Should Soon-to-be Released Prisoners Get Medicaid to Prevent Relapses? (H.R. 4005)

What is H.R. 4005?

(Updated August 3, 2019)

This bill ― the Medicaid Reentry Act ― would open the door for state Medicaid programs to receive federal matching dollars for medical services going to Medicaid-eligible incarcerated individuals during the 30-days prior to their release back into society.

Argument in favor

People are at their most vulnerable when transitioning from the penitentiary to life as a citizen, and this measure would extend important services to them before they're released.

Argument opposed

Medical assistance should be prioritized to citizens that have not had legal issues, they should take steps on their own to avoid relapsing.

Impact

Parolees; substance abuse recovery centers; and state Medicaid programs.

Cost of H.R. 4005

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2018-2023 period.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Introduced by Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Mike Turner (R-OH), this bill would provide states with the flexibility to restart Medicaid coverage for eligible incarcerated individuals up to 30 days prior to their release. Such coverage is critical to help start treatment for individuals who are addicted before they are released back to civilian life and will help to save lives from opioid overdose deaths once they are released.

“We have a short span of time in which we can identify individuals who have been incarcerated and are in need of substance abuse treatment and them being released,” said Turner. “This bill allows us to use that time to treat these individuals when we have custody of them. The opioid epidemic has affected every corner of our country and has hit our community in Southwest Ohio especially hard. This legislation is a commonsense step to increase access to treatment for Medicaid-eligible individuals.”

Transitioning individuals are among the most vulnerable to opioid overdose, with studies showing those leaving correctional settings are as much as 129 times more likely to die of an overdose in the first two weeks post-release compared to the general population.

“Addiction knows no boundary of age, race, gender, geography or political party,” Tonko observed. “I am delighted to welcome my distinguished colleague Michael Turner as the lead Republican on this important and timely legislation.”

This legislation passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee on a voice vote and has the support of three cosponsors, all of whom are Republicans. Supporters include mental health, substance use disorder, and healthcare professional organizations in the Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose as well as the American Medical Association (AMA) and the National Association of Counties (NACo).

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) Press Release
  
• Coponsoring Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) Press Release
  
• CBO Cost Estimate
  
• American Medical Association (In Favor)
  
• National Association of Counties (In Favor)