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Despite Opposition to Efforts to Expand Access to Treatment Negron Launches Opioid Listening Session
Concord, NH - In a last ditch effort to appeal to voters, Steve Negron launched an roundtable series to discuss the opioid epidemic, which is one of the most pressing public health emergencies in New Hampshire and the country. Steve Negron, however, voted against Medicaid Expansion in New Hampshire which helped 52,000 Granite Staters access healthcare for the first time and has been cited as critical to addressing the substance misuse crisis. Steve Negron has also advocated for repealing the Affordable Care Act, which has increased access to mental health services for individuals in New Hampshire.
According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, “Among nonelderly adults with opioid addiction, those with Medicaid were twice as likely as those with private insurance or no insurance to have received treatment in 2016.”
In 2015, Congresswoman Annie Kuster founded and co-chairs the Bipartisan Heroin and Opioid Task Force and has since helped to lead efforts to support New Hampshire’s treatment and recovery community. Kuster has also backed and advocated for legislation to strengthen tools for law enforcement.
Statement from NHDP Chair Ray Buckley:
“New Hampshire voters are sophisticated and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They can see through this last-ditch political stunt to appeal to those deeply affected by this crisis. I’m grateful that we have a leader in Congress who has long been committed to addressing this issue, and who isn’t just resurfacing the matter for political reasons.
"Negron’s opposition to Medicaid Expansion is in direct opposition to the many public health officials who have cited this program as a critical tool in combating the opioid epidemic. If Steve Negron is just now learning about the opioid epidemic he is woefully behind in facing the most serious public health emergency in New Hampshire.
"Congresswoman Annie Kuster has been at the forefront of efforts to pass legislation in Washington to support efforts to address the opioid crisis and she continues to deliver tens of millions of dollars to help us in the fight against this epidemic. New Hampshire deserves a leader like Annie who takes these matters seriously year-round.”