Medicaid Covers 40% of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Nationwide
WASHINGTON — Today on the Senate floor, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) put forward an amendment to Senate Republicans’ budget bill that would strike any provision cutting Medicaid funding for substance use disorder treatment and ensure that big corporations and the ultra-wealthy finally pay their fair share in taxes.
Republicans blocked Senator Gallego’s amendment, 47-53.
Millions of Americans – and more than 31,000 Arizonans – rely on Medicaid to access life-saving treatment for substance use disorders. Medicaid covers 40% of all opioid use disorder treatment nationwide. Under Republicans’ budget bill, Medicaid funding would be slashed, putting recovery out of reach for low-income Americans and undermining national efforts to fight the opioid crisis. Increased access to addiction treatment – especially through Medicaid – has contributed to a recent national decline in overdose-related deaths, but cutting Medicaid now would reverse that progress. Meanwhile, the same bill hands out massive tax breaks to billionaires and large corporations.
Senator Gallego’s amendment would have stopped cuts to substance use disorder treatment by finally making corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share in taxes.
Senator Gallego spoke the Senate floor when offering his amendment:
“Mr. President, I rise today to offer a motion to strike provisions that cut Medicaid funding for substance use disorder treatment.
“Families across this country are facing the heartbreaking reality of loved ones battling substance use disorders.
“For many, Medicaid is the only way to afford the treatment they need.
“Republican efforts to cut Medicaid funding for substance abuse treatment is cruel, it hurts those who have shown the bravery to seek help, and undermines our nation’s efforts to combat public health crises such as the fentanyl epidemic.
“At the same time, this Republican bill will give the wealthiest Americans and large corporations tax cuts and loopholes that will only benefit the elite.
“We can continue to fund substance use disorder treatment by finally making corporations and the ultra-wealthy finally pay their fair share in taxes.
“I urge my colleagues to support this motion to protect those seeking treatment and finally make corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share.”
This amendment builds on Senator Gallego’s record of fighting to combat the opioid epidemic in Arizona and ensure access to treatment for those struggling with addiction. In the Senate, he supported the Contraband Awareness Technology Catches Harmful (CATCH) Fentanyl Act, Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act, and Combating Illicit Xylazine Act to crack down on fentanyl and keep dangerous drugs out of our communities. Senator Gallego also introduced the Buck Stops Here Act in the House to combat fentanyl money laundering.
Last month, Senator Gallego and the entire Arizona Democratic Congressional delegation released a statement warning that Congressional Republicans’ proposed Medicaid cuts would threaten addiction treatment access for more than 22,000 Arizonans and undermine the state’s efforts to combat the ongoing fentanyl crisis.
6/30/25