Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly says the Republican healthcare bill would slash resources to combat Indiana's growing opioid epidemic.
He spoke extensively about the proposed replacement to the Affordable Care Act during a town hall meeting yesterday.
Donnelly criticized several aspects of the Republican replacement plan, saying it will take coverage away from hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers.
Of particular concern to Donnelly is a provision in the plan to scrap the requirement that Medicaid cover basic mental health and addiction services by 2020.
"Town after town in our state has dealt with heroin challenges, opioid challenges and this bill reduces coverage, reduces treatment funds," Donnelly says. "And none of that seems to add up to me."
Donnelly says he doesn't think the proposal has enough votes to pass the Senate as is.
Republican U.S. Senator Todd Young ran on a promise to repeal the ACA.