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Survey Results: Addiction Specialists Weigh In on the DATA 2000 Patient Limits
In light of Secretary Burwell’s September announcement that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will revise the federal regulations related to the DATA 2000 patient limits and in preparation to comment on the forthcoming proposed rule, ASAM surveyed addiction specialists to see how many are waivered to prescribe buprenorphine and how many are affected by the current patient limits. The survey was an update to one ASAM did in 2013, and the results indicate that patient demand for treatment has increased.
| 2013 | 2015 | |
| Responses | 458 | 1,309 |
| Waiver Status | ||
| Waivered to treat up to 30 patients | 17.3% | 17.8% |
| Waivered to treat up to 100 patients | 71.9% | 73.9% |
| Not waivered | 10.8% | 8.1% |
| Patient Load (Percent of Waivered Physicians) | ||
| Low: Fewer than 40 (2013) or 30 (2015) patients | 44.2% | 31.6% |
| Medium: Between 40 and 80 (2013) or 30 and 80 (2015) patients | 17.0% | 19.0% |
| High: More than 80 patients | 37.1% | 45.3% |
| Patient Demand for Treatment Exceeding the 100-Patient Limit (Percent of Waivered Physicians) | ||
| Yes | 41.5% | 66.3% |
| No | 55.0% | 30.2% |
Compared to responses in 2013, more respondents in 2015 said:
- They are waivered to prescribe to 100 patients
- They treat more than 80 patients
- They have patient demand for treatment in excess of the 100 patient limit
Thank you to those who responded to the survey! This information helps us better understand patient demand for buprenorphine treatment and how the current patient limits affect addiction specialists’ ability to offer it.
Please keep your eye out for an email from ASAM Advocacy when the proposed rule is released! We encourage all members to submit individual comments on the proposal, and will share ASAM’s official take on the proposed rule as soon as possible.
Questions? Contact ASAM Advocacy at advocacy@asam.org.
