Expanding Access to Treatment Act

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access under the Medicare program to addiction treatment in Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Expanding Access to Treatment Act 2. Expanding access under the Medicare program to addiction treatment in Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics (a) Federally qualified health centers Section 1834(o) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(o) (3) Additional payments for certain FQHCs with practitioners receiving DATA 2000 certification (A) In general In the case of a Federally qualified health center with respect to which, beginning January 1, 2019, Federally-qualified health center services (as defined in section 1861(aa)(3)) are furnished by a health care practitioner who first receives on or after such date a registration or waiver under section 303(g) of the Controlled Substances Act to prescribe or dispense methadone, buprenorphine, or suboxone for the purpose of maintenance or detoxification treatment, the Secretary shall, subject to availability of funds under subparagraph (B), make a payment (in accordance with such timing, method, and procedures as specified by the Secretary) to such Federally qualified health center in an amount determined by the Secretary, based on an approximation of the cost to receive training for purposes of such registration or waiver, as applicable. For purposes of the previous sentence, a Federally-qualified health center shall apply for a payment described in such sentence at such time and in such manner as specified by the Secretary and may apply for such a payment for each practitioner furnishing such services at such center who is described in such sentence. (B) Funding For purposes of making payments under this paragraph, there are appropriated, out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $6,000,000, which shall remain available until expended. . (b) Rural health clinic Section 1833 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395l (1) by redesignating the subsection (z) relating to medical review of spinal subluxation services as subsection (aa); and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (bb) Additional payments for certain rural health clinics with practitioners receiving DATA 2000 certification (1) In general In the case of a rural health clinic with respect to which, beginning January 1, 2019, rural health clinic services (as defined in section 1861(aa)(1)) are furnished by a health care practitioner who first receives on or after such date a registration or waiver under section 303(g) of the Controlled Substances Act to prescribe or dispense methadone, buprenorphine, or suboxone for the purpose of maintenance or detoxification treatment, the Secretary shall, subject to availability of funds under subparagraph (B), make a payment (in accordance with such timing, method, and procedures as specified by the Secretary) to such rural health clinic in an amount determined by the Secretary, based on an approximation of the cost to receive training for purposes of such registration or waiver, as applicable. For purposes of the previous sentence, a rural health clinic shall apply for a payment described in such sentence at such time and in such manner as specified by the Secretary and may apply for such a payment for each practitioner furnishing such services at such clinic who is described in such sentence. (2) Funding For purposes of making payments under this subsection, there are appropriated, out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $2,000,000, which shall remain available until expended. .

Summary: Expanding Access to Treatment Act This bill requires payment under Medicare to federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics that have health care practitioners who are newly certified to provide medication-assisted treatment. Specifically, a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic may receive payment for each health care practitioner who becomes certified on or after January 1, 2019, to prescribe or dispense methadone, buprenorphine, or suboxone (medications used to treat opioid-use disorders). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must set payments based on training costs for practitioner certification.