Michelle Nunn

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 22, 2014

Nunn announces support for Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act

In response to the high rate medical debtors, U.S Senate candidate Michelle Nunn (D-GA) said Monday she will support legislation that will improve the bankruptcy process for those with medical debt.

The Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act proposed by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), aims to help families burdened by the cost of medical bills by making the bankruptcy process more forgiving and offering more accommodative treatment in bankruptcy.

“It is ridiculous people have to go through the same bankruptcy process whether it was from personal misuse of money or from unexpected medical debts,” Nunn said. “Medical bills are the leading cause of debt in the U.S today and changed need to be made.”

The new provisions include defining qualifications for a “medically distressed debtor.” These include debtors who within three years of filing for bankruptcy paid or incurred medical debts for him or herself, a dependent, and even some independents that was not paid for by a third party. The debts must total more than 10 percent of the debtor’s income or $10,000.

“Medically distressed debtors” also include those who did not receive child support or alimony of at least $10,000 due to medical debts of the person obligated to pay. Lastly, the provision includes those who received reduction in wages, hours or unemployment due to medical issues of the debtor or the debtor’s dependents.

“I want to be adamant that medical debt is not limited to those without health insurance,” Nunn explained. “Anyone, no matter the quality of their health insurance, can undergo bankruptcy from illness or injury, especially in the sense that hours and wages are typically cut.”

In addition to including “medically distressed debtors,” there are three fundamental changes to the bankruptcy code. First, it will abandon procedural hurdles that make little to no sense for those driven to bankruptcy through medical debt. Next, families will be allowed to maintain up to $250,000 in property which can keep them from losing their homes. Lastly, it allows for medically distressed debtors relief of student loan debt in the case of illness or injury.

“It is important our citizens feel safe and confident during times of medical need,” Nunn said. “The provisions of this bill will provide relief for those who need it the most.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 15, 2014

Nunn announces support for Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act

In response to the growing rate of overdoses, U.S Senate candidate Michelle Nunn (D-Ga) announced at a press conference on Monday her support for an act that will remove the cap on the number of patients a physician can see and increases their access to buprenorphine; a drug used to help with opioid dependence.

The Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act (TREAT Act), proposed by Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, will decrease the number of deaths from overdose, be cost-effective, reduce transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis and reduce other social harms such as criminal activity.

“It’s an outrage to keep people on waiting lists to get help for their addiction,” Nunn said. “Opioid dependence is considered a chronic disease, yet we don’t have waiting lists and restrictions on medication for people who need treatment for diabetes or cancer.”

Overdoses take more lives in the United States than car crashes. Every 19 minutes, someone in America dies of an overdose. Current federal restrictions only allow physicians to see 30 addicted patients in their first year and 100 in the following years, leaving many people on waiting lists. New provisions from the TREAT Act will allow a doctor to see 100 patients in his or her first year and completely remove the cap for following years after completing approved training in a ‘qualified practice setting.’

People addicted to opioids should receive medication-assisted treatment including cognitive and behavioral support and intervention, drug tests, and most importantly, medicine.

The bill, backed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, will allow physicians easier access to buprenorphine. Under current federal and practice restrictions, only certain physicians who meet specific conditions can prescribe this medicine and have to apply for a waiver in order to do so.

Lastly, the bill will allow practitioners and physician assistants to provide medication-assisted treatment for patients under the conditions that he or she is licensed in a state that allows issuing of controlled substances, completes training on opioid addiction treatment, and is supervised by a physician who can administer the drugs.

“It is important we provide sufficient healthcare to all those in need of it,” Nunn explained. “This bill is important in combatting the rapidly increasing death toll among people with an opioid addiction, and will ultimately save lives.”

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