Here are five things to know:
1. HSS Acting Secretary Eric Hargan will receive an executive order from President Trump to declare the opioid epidemic an emergency. This declaration will come under the Public Health Service Act.
2. The public health emergency will span 90 days, with the option of renewal.
3. This declaration permits states more freedom in allocating federal funds to fight the epidemic and waives certain regulations, The Washington Post reports. President Trump’s declaration does not include state access to federal Disaster Relief Fund money.
4. President Trump will push for additional funding for the epidemic in an “end-of-year budget deal,” according to Bloomberg. Congress must be on board with this plan.
5. The Medical Care Journal published a study in 2016, estimating opioid overdose, abuse and dependence racked up $78.5 billion in costs.
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