President Donald Trump’s plan to declare the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency won’t bring new dollars to fight a scourge that kills an estimated 142 Americans each day, but will expand access to medical services in rural areas and shift some federal HIV money to help addicts, White House officials said yesterday.
Trump intended to use an afternoon speech [early today, Macau time] to announce that he was directing his health department to take that step, according to the officials, who weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the matter in advance and briefed journalists on condition of anonymity.
Administration officials said they would urge Congress, during end-of-the year budget negotiations, to add new cash to a public health emergency fund that Congress hasn’t sent money to for years.
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