Protecting Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Babies Act or the Protecting NAS Babies Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a strategy for implementing recommendations from a departmental report on prenatal opioid exposure and neonatal abstinence syndrome (a syndrome in which newborns exhibit withdrawal symptoms because of substance use during pregnancy). The strategy must include timelines for implementation, resources for state health agencies, and recommendations for any needed statutory changes.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5562 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5562
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a
strategy implementing certain recommendations relating to the
Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 18, 2018
Mr. Jenkins of West Virginia introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a
strategy implementing certain recommendations relating to the
Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Neonatal Abstinence
Syndrome Babies Act'' or the ``Protecting NAS Babies Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Neonatal abstinence syndrome (referred to in this
section as ``NAS'') is a group of conditions that can afflict a
newborn who had in utero exposure to drugs, including opioids.
(2) According to a report by the Government Accountability
Office, symptoms of NAS include irritability, loud crying,
stiffness, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, poor feeding,
seizures, and respiratory distress.
(3) According to a 2016 study by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, which was based on data from 28 States,
the incidence of NAS increased 300 percent between 1999 and
2013.
(4) According to another study entitled, ``Neonatal
abstinence syndrome and associated health care expenditures:
United States, 2000-2009'', the incidence rate of NAS in rural
America rose from 1.2 per 1,000 hospital births in 2004 to 7.5
per 1,000 hospital births in 2013.
(5) Innovative, specialized, and collaborative efforts are
needed to address the treatment of infants diagnosed with NAS.
(6) The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016
(Public Law 114-198), which was enacted in July 2016, required
the Government Accountability Office to examine treatment
options for infants with NAS (including options available under
State Medicaid plans under title XIX of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.)), assesses different medical care
models and settings for the treatment of NAS, and prioritizes
finding best practices for the treatment of infants with NAS.
(7) An October 2017 report by the Government Accountability
Office entitled, ``Federal Action Needed to Address Neonatal
Abstinence Syndrome'', recommended that the Department of
Health and Human Services should take action on its report
entitled, ``Protecting Our Infants Act: Final Strategy''.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTING CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO
PROTECTING OUR INFANTS ACT.
Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to
Congress a strategy for implementing recommendations under the
``child'' categories in the Department of Health and Human Services
Behavioral Health Coordinating Council report entitled, ``Protecting
Our Infants Act: Final Strategy''. Such strategy shall--
(1) include a timeline for the implementation of each such
recommendation;
(2) provide for the dissemination of information to State
health agencies on best practices and available resources and
data with respect to implementing each such recommendation; and
(3) include recommendations for any statutory change,
including providing for additional authorities, that would help
the Department of Health and Human Services implement the
strategy.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
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