GOP health-care bill would drop addiction treatment

GOP health-care bill would drop addiction treatment mandate covering 1.3 million Americans.Republicans confirmed substance abuse and mental health coverage would no longer be mandated under the Medicaid expansion. Instead, individual states could decide whether or not to include mental health coverage in their Medicaid plans. (Energy & Commerce Democrats)

The Republican proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act would strip away what advocates say is essential coverage for drug addiction treatment as the number of people dying from opiate overdoses is skyrocketing nationwide.

Beginning in 2020, the plan would eliminate an Affordable Care Act requirement that Medicaid cover basic mental-health and addiction services in states that expanded it, allowing them to decide whether to include those benefits in Medicaid plans. Plus get your brackets ready for March Madnesss.