The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Congressional Hearing on Opioid Misuse and CMS Oversight
Record date · January 1, 2019
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
This document is a transcript and record of a 2018 House Ways and Means Subcommittee hearing regarding the opioid crisis. It focuses on the actions taken by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services () to prevent opioid misuse within federal healthcare programs.
The hearing examines how federal agencies monitor and address opioid prescribing and usage patterns within Medicare and Medicaid, which directly impacts the healthcare coverage and safety protocols for millions of program beneficiaries.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries
These individuals are subject to federal policies and oversight regarding opioid prescriptions and coverage.
Healthcare providers
Providers participating in Medicare and Medicaid must comply with federal guidelines and monitoring regarding opioid prescribing.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on January 17, 2018, by the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means.
- The primary focus was the role of CMS in preventing opioid misuse in federal healthcare programs.
- Witnesses included representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and CMS.
- The record includes formal questions submitted for the record to CMS, GAO, and HHS officials following the hearing.
Show all 5 facts
- Several external organizations submitted statements for the record, including the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and Quest Diagnostics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the purpose of this hearing?
Who testified at this hearing?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Increased Oversight of Opioids
The hearing highlights a transition toward more rigorous federal monitoring of prescription drug patterns within public health programs.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools