Bills increase access to substance use treatments

In an effort to increase access to substance use treatments, the Legislature passed two bills expanding access to critical medications.

HB 2642 requires health plans and Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) to cover residential substance use disorder treatment for at least two days (excluding weekends and holidays). The bill also requires coverage of withdrawal management services for at least three days, before conducting a utilization review.

If the health plan determines that the enrollee's admission to treatment was not medically necessary, the provider must still pay for the treatment days expended before the utilization review, and for additional days if the denial comes more than one business day after the start of the utilization review period.

These changes apply to plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2021.

HB 2642 passed both the House and Senate and is now headed to the Governor for signature.

To provide vulnerable populations with easier access to opioid treatments, SB 6086 establishes a framework for a pharmacist to extend their license to remote dispensing sites. These remote dispensing sites, located where treatment is available, are only to be used to dispense FDA approved medications for opioid treatments.

SB 6086 passed both the House and Senate and is now headed to the Governor for signature.