WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced a bipartisan bill to examine the rising rate and treatment costs of neonatal abstinence syndrome or NAS, a withdrawal condition in newborns often caused by the prenatal use of opioids in pregnant women.
The Nurturing and Supporting (NAS) Healthy Babies Act will expand our knowledge of NAS and how to care for NAS babies. The legislation directs the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to identify any federal obstacles to care for NAS babies by examining the prevalence of NAS in the United States, the number of NAS babies covered by Medicaid, the types of treatment for NAS, and the costs associated with such treatment.
Newborns with NAS require specialized care which can result in longer hospital stays and increased costs. A recent study found that these costs – most of which are being paid by Medicaid – can be more than five times the cost of treating other newborns.
“Communities across America are dealing with the devastation of the drug epidemic, and babies born with addiction are the smallest and most vulnerable victims. In order to help these babies, we must expand our knowledge of neonatal abstinence syndrome, better understand its effect on our health system, and increase access to care. In West Virginia and across the country, the NAS Healthy Babies Act will give us necessary information to help give those struggling from addiction in their earliest days a new lease on life” said Senator Capito.
“In Ohio, we’ve been hit with a one-two punch of rising opioid abuse and high infant mortality rates. And the scary reality is, too many infants are exposed to drugs before they are even born,” said Senator Brown. “We must learn more about this growing problem, how to treat it, and the financial burden it places on communities.”
“The statistics are heartbreaking. Nearly one thousand babies were born in Maine last year with neonatal abstinence syndrome,” Senator King said. “Prevention and treatment are key to curbing that, but when babies are born with NAS, we have got to ensure they have access to the best our health system has to offer – and that starts by understanding the obstacles that are getting in the way.”
In February, Senators Capito and King introduced the Cradle Act, bipartisan legislation to improve care for babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) from exposure to opioids during pregnancy. To improve care and access to care for babies born addicted to opioids, the Cradle Act directs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to establish new guidelines for residential pediatric recovery centers that treat babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome. Similar guidelines exist for hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation facilities. The Cradle Act also recognizes the importance of counseling, specialized training, and other activities that encourage bonding between infants and new mothers.
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