WASHINGTON, DC - The House of Representatives today passed H.R. 6082, the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act, authored by Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), by a bipartisan vote of 357-57.
H.R. 6082 will align the use of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). H.R. 6082 will also enhance the penalties in the event of an unlawful disclosure of SUD treatment records, add breach notification requirements, and provide strong discrimination prohibitions to protect people seeking and receiving SUD treatment. An earlier version of the bill, which is virtually identical, passed the Energy and Commerce Committee by a bipartisan vote of 35-17.
“The 1970s statute behind Part 2 has not kept pace with the practice of modern medicine. Today, the statute handcuffs providers and hurts patients. It’s outdated policy and must be revisited in order to better help both patients and their doctors," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX). “We commend Rep. Mullin for working in a bipartisan manner and striking the right balance of permitting the limited sharing of SUD treatment records between health providers and plans, while also strengthening patient protections to ensure that individuals suffering from the disease of addiction can seek and receive treatment without fear of discrimination."
“Doctors must have the whole picture on a patient’s medical history in order to safely and effectively treat that patient. This includes any history of substance use disorder," said Rep. Mullin. “The Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act will update the decades-old, outdated law, known as 42 CFR Part 2, that keeps mental health records separate from other health records. I look forward to swift passage of H.R. 6082 in the Senate so that doctors can safely treat patients with substance use disorder and cut down on the harrowing number of overdose deaths each day."
Yesterday, the House passed 18 bills to combat the opioid crisis, 12 of which went through the Energy and Commerce Committee or contained provisions within the committee’s jurisdiction.
