GOP adds $45 billion in opioid money to health care bill

Top Senate Republicans announced they have added $45 billion to their health care bill to help fight opioid abuse and hopefully win the support of more moderate Republicans.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), is hoping the added money will help win over GOP senators like Rob Portman of Ohio and Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia, whose states are among the hardest hit by rising death tolls from illegal drug use.

However both Portman and Capito have said that their concerns extend beyond just opioid money and also insist on easing cuts the GOP legislation would impose on Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income and disabled people that their states also rely upon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report