TREAT Act

Bill: 114-s-1455
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2015-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Drug therapy
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Government studies and investigations
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: 

Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act or the TREAT Act

 
 Amends the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of patients that a qualifying practitioner dispensing narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment is initially allowed to treat from 30 to 100 patients per year. 
 
Allows a qualifying physician, after one year, to request approval to treat an unlimited number of patients under specified conditions, including that he or she: (1) agrees to fully participate in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program of the state in which the practitioner is licensed, (2) practices in a qualified practice setting, and (3) has completed at least 24 hours of training regarding treatment and management of opiate-dependent patients for substance use disorders provided by specified organizations.
 
Revises the definition of a &quot;qualifying practitioner&quot; to include: (1) a physician who holds a board certification from the American Board of Addiction Medicine; and (2) a nurse practitioner or physicians assistant who is licensed under state law to prescribe schedule III, IV, or V medications for pain, who has specified training or experience that demonstrates specialization in the ability to treat opiate-dependent patients, who practices under the supervision of, or prescribes opioid addiction therapy in collaboration with, a licensed physician who holds an active waiver to prescribe schedule III, IV, or V narcotic medications for opioid addiction therapy, and who practices in a qualified practice setting.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to initiate an evaluation of the effectiveness of this Act, including an evaluation of: (1) changes in the availability and use of medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction, (2) the quality of medication-assisted treatment programs, (3) diversion of opioid addiction treatment medication, and (4) changes in state or local policies and legislation relating to opioid addiction treatment.

action_date: 2016-04-27
text: 

Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act or the TREAT Act

 
(Sec. 2) 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 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 bill expands qualifying practitioners to include licensed nurse practitioners and physician assistants who have expertise and prescribe medications for opioid use disorder in collaboration with or under the supervision of a qualifying physician, if required by state law.
 
It increases the maximum patient limit for a qualifying practitioner and requires compliance with recordkeeping requirements. 
 
(Sec. 4) The amendments made by this bill do not preempt a state law that modifies the patient limit or requires a qualifying practitioner to comply with additional requirements. 
 
(Sec. 5) DOJ must update regulations with respect to waived practitioners to include nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
 
(Sec. 6) The Government Accountability Office must evaluate the effectiveness of this bill. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-27
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 441.
action_date: 2016-04-27
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-04-27
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-03-16
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate