Let’s talk about the role that the opioid crisis plays in this health care bill debate. Many places that went strongly for President Trump are also in the throes of a heroin crisis. Among these are West Virginia and Ohio, both Trump states with senators who have said they are wary of potential cuts to Medicaid funds that are helping cover the cost of addiction treatment.
Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Rob Portman of Ohio are two key votes that have been silent thus far on how they’ll vote on the “skinny repeal” option. “Skinny repeal” doesn’t touch Medicaid, but it does get rid of the individual mandate, and some worry that fewer Medicaid-eligible people will discover their eligibility because of this. There’s talk that Republicans could add opioid-specific funds to the bill, though it’s unclear how much. Portman has said he’s open to the “skinny repeal,” so long as he has a guarantee that a replacement option will be in the works. Moore Capito said she “did not come to Washington to hurt people” in a statement earlier this month but voted this week to advance debate on the health care bill.
