HR-4981 : Still Just a Bill

Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Expansion and Modernization Act

This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to revise the requirements for a practitioner to administer, dispense, or prescribe narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment in an office-based opioid treatment program.

Currently, a practitioner must notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and certify that he or she is a qualifying physician (i.e., a state-licensed physician with certain expertise), has the capacity to refer patients for appropriate counseling and ancillary services, and will comply with a patient limit. The patient limit is how many patients the practitioner can treat under the office-based treatment program at one time.

This legislation expands qualifying practitioners to include nurse practitioners and physician assistants who are licensed in a state, have expertise, and prescribe medications for opioid use disorder in collaboration with or under the supervision of a physician if required by state law.

Additionally, it requires a qualifying practitioner to also certify that he or she will comply with reporting requirements and has the capacity to provide directly or by referral, or provide contact information of the nearest practitioner who can provide, all drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat opioid use disorder.

Finally, the bill increases the patient limit for a qualifying physician who holds a specialized certification or completes specified training. A physician must additionally certify that he or she will maintain a diversion control plan and obtain written consent from each patient regarding available treatment options.

HHS must update the treatment improvement protocol containing best practice guidelines for the treatment of opioid-dependent patients in office-based settings.

HHS may recommend revoking or suspending the registration of a practitioner who fails to comply with the requirements of this Act.