State Legislature Passes Bill to Combat Substance-use Disorder
BOSTON — On Dec. 19, the Massachusetts Legislature approved legislation to combat the opioid crisis and support residents living with substance-use disorder (SUD).
The act will expand non-opioid pain treatments, establish licenses for recovery coaches, and support pregnant people and their children who have been exposed to substances. It will also vastly expand access to opioid-reversal drugs like naloxone. In 2023, 2,125 lives were lost as a result of an overdose, 232 fewer than in 2022, according to the Department of Public Health (DPH). Since 2023, naloxone has reversed more than 10,000 overdoses in Massachusetts.
“The Legislature stands united in confronting this epidemic head-on that has historically plagued communities of color but is now touching all homes across the Commonwealth regardless of race, age, or gender,” state Sen. Adam Gomez said. “By reforming aspects of health plans and delivering proven recovery tools, our body has created a pathway for families to effectively combat this dire public-health crisis. I am proud to join my colleagues in the Senate and the House, and grateful for the countless advocates who helped shape this powerful piece of legislation.”
Added state Sen. John Velis, “the tragic truth is that most people in our Commonwealth know someone who is struggling or has struggled with addiction, and it is truly heartbreaking how many loved ones we continue to lose to substance-use disorders every year. Not only does this legislation bolster access to lifesaving overdose-reversal tools, but it also expands access to recovery coaches, vital providers who truly understand what it is like to navigate recovery because of their lived experiences.”
The bill mandates that all health plans cover opioid-reversal drugs such as naloxone and Narcan without cost sharing or prior authorization. It also requires hospitals and substance-use treatment facilities to educate patients on opioid-reversal drugs and prescribe or dispense at least two doses to at-risk patients upon discharge. It also requires pharmacies in areas with high incidences of overdoses to maintain a sufficient, consistent supply of opioid-reversal drugs while requiring them to stock both over-the-counter and prescription versions.
The bill includes several new insurance provisions, including a prohibition on life-insurance companies from limiting or refusing coverage to a person solely because they obtained an opioid-reversal drug, and a prohibition on medical-malpractice insurers from discriminating against healthcare practitioners who provide harm-reduction services. It further updates requirements for insurance providers to ensure adequate coverage and access to pain-management services, including non-opioid treatments, and expands access to non-opioid pain treatment by incorporating non-opioid alternatives into provider training.