Wednesday: Opioid debate, health payments

by Jordain Carney - 03/02/16 9:44 AM ET

The Senate will debate a bill to combat heroin and opioid addiction Wednesday.

The legislation — from Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) — authorizes funding for programs to combat prescription drug and heroin abuse in addition to increasing the availability of naloxone, a drug to treat overdose.

{mosads}Senators are expected to tee up a handful of amendments to the legislation on Wednesday, including a proposal from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) that would attach approximately $600 million in emergency funding.

No votes have been scheduled on the amendments, and senators have filed dozens more.

While Democrats have pushed to include Shaheen’s amendment, they also suggested Tuesday that they would support the opioid bill even if Republicans block the emergency funding from being included.

No votes are currently scheduled in the Senate.

Meanwhile, the House will take up legislation Wednesday to prohibit federal payments for nonemergency services from providers that don’t participate in Medicaid, Medicare or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

First votes in the House are expected between 1:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. and between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Tags Jeanne Shaheen Rob Portman Sheldon Whitehouse