CDC Predicts U.S. Overdose Deaths Surpassed 107,000 in 2021
More than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, according to provisional
data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released this week.
The troubling statistic—the CDC predicts the total to be 107,622 lives lost— hit a new record, as the number of predicted overdose deaths in 2021 reflects a 15-percent increase in the previous record set in 2020.
“It is unacceptable that we are losing a life to overdose every five minutes around the clock,” the Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Rahul Gupta, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., FACP, said in a White House statement. “That is why President Biden’s new
National Drug Control Strategy signals a new era of drug policy centered on individuals and communities, focusing specifically on the actions we must take right now to reduce overdoses and save lives.”
Separately this week, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recognized the first Fentanyl Awareness Day on Monday, May 9. The DEA reports that the synthetic opioid fentanyl is about 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It is also inexpensive, widely available, and highly addictive.
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram released a
video announcement about the dangers of fentanyl and the need for urgent action.
HRSA Extends Deadline to Submit for Extenuating Circumstances Request to May 18
HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) this week announced it has extended the deadline for providers to request to submit a late Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Period 2 (RP2) report to Wednesday, May 18 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
According to HRSA, providers may submit a request if certain extenuating circumstances prevented them from submitting their RP2 report by the initial deadline of March31.
All requests must be completed through the
PRF Reporting Portal.
Center for Connected Health Policy Releases Bi-Annual Summary of State Telehealth Policy Changes
The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) this week released a
summary of state telehealth policy changes for Spring 2022.
Covering state telehealth policy updates between January and April 2022, the 11-page summary examines state laws and reimbursement policies, private payors, online prescribing, and more.
The resource also includes a state summary
chart and an
infographic of CCHP’s essential findings.
NABH Working to Enhance Denial-of-Care Portal
NABH’s Denial-of-Care Portal is temporarily unavailable as the association works to enhance features of this member-only resource.
The portal was developed so NABH members could submit individual examples of claim denials or upload multiple entries via Excel. It also includes sections on appeals and physician participation and is intended to help the association in its advocacy efforts with policymakers and regulators.
NABH will keep members apprised of when the updated portal is ready to use.
NABH 2022 Annual Meeting Preliminary Program Now Available!
The NABH 2022 Annual Meeting online preliminary
program is now available. Unless noted otherwise, meeting sessions are open to all Annual Meeting attendees.
Please remember to
register for the Annual Meeting and
reserve your hotel room today, if you haven’t done so yet.
We look forward to seeing you next month in Washington!
Fact of the Week
Adolescent female youth who attempted suicide had an elevated risk of substance use disorders up to three decades later, according to a new study in
JAMA Psychiatry.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.