CARA 3.0 Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-987
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2021-03-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Community life and organization
Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Crime prevention
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Department of Health and Human Services
Detention of persons
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Drug therapy
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Economic development
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Higher education
Home and outpatient care
Hospital care
Intergovernmental relations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Juvenile crime and gang violence
Law enforcement administration and funding
Licensing and registrations
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medical education
Medical ethics
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare
Mental health
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
Prescription drugs
Public housing
Rural conditions and development
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Specialized courts
State and local government operations
Surgery and anesthesia
Telephone and wireless communication
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care
Women's health
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-25
text: 

CARA 3.0 Act of 2021

 
This bill addresses substance use disorders by expanding access to treatment and recovery services, providing for housing protections, and requiring other activities.
 
Specifically, the bill reauthorizes, establishes, and expands support for treatment and recovery services. This includes increasing access to treatment in the criminal justice system and other settings and for particular populations, such as pregnant and postpartum individuals and youth and young adults.
 
Additionally, the bill expands Medicare and Medicaid coverage for treatment, including by expanding telehealth access to medication to treat substance use disorders. The bill also temporarily requires that non-opioid pain treatment options be reimbursed separately, instead of on a packaged basis, under Medicare.
 
As a condition of receiving certain federal funding, states must mandate the use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) by prescribers and dispensers and impose additional PDMP requirements. Moreover, prescribers of potentially addictive drugs must complete continuing education requirements. The bill also revises the registration process for providers who prescribe certain medications to treat substance use disorders, including by eliminating the provider's patient limit for such medications. 
 
In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must carry out activities to promote access to high-quality recovery housing. The bill also sets out protections for individuals with substance use disorders who live in, or apply to live in, federally assisted housing.
 
Furthermore, the bill requires other activities to address substance use, such as support for workforce education and training; public awareness campaigns and similar outreach; and research on prevention strategies, insurance coverage, and treatment modalities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-03-25
text: Introduced in Senate