The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act: President Trump Signs Sweeping Opioid Law

On October 24, 2018, President Trump signed sweeping bipartisan legislation to combat the opioid epidemic. The Substance Use–Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, or the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (“H.R. 6” or “the Law”), aims to “reduce access to the supply of opioids by expanding access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services.”[1] Congress has already appropriated $8.5 billion to implement this “landmark legislation” in 2018 and 2019.

In a series of Client Alerts, Epstein Becker Green will provide an overview of key components of H.R. 6, focusing on substantive requirements impacting an array of providers, manufacturers, health care professionals, community services organizations, and other health care entities. Forthcoming topics include the impact on treatment measures for opioid use disorders, addiction prevention measures, clarifications to U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration regulation and enforcement authority over opioid products, Medicare and Medicaid funding provisions, enhanced health care fraud protection, new data & reporting provisions, and telehealth requirements.

H.R. 6’s breadth requires impacted entities to take careful note of the Law’s requirements and varying effective dates.

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[1] Press Release, The White House, President Donald J. Trump Signed H.R. 6 into Law (Oct. 24, 2018), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-signed-h-r-6-law/.

[2] Press Release, U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, President Trump Signs Alexander Bill to Fight Opioid Crisis (Oct. 24), available at https://www.help.senate.gov/chair/newsroom/press/president-trump-signs-alexander-bill-to-fight-opioid-crisis.