Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4684, the Ensuring Access to Quality Sober Living Act. Patient brokering is and continues to be an issue in Florida and across our nation. In light of the Nation's opioid crisis, an increased demand for recovery from substance use disorder has sadly attracted bad actors into the recovery space in order to make a quick buck by taking advantage of patients and families in crisis. Currently, regulations for addiction recovery providers vary from state-to-state and are virtually non-existent in some states. As a result, patients and families are unable to confidently identify quality sober living environments. Upon learning that various mental health and substance use disorder facilities were making payments to individuals for the referral of patients identified in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, homeless shelters, and other similar environments, Florida's legislature passed The Patient Brokering Act to prevent it by making the perverse practice a third-degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison. However, monitoring and enforcement continue to pose a challenge. As communities and states, like Florida, crack down, these parasites simply relocate, rebrand, and victimize a new community--leaving broken patients and families searching for quality recovery in their wake.…”