# Plain Language Summary: Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2021

Right now, doctors who want to prescribe certain medications for addiction treatment have to jump through extra hoops. They need special permission from the federal government beyond their regular medical license. This bill removes that extra requirement, making it easier for doctors to offer addiction treatment as part of their regular practice. The medications in question—like buprenorphine—are lower-risk opioids that help people manage addiction by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Currently, only specially certified doctors can prescribe these drugs for addiction treatment, but this bill says any licensed doctor should be able to do it without getting additional federal approval.

The practical effect is that addiction treatment becomes more accessible. Instead of having to find a specialized addiction clinic, someone struggling with opioid addiction could potentially get help from their regular doctor or local health center. This matters because there's a huge shortage of addiction specialists in many parts of the country, especially rural areas. By letting regular doctors prescribe these medications, the bill aims to get treatment to more people faster. The bill also allows community health workers in rural and tribal areas to dispense these medications under a doctor's supervision through telemedicine, which is especially important for people in remote locations who can't easily travel to see a specialist.

To make this transition work, the bill requires the federal government to run an education campaign to teach doctors about the change and encourage them to start offering addiction treatment. It also updates various insurance and Medicare rules to reflect the new system. The overall goal is to treat addiction like any other medical condition—something your regular doctor can help with—rather than something that requires special certification and separate clinics.

Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2021

Tonko, Paul

Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 This bill removes the requirement that a health care practitioner apply for a separate waiver through the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to dispense certain narcotic drugs (e.g., buprenorphine) for maintenance or detoxification treatment (i.e., substance use disorder treatment). Further, a community health aide or community health practitioner may dispense certain narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment without registering with the DEA if the drug is prescribed by a health care practitioner through telemedicine. It preempts state laws related to licensure for this activity. The bill also directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to conduct a national campaign to educate health care practitioners and encourage them to integrate substance use disorder treatment into their practices.