Opioid use disorder HHS treatment plan Buprenomorphine
To combat Opioid use disorder HHS announces a treatment plan in a proposed rule on March 29. 2016. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its plan to allow qualified physicians to prescribe the opioid use disorder treatment medication Buprenorphine (Subtext(R) or Suboxone(R)) to an increased number of patients.
Under current regulations, physicians certified to prescribe Buprenorphine for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) are allowed to prescribe up to 30 patients initially, and then after one year can request authorization to prescribe up to a maximum of 100 patients. The Health and Human Services is proposing to allow for a qualified and currently waived physician to prescribe Buprenorphine for up to 200 patients.
This proposed rule is a part of Health and Human Services evidence-based efforts on prescribing practices and treatment to reduce prescription opioid and heroin use disorders. The Health and Human Services efforts focus on three priority areas:
- Providing training and educational resources, including updated prescriber guidelines.
- Increasing use of Naloxone.
- Expanding the use of Medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States Program to provide state health departments with resources to advance innovative prevention efforts.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services offers the Drug Diversion Toolkit:
- Buprenorphine?A Primer for Prescribers and Pharmacists.
- This booklet provides guidance to physicians and pharmacists on Buprenorphine regulatory requirements, prescribing, dispensing, and safety recommendations, and additional information to improve decision-making and promote beneficial outcomes.
The Health and Human Services is accepting public comment on the proposed rule, Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders, for 60 days after the March 30 publish date in the Federal Register.
Opioid analgesics are a class of prescription drugs used to treat both acute and chronic pain. However, they have been implicated in drug overdose deaths over the last decade.
Common Opioid analgesics include :
- Hydrocodone
- Oxycodone
- Codeine
- Morphine and
- Methadone
Coding Buprenorphine:
The Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Buprenorphine in the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Consensus Panel recommends that physicians periodically and regularly screen all patients for substance use and substance-related problems, not just those patients who fit the stereotypical picture of addiction.
It should be noted that according to Quest Diagnostics, ?Beginning January 1, 2016, CMS deleted all 2015 drug testing G codes and will continue to not recognize the AMA CPT codes for drug testing.
CMS created three G codes for:
- Presumptive testing [G0477-G0478] and four G codes for
- Definitive testing [G0480-G0483].
Further assessment is indicated to identify comorbid or complicating medical or emotional conditions and to determine the appropriate treatment setting and level of treatment intensity for the patient, if screening indicates the presence of an opioid use disorder. Complete assessment may require several office visits.