverage for mental health and/or substance use disorder treatment. Stronger enforcement is needed to ensure compliance. Further, the AMA urges (PDF) the Trump administration to defend the 2024 final rule enforcing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) against recent legal challenges. Enforcing MHPAEA saves lives by ensuring access to care and failure to defend MHPAEA risks undoing critical progress made in combating the nation’s overdose epidemic.
“The AMA remains committed to working alongside federal, state, and local partners to end the overdose epidemic and ensure that every person with substance use disorder gets the care they need.”
###
Editor’s note: The AMA 2024 Overdose Epidemic Report
Media Contact:
About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
