It is now easier to prescribe buprenorphine to patients with opioid use disorders.

During the recent State of the Union address, President Joe Biden mentioned a law that simplifies prescribing opioid addiction treatments. He was referring to the X-Waiver, which had been around for over 20 years before it was done away with on December 29, 2022.

“With the signing of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Congress eliminated the DATA-Waiver Program,” states the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s website. “The elimination of the X-Waiver will increase access to buprenorphine for those in need.” 

With the waiver, doctors had to jump through multiple hoops (training, audits, a patient limit) if/when they prescribed the drug. Therefore, as the vice president for research at UT Health San Antonio, Jennifer Potter, told NBC News, health professionals had been waiting for its removal for “years if not a decade or more.”

This awareness day, focused on opioids, exists to encourage patients to only use opioids as prescribed.

Recently, there has been an influx of news on the topic of opioids, the opioid epidemic, illicit fentanyl overdoses, and National Opioid Awareness Day, which falls on September 21. This awareness date urges people to learn more about these drugs, including the dangers of abusing legitimately prescribed opioids, the potentially fatal results of using or trying illicit opioids, and the proper way to handle opioid prescriptions. 

What are opioids?

Opioids are a class of drugs that are chemicals (either natural or synthetic), which interact with nerve cells and, in turn, treat pain. Also known as narcotics, they include illegal drugs like heroin, synthetics like fentanyl, and prescriptions (both natural and semi-synthetic) like oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine. They can come as oral pills, lozenges, oral solutions, injections, IVs, patches, or suppositories. 

Physicians Call for Better Access to Naloxone, Treatment Programs for Opioids

Read the TMA article 

Complete it here

Local Chapter Nominations

It is time to nominate local chapter Presidents and Vice Presidents! 

When nominating, consider that these individuals will be the leaders in navigating what topics are important to your local area, TPS membership, and our industry. They will promote networking and lead the dialogue on various topics. Topics may include: Medicine/ Legal/ Pharmacy/Federal and State Legislative and Regulatory Updates, as needed. 

 To be eligible, nominees must be current TPS members. Visit the directory to see if they are a member. 

 Please use the link below to submit your nominations for President and Vice President.

 Nominations are due by January 31, 2021.

Opioid Treatment Programs: New for 2021

The calendar year 2021 Physician Fee Schedule final rule includes information for Medicare-enrolled Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs):

• New covered services include FDA-approved opioid antagonist medications, specifically naloxone, for emergency treatment of opioid overdose, as well as overdose education provided in conjunction with opioid antagonist medication
• New codes for nasal and injectable naloxone
• Medicare Part B coverage of hospital outpatient or free-standing institutional OTP services; these providers will submit claims using the institutional claim form (837i electronically or CMS-1450 paper claim)

We updated the OTP webpages and the Enrollment (PDF) and Billing & Payment (PDF) fact sheets with this and other new information. 

Texas Launches Opioid Misuse Prevention Website to Fight Addiction, Overdoses

AUSTIN – Texas Health and Human Services is launching a new website featuring videos, the latest information and helpful resources to promote Texas Targeted Opioid Response (TTOR), which is a statewide public health effort to fight against opioid addiction and overdose.

The new website, TXopioidresponse.org, is available in English and Spanish and provides tips for safe opioid use, as well as information about the dangers of misusing prescription opioid medications.

“One in five Texans has experienced an opioid overdose or know someone who has,” said Kasey Strey, TTOR Director at Texas Health and Human Services Commission. “We are dedicated to preventing prescription opioid misuse, overdoses and opioid use disorder. With awareness of the risks and how to take medications safely, Texans can prevent opioid misuse and help put an end to the opioid crisis.”

CDC & HHS Request for Comment Management of Acute and Chronic Pain

It is vitally important for the members of the Texas Pain Society to submit comments to CDC & HHS by June 16, 2020.

You can use the TPS template letter here

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the opening of a docket to obtain comment concerning perspectives on and experiences with pain and pain management, including but not limited to the benefits and harms of opioid use, from patients with acute or chronic pain, patients' family members and/or caregivers, and health care providers who care for patients with pain or conditions that can complicate pain management (e.g., opioid use disorder or overdose)—hereafter called “stakeholders.” CDC will use these comments to inform its understanding of stakeholders' values and preferences related to pain and pain management options.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/04/17/2020-08127/management-of-acute-and-chronic-pain-request-for-comment?deliveryName=Share%20Your%20Perspective%3A%20Management%20of%20Acute%20and%20Chronic%20Pain%20%28US&cid=em1003562&utm_source=sfmc_email&utm_medium=email-1st_party&utm_campaign=nmd-general-us-pain_medicine-general&utm_content=n-n-n-n&sid=0032K00002O0WULQA3&id_mc=552681762

When: May 6 - 7, 2020

Where: Online

Register: Click Here

New Telehealth Services Available

CMS has issued a new list of telemedicine and telehealth services that can be reimbursed through Medicare during the federally-declared Public Health Emergency for COVID-19. The complete list of covered services is available on the DWC telemedicine page.

Commissioner Brown has issued this memo on the changes.

DWC Issues Bulletin Suspending Certain Provisions and Rules Due to COVID-19

Commissioner Brown has issued a new bulletin on COVID-19 as it relates to the Texas workers' compensation system. Here are some of the items covered in the new bulletin:

• work search compliance standards for supplemental income benefits;
• testing, training, application, and recertification requirements for designated doctors; and
• required medical exams.

View the full bulletin on the TDI website.

DWC Operations Update in Response to COVID-19

Commissioner Brown sends an update to system participants about changes in DWC’s operations in response to COVID-19. Read more at https://bit.ly/2QIbQQm.

The move to telehealth will make it easier for providers to prescribe an opioid or other controlled substance during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

March 18, 2020 - Telemedicine has found yet another key purpose during the coronavirus public health emergency: the prescribing of controlled substances, such as opioids.

Per new clarification from the US Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), healthcare professionals can now prescribe a controlled substance to a patient using telehealth technology.

This announcement comes in the wake of the public health emergency declared by HHS Secretary Alex Azar on January 31, 2020.