WASHINGTON—Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) teamed up with Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) on Wednesday to announce the CARE Act, a $100 billion plan to fight the opioid crisis. Warren, who is running for president, framed the proposal as part of her larger push for a more fair economy in a blog post announcing the move.

“The ongoing opioid crisis is about health care. But it’s about more than that. It’s about money and power in America - who has it, and who doesn’t. And it’s about who faces accountability in America - and who doesn’t,” Warren wrote. “If the CARE Act becomes law, every single person would get the care they need. … We should pass it - not in two years, not after the 2020 elections - but immediately.”

Warren described opiates as a “national public health crisis of great magnitude” like the HIV/AIDS epidemic that emerged in the late 1980s. The CARE Act and was modeled after legislation Congress passed in 1990 to fight AIDS.

“Resources would be used to support the whole continuum of care, from early intervention for those at risk for addiction, to harm reduction for those struggling with addiction, to long-term support services for those in recovery,” Warren wrote.

https://news.yahoo.com/elizabeth-warren-opioid-policy-120214559.html