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House approves limited access for managed-care organizations to controlled-substance database
Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 29 to allow accountable care/managed-care organizations serving Medicaid patients to request controlled-substance database searches via the Department of Health under tightened safeguards; the measure passed 68–0.
Representative Red, the House sponsor, described Senate Bill 29 as enabling certain accountable-care organizations and managed-care entities that manage Medicaid clients to access the state controlled-substance database for the purpose of detecting and controlling drug abuse. He said an amendment requested by the Utah Medical Association narrows the access process so organizations must go through the Department of Health and request searches under a specified named-user process to prevent broad, unsupervised database searches.
Supporters said the change will allow health-care teams to identify misuse among Medicaid patients while preserving privacy protections; the sponsor emphasized the amendment 'tightens the manner in which these organizations have access'. With summation waived, the House opened and closed the vote; the clerk recorded 68 yes, 0 no and the bill passed.
The House will sign and return the bill to the Senate for the president's signature.
