Substance AbuseBackground More than 115 people die every day from overdoses on opioids, which includes prescription painkillers, heroin and synthetic opioids like fentanyl, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. NAACOS has advocated for an update a 1970s-era law that requires patients sign off on individual providers who can view substance abuse treatment records. That law, called 42 CFR Part 2, prevents the sharing of information and care coordination that ACOs offer. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, aligns privacy protections for substance abuse treatment records with HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Unlike HIPAA, patients must provide a one-time, written consent to have their records shared. The changes will only take effect after HHS undergoes notice-and-comment rulemaking, which has not yet happened. Below are resources NAACOS has developed for its members along with responses to regulation from CMS and letters of support for a change in Part 2 law. Advocacy and News
Webinars As we move forward with advocacy efforts, we encourage ACOs to be active in communicating their experience with substance abuse laws and regulations. ACOs are encouraged to share feedback with us at [email protected]. |