CEO Update 224
Trump Administration Releases Drug Policy Priorities
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy this week released the Trump administration’s Statement of Drug Policy Priorities, which the administration said “will evolve to keep pace with the changing landscape of illicit drug trafficking and ensure that our borders, communities, and schools are secure from the destructive influence of illicit drugs.”
The policy includes six priorities: 1) reduce the number of overdose fatalities, with a focus on fentanyl; 2) secure global supply chain against drug trafficking; 3) stop the flow of drugs across our borders and into our communities; 4) prevent drug use before it starts; 5) provide treatment that leads to long-term recovery; and 6) innovate in research and data to support drug control strategies.
The statement underscores the need to expand access to evidence-based treatments, including medications for opioid use disorder, and includes a focus on “improving integration of mental health treatment with clinical and recovery support services.”
In addition, the policy features plans to increase the availability of opioid overdose reversal medications (e.g., naloxone), divert people who use drugs away from the criminal justice system, and promote drug checking strips, among other activities.
Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz, M.D. to Lead CMS
The Senate on Thursday voted 53-45 along party lines to confirm Mehmet Oz, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon and TV celebrity, to oversee the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Oz takes the helm of the influential federal agency that insures nearly half of all Americans through Medicare and Medicaid during a time of fierce scrutiny for HHS following news that the federal department had cut about 10,000 jobs.
According to news reports, Oz said during his Senate confirmation hearing to become CMS administrator that he plans to sell some of his investments, including his stakes in UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest provider of private Medicare plans; Inception Fertility Holdings, a privately held company that operates a chain of clinics; and Amazon, which now includes an online pharmacy and sells numerous medical devices and equipment.
NABH Sends Letter to House Lawmakers Urging Congress to Pass SUPPORT Act of 2025
NABH on Tuesday sent a letter to House Energy Commerce and Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), leaders of one of the House panels that oversees healthcare policy, to urge them and their peers to pass H.R. 2483, the SUPPORT Act for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025.
“The original SUPPORT Act of 2018 provided the largest congressional investment in overdose prevention and this vital, must-pass legislation sustains those existing prevention efforts and improves the nation’s overall behavioral healthcare infrastructure,” NABH wrote in its letter. “We view the 2025 bill as long-overdue and critical legislation needed to sustain existing prevention efforts and improve the nation’s overall behavioral healthcare infrastructure.”
The letter outlined provisions in the legislation that align with NABH priorities, such as preventing overdoses with controlled substances and improving access to addiction medicine providers, as well as provisions for student loan repayment programs for substance use disorder treatment workforce and required training for prescribers of controlled substances.
NABH Joins Mental Health Partners in Statement About Recent HHS Job Cuts
NABH this week was one of 12 organizations that released a statement highlighting the effects that HHS’ recent staffing cuts will have on patients who require mental health (MH) and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services.
Together with NAMI, Mental Health America, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and other associations, NABH expressed serious concerns about what comes next for the many MH and SUD programs that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Mental Health oversee.
“Unfortunately, the immediate reduction in force means these agencies will lose staff with years of experience and expertise, and the pathway for the transition of their knowledge and the critical services they operate is unclear,” the letter said. “This has the potential to jeopardize years of work and recent progress, like reducing overdose deaths.”
NABH and our partners urged the Trump administration to reconsider the steep job cuts and ask HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to explain “the impact of these significant changes to HHS staffing for mental health, suicide prevention, and substance use programs and the expected impact on outcomes for the tens of millions of Americans with behavioral health conditions.”
Register Today for Hill Day 2025!
NABH is eager to welcome its members and guests to Hill Day on Wednesday, May 14 from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET! As always, Hill Day is an excellent opportunity for NABH members to meet personally with Members of Congress and their staff to share our association’s advocacy priorities.
How it Works:
After you register for the 2025 Annual Meeting and indicate that you will participate in Hill Day, the NABH government relations team will e-mail you and work with your team to tailor your experience so you meet with representatives and senators in your facilities’ districts.
Closer to Hill Day, our team will send you a meeting schedule, materials, and talking points to guide your conversations with Members of Congress and their staff. Please email Emily Wilkins if you have questions.
And please remember to reserve your hotel room if you haven’t yet. The hotel cut-off date is two weeks from today: Friday, April 18.
We look forward to seeing you in Washington!
Fact of the Week
A national survey of 3,024 physicians across specialties between 2020 and 2021 found that 70.4% worked during vacation days. In addition, 59.6% reported taking 15 or fewer vacation days in the previous year. Physicians cited finding clinical coverage, financial impact, and electronic health record (EHR) inbox volume as barriers to taking vacations, according to the findings published in JAMA Network Open last month.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.