House Passes SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act

WASHINGTON, DC— This morning, the House passed H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. H.R. 6 is an omnibus package of bills that will support efforts to turn the tide in the opioid crisis. The omnibus package includes the text of two bills Shea-Porter cosponsored, H.R. 3692 and H.R. 3528. H.R. 3692, the Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act of 2017, would increase access to medically assisted treatments (MAT). H.R. 3528, the Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, would mandate E-prescribing for controlled substances prescribed through the Medicare Part D program.

“I am pleased that the bill we passed today will make much needed policy changes to increase access to medication-assisted treatments,” said Shea-Porter. “The bill will expand coverage for those therapies through federal health care programs and increase the capacity of our health care providers to serve those who need treatment, a serious challenge in our state. It allows foster youth who cross state lines to stay on Medicaid until they are 26. In the last few weeks, we’ve seen how the New Hampshire delegation’s hard work has led to meaningful improvements in the amount of federal funding that will be coming to the Granite State to turn the tide in this deadly crisis.”

The bill includes several provisions that will increase access to treatment. It expands access to treatment programs by requiring Medicare to pay for medication-assisted treatment. Currently most Medicare beneficiaries must pay out of pocket for opioid treatment programs. H.R. 6 also mandates that Medicaid cover all forms of MAT and expands Medicaid coverage for foster youth by ensuring they can keep their Medicaid coverage across state lines until the age of 26.

New Hampshire is struggling with a provider shortage. This bill will help by permanently allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe or dispense buprenorphine. It will now allow clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists to dispense buprenorphine for five years, which they are not currently allowed to do at all. And finally, this bill allows physicians who are board certified in addiction medicine to treat up to 100 patients in their first year versus the 30 patients they can currently treat in their first year.