Trending News Today: Medicaid Cuts Could Hinder Fight Against Opioid Epidemic

During his campaign, President Donald Trump vowed to create millions of jobs by having large manufacturers return to the country from overseas, along with other methods. Additionally, Trump promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which GOP leaders have been working to revise. However, reducing healthcare costs also may dramatically reduce the workforce needed to operate various aspects of the industry, according to California Healthline. Under the ACA, the workforce in the health industry boomed, especially in economically distressed regions.

On Friday, Vivek H Murthy, surgeon general under former President Barack Obama, was replaced by Rear Adm Sylvia Trent-Adams. Trent-Adams’ appointment makes her one of the first nurses to serve in the position, according to The New York Times. Under President George W Bush, nurse and physician Richard Carmona served as surgeon general, making Trent-Adams the only surgeon general who is not also a physician.

Attorney generals from 19 states, plus Washington DC, recently sent a letter to President Trump and GOP lawmakers against passing healthcare legislation that would reduce federal funding for drug misuse disorder treatment, according to ABC News. In the letter, the attorney generals detailed how the American Health Care Act would cut more than $13 billion in funding for drug treatment. The lawyers warned that the direct cuts combined with cuts to Medicaid could hinder the fight against the opioid epidemic by restricting access to treatment.