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The following was submitted by the Office of Sen. Jason Lewis:
State Sens. Jason Lewis and Pat Jehlen and state Reps. Michael Day and Michelle Ciccolo joined colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass legislation that will combat the opioid crisis and support residents living with substance use disorder (SUD).
An act relative to treatments and coverage for substance use disorder and recovery coach licensure expands non-opioid pain treatments, establishes licensing for recovery coaches, and supports pregnant women and their children who have been exposed to substances.
It will greatly expand access to opioid-reversal drugs like naloxone. In 2023, 2,125 lives were lost as a result of an overdose, 232 fewer than in 2022, according to the Department of Public Health (DPH). Since 2023, naloxone has reversed more than 10,000 overdoses in Massachusetts.
“The devastating impacts of substance use disorder cause immeasurable pain to families, friends, and neighbors in our communities, especially for those who have lost loved ones,” said Lewis. “This new law will help more people along their journey to recovery and save many lives.”
“Ensuring we invest in equitable access to mental health and substance use resources is crucial,” said Jehlen. “I am happy to support and pass legislation that gives people facing substance use disorder access to appropriate treatment and protects them from discrimination when they seek medical care or other basic needs because they have a history of accessing lifesaving treatment for substance use disorder.”
“This legislation continues to move our state forward in the treatment of substance use disorder, a disease that affects people from all walks of life,” said Day. “With this measure we continue to follow science by taking a public health-focused approach by providing resources to those struggling with addiction and strengthening protections for those seeking and providing related healthcare services. I was proud to support passage of this bill.”
“Substance use disorders devastate families, communities, and our Commonwealth as a whole,” said Ciccolo. “This law takes critical steps to ensure more people have access to life saving care and support. I was proud to join my colleagues in voting for this bill.”
Key provisions of the legislation include:
• Mandating that all health insurance plans cover opioid reversal drugs such as naloxone and Narcan — without cost-sharing or prior authorization.
• Educating patients with a history of opioid use about reversal drugs by requiring hospitals and substance use treatment facilities to teach patients about opioid reversal drugs and to prescribe or dispense at least two doses to at-risk patients upon discharge.
• Requiring pharmacies to maintain a sufficient supply of opioid reversal drugs in areas with high incidences of overdoses.
• Establishing recovery coach licensure under the DPH and requiring health insurance plans to cover recovery coach services.
• Expanding access to non-opioid pain treatments by incorporating non-opioid alternatives into provider training and updating insurance provider requirements to ensure inclusion of non-opioid treatments.
• Boosting anti-discrimination protections for people with SUD by clarifying DPH’s authority to enforce anti-discrimination protections and prohibiting discrimination against those lawfully possessing or taking medication for opioid-related SUD treatment.
• Promoting the recovery of pregnant women on medications for substance use disorder by clarifying that encountering a substance-exposed newborn does not trigger an automatic referral to the Department of Children and Families, and directing the department to lead the creation of regulations related to care, treatment, and reporting of substance-exposed newborns.
• Protecting public health and harm reduction organizations from professional disciplinary action or civil or criminal liability if they are providing drug checking services in good faith, and shielding individuals from criminal liability when seeking treatment from such organizations to help detect and protect against deadly contaminants that are increasingly found in the drug supply.
• Prohibiting life insurance companies from limiting or refusing coverage to a person solely because they obtained an opioid-reversal drug, and restricting medical malpractice insurers from discriminating against health care practitioners who provide harm reduction services.
After final passage in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, Gov. Maura Healey signed the bill into law on Dec. 23, 2024.
