On Wednesday, August 28, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will host a public meeting on September 20, 2019, to discuss developing a CMS Action Plan to Prevent Opioid Addiction and Enhance Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (as required by the SUPPORT Act).
The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (the SUPPORT Act) tasked CMS with coming up with recommended changes to the Medicare and Medicaid programs to enhance the treatment and prevention of opioid addiction, as well as coverage and payment of medication-assisted treatment (MAT). For its part, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is to solicit public input to inform the action plan, due to Congress by January 1, 2020.
The SUPPORT Act also listed areas for review and recommendations that HHS shall address in the Action Plan, including:
- Performing a review of payment and coverage policies under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, including a review of coverage and payment of all MAT related to the treatment of opioid use disorder and other therapies that manage chronic and acute pain and treat and minimize risk of opioid misuse and abuse;
- Creating payment and service delivery models for CMS’ Innovation Center to test;
- Collecting data to facilitate research and policy-making regarding prevention of opioid use disorder and inform CMS’ coverage and payment decisions;
- Reviewing Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries’ access to therapies that manage chronic and acute pain and treat/minimize risk of opioid misuse and abuse; and
- Reviewing payment and coverage policies under the Medicare and Medicaid programs related to medical devices (non-opioid based treatments) approved for: the management of acute pain and chronic pain, monitoring substance use withdrawal and preventing overdoses of controlled substances, and treating substance use disorder, including barriers to patient access.
During the public meeting, attendees will learn about HHS and CMS plans and activities to address the opioid epidemic, pain management, and substance use disorders. Stakeholders will also have an opportunity to provide public input in addition to experts from the federal government, advocacy communities, and the research, treatment, clinical, and medical industries sharing information.
The meeting will take place in the CMS Auditorium located at 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244, and will also be live streamed.
If you are interested in participating, CMS has asked that you register here no later than September 10, 2019.