Committee approves SB 726 substitute to require on-site services at MAT centers and restrict telehealth use

A West Virginia Senate committee on March 5, 2025 reported a committee substitute for Senate Bill 726 to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass as amended.

Committee counsel told members the substitute would require opioid treatment programs and office-based medication-assisted treatment (OBMAT) programs to offer certain medical and wraparound services on-site, define an integrated care model, and phase in expanded services on internal effective dates (including an expansion by April 1, 2026). The substitute requires programs to provide an informed-consent document on admission and quarterly thereafter explaining risks and benefits of treatment options, and to perform quarterly assessments of a client's status to support physical, mental and psychosocial wellbeing. Counsel said the Office of the Inspector General would have rulemaking…