Educations

Rule about Provider Medicaid Enrollment Being Enforced by States

Many states are beginning to implement and enforce a rule, introduced in the Affordable Care Act, that ordering, prescribing and/or referring providers must be enrolled in Medicaid for their medical orders to be recognized and paid for.

Educations

ASAM & NNESAM Comment on Proposed MaineCare Rules

Educations

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act - Highlights for Members

On July 13, the U.S. Senate passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). This landmark legislation is a robust response to the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic that authorizes new programs and reauthorizes and improves existing ones to support a full continuum of care from primary prevention to recovery support. There are specific provisions that will be of interest to ASAM members and this summary highlights the details of those provisions.

Educations

Congress Passes CARA! ASAM applauds passage of historic addiction legislation

The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). The Senate vote follows a similar near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives last week and will send the bill to the President’s desk for his signature. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) joins other members of the addiction prevention, treatment and recovery community in celebrating the passage of this important piece of legislation and calls on Congress to fulfill its commitment to fund CARA fully this year.

Educations

ASAM Editorial Comment

Of 6,900,000 U.S. adults under correctional supervision (incarcerated, paroled, on probation) in 2013, approximately 2,200,000 were confined in jails, prisons, work camps, stockades and brigs... Comprehensive SUD treatment is the tool that removes the pump handle.

Educations

Summary: Major components of the HHS final rule. Effective August 8, 2016.

On July 6, 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule to increase access to medication-assisted treatment with buprenorphine products in the office setting by allowing eligible practitioners to request approval to treat up to 275 patients. Read a summary of the final rule.

Educations

Proposed patient limit raised to 275. ASAM applauds important action to help close addiction treatment gap.

The Obama Administration announced today that it will raise the limit on the number of patients with opioid addiction that certain physicians can treat with buprenorphine to 275. ASAM applauds this long-overdue policy change as an important step to help combat the current epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose deaths.

Educations

Update on Health Insurance Parity Rules

The CMS recently released a final rule related to implementation of the Parity Act. This article summarizes the rule released in March 2016.

Educations

New ASAM Policy Statements Support the Role of Physicians in Addiction Treatment

The ASAM Board of Directors approved two new public policy statements that address the role of physicians in the treatment of addiction.

Educations

TAKE ACTION! Tell Your Senator to Protect Children and Public Health from Tobacco Use!

Appropriations bill provisions drastically reduce the FDA's newly gained oversight over all tobacco products. We need to act now and protect children and public health from tobacco use!

Educations

22 Senators Call on HHS to Increase Access to Addiction Treatment

ASAM applauds the bipartisan group of 22 senators, led by Senators Hatch (R-UT) and Markey (D-MA) for calling on HHS to raise the DATA 2000 patient limit to 500 patients.

Educations

One Addiction Doctor’s Experience with a New Payment Model- Direct Primary Care

While ASAM and other organizations continue to work toward parity and third party payment for addiction treatment, some physicians, myself included, are simplifying medical practice and eliminating third party payers from office based medicine. Direct Primary Care (DPC) is becoming more popular among physicians who feel overburdened by administrative hurdles in the current healthcare system. Ironically, my OBOT experience, and lack of third party payment for addiction services, strongly influenced my decision to start a DPC practice.

Educations

National Organizations Band Together to Ensure that Congress Passes Comprehensive Policies to Combat the U.S. Opioid Epidemic

The Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose launched today, uniting diverse stakeholders around the common goal of achieving meaningful legislative solutions to address opioid misuse and overdose. The Coalition is composed of leading state and national groups that are committed to advancing meaningful legislative and regulatory policies.

Educations

ASAM one of eight national healthcare and professional organizations working to expand PCSS-MAT initiative

Awarded $3 Million Grant to Expand Providers’ Clinical Support System for Medication Assisted Treatment Initiative. Led by AAAP, the PCSS-MAT coalition of addiction and primary care healthcare professional organizations, has been expanded to include eight national healthcare and professional organizations, including the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Educations

House Passes Slate of Opioid Bills, Moves to Conference on Bill to Raise Prescribing Limit

Two ASAM-endorsed bills approved: The Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act of 2016 (HR 3680) and the Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Expansion and Modernization Act (HR 4981). The full list of bills available below.

Educations

ASAM Pleased FDA Announces Rule Extending Oversight of All Unregulated Tobacco Products

On Thursday, May 5, the Food and Drug Administration issued a long-awaited rule to establish oversight of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), cigars, hookah and other previously unregulated tobacco products.

Educations

Ask the PCSS Expert: Is Sublingual Buprenorphine Safe to Use While Breastfeeding?

Research shows drug exposure of infants is considered low. However, it is recommended that infants be monitored closely.

Educations

Patient Review and Restriction (PRR) Programs

Educations

Inclusion of Addiction Specialist Physicians in Managed Behavioral Health Care Organization In-Network Provider Panels

Educations

TAKE ACTION! Tell HHS to Expand Access to Specialty Addiction Treatment!

HHS's proposed rule on Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders would raise the buprenorphine patient limit for qualified physicians from 100 to 200 patients, but ABAM-certified physicians do not qualify! Your voice is needed to tell HHS that ABAM-certified physicians should be eligible for the higher patient limit.