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Massachusetts Senate Takes Up New Bill To Combat Opioid Crisis

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The yearly onslaught of Super Bowl commercials included an ad about opioid induced constipation. (Toby Talbot/AP)
The yearly onslaught of Super Bowl commercials included an ad about opioid induced constipation. (Toby Talbot/AP)

The opioid crisis in Massachusetts has drawn attention from local police departments to presidential candidates. On Thursday, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton was in Dorchester with Mayor Marty Walsh for a community forum on substance abuse.

And, on Beacon Hill, the state Senate debated a bill aiming to take addictive medications off the streets, and an addiction treatment law took effect, requiring insurers to cover treatment services for at least two weeks without pre-approval.

Guests

Deborah Becker, WBUR senior correspondent. She tweets @wburdebbecker.

Ray Tamasi, CEO of Gosnold on Cape Cod, an addiction treatment and prevention organization.

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WBUR: Mass. Senate To Debate Opioid Abuse Prevention Bill

  • "Amid a sharp uptick in opioid-related deaths, the state Senate on Thursday takes up a bill aimed at preventing opioid abuse."

Cape Cod Times: State Law Mandates New Course For Addiction Treatment

  • "[The law] requires insurance companies to reimburse licensed alcohol and drug counselors. The insurance companies must cover addiction treatment for 14 days of inpatient care without preapproval."

This segment aired on October 1, 2015.

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