Medicaid coverage would be expanded for medication-assisted treatment for addiction under a measure unveiled Thursday by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko. 

The proposal, which has bipartisan backing, comes as New York and the nation as a whole have seen a sharp rise in overdose deaths in the wake of the COVID pandemic. 

Tonko pointed to studies that have shown treatment for addiction can reduce the risk of overdose death. But at the moment, about 87% of people with an opioid use disorder do not receive medication-assisted treatment. 

Tonko is set to hold a field hearing on Friday about the issue. 

“Addressing the disease of addiction must include a compassionate response bolstered by the pillars of prevention, treatment, and recovery,” Tonko said. “For years, I’ve pushed hard to ensure that individuals living with addiction have access to the treatments they need."

At the state level, lawmakers have sought to expand access to Narcan as well as legislation that would allow pharmacists to dispense kits that enables people to test drugs for fentanyl and xylazine.