II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 818 

To promote affordable access to evidence-based opioid treatments under the 

Medicare program and require coverage of medication assisted treatment 

for opioid use disorders, opioid overdose reversal medications, and recovery support services by health plans without cost-sharing requirements. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 15, 2023 

Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, and Mr. 

FETTERMAN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To promote affordable access to evidence-based opioid treatments under the Medicare program and require coverage 

of medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders, 

opioid overdose reversal medications, and recovery support services by health plans without cost-sharing requirements. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maximizing Opioid Re5 covery Emergency Savings Act’’ or the ‘‘MORE Savings 

6 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. TESTING OF ELIMINATION OF MEDICARE COST2 SHARING FOR EVIDENCE-BASED OPIOID 

3 TREATMENTS. 

4 Section 1115A(b)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 

5 U.S.C. 1315a(b)(2)) is amended— 

6 (1) in subparagraph (A), in the last sentence, 

7 by inserting ‘‘, and shall include the model described 

8 in subparagraph (D) (which shall be implemented by 

9 not later than six months after the date of the en10 actment of the Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emer11 gency Savings Act)’’ before the period at the end; 

12 and 

13 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub14 paragraph: 

15 ‘‘(D) AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO EVIDENCE16 BASED OPIOID TREATMENTS.— 

17 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The model de18 scribed in this subparagraph is a model 

19 that seeks to provide affordable access to 

20 evidence-based opioid treatments and com21 munity-based recovery support services by 

22 eliminating coinsurance, copayments, and 

23 deductibles otherwise applicable under 

24 parts B and D of title XVIII (including as 

25 such parts are applied under part C of 

26 such title) for the following items and servVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:22 Mar 24, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S818.IS S818

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1 ices that are otherwise covered under such 

2 parts: 

3 ‘‘(I) Drugs and biologicals pre4 scribed or furnished to treat opioid 

5 use disorders or reverse overdose. 

6 ‘‘(II) Behavioral health and com7 munity support services furnished for 

8 the treatment of opioid use disorders, 

9 including treatment of addiction in 

10 non-hospital residential facilities li11 censed to furnish such treatment. 

12 ‘‘(III) Recovery support services 

13 to maintain a healthy lifestyle fol14 lowing opioid misuse treatment, such 

15 as peer counseling and transportation. 

16 ‘‘(ii) SELECTION OF SITES.—The CMI 

17 shall select 15 States in which to conduct 

18 the model under this subparagraph. A 

19 State shall meet each of the following cri20 teria in order to be selected under the pre21 ceding sentence: 

22 ‘‘(I) The State has a high pro23 portion of Medicare beneficiaries. 

24 ‘‘(II) The State has a high rate 

25 of overdose deaths due to opioids. 


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1 ‘‘(III) The State has a significant 

2 percentage of rural areas. 

3 ‘‘(iii) TERMINATION AND MODIFICA4 TION PROVISION NOT APPLICABLE FOR

5 FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE MODEL.—The 

6 provisions of paragraph (3)(B) shall apply 

7 to the model under this subparagraph be8 ginning on the date that is five years after 

9 such model is implemented, but shall not 

10 apply to such model prior to such date.’’. 

11 SEC. 3. COVERAGE OF OPIOID TREATMENTS. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title XXVII of the Public Health 

13 Service Act is amended by inserting after section 2719A 

14 (42 U.S.C. 300gg–19a) the following: 

15 ‘‘SEC. 2720. COVERAGE OF OPIOID TREATMENTS. 

16 ‘‘A group health plan and a health insurance issuer 

17 offering group or individual health insurance coverage 

18 shall, at a minimum, provide coverage for and shall not 

19 impose any cost-sharing requirements for— 

20 ‘‘(1) prescription drugs for the treatment of 

21 opioid use disorders or to reverse overdose; 

22 ‘‘(2) behavioral health services for the treat23 ment of opioid use disorders, including treatment of 

24 opioid use disorders in non-hospital residential facili25 ties licensed to provide such treatment; or 


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1 ‘‘(3) community recovery support services that 

2 are provided in conjunction with, where appropriate, 

3 medication-assisted treatment for an opioid use dis4 order, such as peer counseling and transportation, to 

5 support the enrollee in maintaining a healthy life6 style following opioid misuse treatment.’’. 

7 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

8 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to plan years begin9 ning on or after January 1, 2025. 

10 SEC. 4. ENHANCED FEDERAL MATCH FOR MEDICATION-AS11 SISTED TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SUP12 PORT SERVICES UNDER MEDICAID. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1905(b) of the Social Se14 curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(b)) is amended by adding 

15 at the end the following: ‘‘Notwithstanding the first sen16 tence of this subsection, during the portion of the period 

17 described in subsection (a)(29) that begins on the date 

18 of enactment of this sentence, the Federal medical assist19 ance percentage shall be 90 percent with respect to 

20 amounts expended during such portion of such period by 

21 a State that is one of the 50 States or the District of 

22 Columbia as medical assistance for medication-assisted 

23 treatment (as defined in subsection (ee)(1)).’’. 

24 (b) STATE OPTION TO PROVIDE RECOVERY SUP25 PORT SERVICES AS PART OF MEDICATION-ASSISTED


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1 TREATMENT.—Section 1905(ee)(1) of the Social Security 

2 Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(ee)(1)) is amended— 

3 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

4 and inserting a semicolon; 

5 (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period 

6 at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

7 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub8 paragraph: 

9 ‘‘(C) at the option of a State, includes re10 covery support services, such as peer counseling 

11 and transportation, that are provided to an in12 dividual in conjunction with the provision of 

13 such drugs and biological products to support 

14 the individual in maintaining a healthy lifestyle 

15 following opioid misuse treatment.’’. 

Æ 


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