Assessing Barriers to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Act

Bill: 115-s-2909
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2018-05-22
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Drug therapy

Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

Government studies and investigations

Medicaid

Prescription drugs
Latest action: action_date: 2018-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-05-22
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Assessing Barriers to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on barriers to the provision of medication used to treat substance use disorders (e.g., buprenorphine) under Medicaid distribution models (e.g., provider purchasing, storage, and administration of medications). </p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2909 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 22, 2018 Mr. Heller (for himself and Mr. Bennet ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To require the Comptroller General of the United States to study and report on State Medicaid agencies' options related to the distribution of substance use disorder treatment medications under the Medicaid program.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Assessing Barriers to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Act . 2. GAO study and report on State options related to the distribution of substance use disorder treatment medications under the medicaid program (a) Study (1) In general The Comptroller General of the United States (in this section referred to as the Comptroller General ) shall conduct a study regarding the barriers to providing medication used in the treatment of substance use disorders under Medicaid distribution models such as the buy-and-bill model, and options for State Medicaid programs to remove or reduce such barriers. The study shall include analyses of each of the following models of distribution of substance use disorder treatment medications, particularly buprenorphine, naltrexone, and buprenorphine-naloxone combinations: (A) The purchasing, storage, and administration of substance use disorder treatment medications by providers. (B) The dispensing of substance use disorder treatment medications by pharmacists. (C) The ordering, prescribing, and obtaining substance use disorder treatment medications on demand from specialty pharmacies by providers. (2) Requirements For each model of distribution specified in paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall evaluate how each model presents barriers or could be used by selected State Medicaid programs to reduce the barriers related to the provision of substance use disorder treatment by examining what is known about the effects of the model of distribution on— (A) Medicaid beneficiaries’ access to substance use disorder treatment medications; (B) the differential cost to the program between each distribution model for medication assisted treatment; and (C) provider willingness to provide or prescribe substance use disorder treatment medications. (b) Report Not later than 15 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report containing the results of the study conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.