Delaware Opioid Treatment Bill

(June 28, 2019)

Medical associations are urging Delaware lawmakers to support more access to medically-assisted treatments (MATs), reports The Delaware Business Times. There are three organizations asking lawmakers to approve House Bill 220: the Medical Society of Delaware (MSD), the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Medical Association. The groups support the bill because it helps health insurers access MATs, like methadone and buprenorphine. MATs require federal authorization for their use. But without that authorization, opioid recovery treatment becomes an option for the lowest cost-sharing tier of patients. 

Richard W. Henderson, chair of the MSD government affairs committee, said, “Any effort that can be made to lower to getting treatment, that’s a good thing.” Already, some health insurers have removed prior authorization for MATs, including Cigna, Anthem, and Empire Blue Cross. The Delaware legislative session ends on June 30, by which date lawmakers must approve the MAT bill. Those supporting the bill hope it can help combat Delaware’s ongoing opioid crisis.

To learn more about House Bill 220, look here. To find an opioid recovery clinic or doctor, look here or here.