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Committee delays vote on telehealth access for buprenorphine; sponsors seek more review
Summary
Senate Bill 12 08, which would allow patients receiving buprenorphine for opioid use disorder to start or continue treatment via telehealth without an in-person visit, was discussed at length and rolled to the "hill of the calendar" to allow further review and questions from members.
Senate Bill 12 08, a measure to allow medically supervised buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder to be provided via telehealth without an initial in-person visit, drew extended discussion in the Commerce and Labor Committee and was rolled to the hill of the calendar for further consideration.
Sponsor Senator Yarbrough told the committee the change aims to remove a barrier that prevents patients—especially in rural areas—from accessing medication-assisted treatment (MAT). "This bill does not change who can provide this service," Yarbrough said, adding the bill keeps existing licensing, presence and regulatory requirements for entities and clinicians that provide MAT.
Dr. Chad Elkin, board-certified in addiction medicine and advocacy chair for the Tennessee Society of Addiction Medicine, urged support and said telehealth "has proven to increase access and has also been proven to increase patient retention while remaining safe and highly effective." He added, "My job, my number 1 job is to save people's lives," and described buprenorphine (commonly known as Suboxone) as the gold standard for medication-assisted treatment.
Committee members asked detailed questions about who may prescribe via telehealth, whether in-person visits would still be required under federal rules, and about patient safeguards such as counseling and drug screening. Witnesses and the sponsor noted existing state and federal controls remain in force; the DEA has issued federal guidance that affects tele-prescribing of controlled substances.
Chairman Bailey, after discussion, accepted a request to "roll" the bill to the hill of the calendar to allow members time to review federal rules and consult experts. The committee did not take a final vote during the hearing.
— Ending note: Committee members signaled concern about ensuring safeguards and preventing overuse; sponsor asked for additional time and the item was deferred for follow-up prior to a future vote.
