Statement on HHS Proposed Rule on 42 CFR PART 2

Tom Nickels
Executive Vice President 
American Hospital Association

August 22, 2019

From saving lives and reversing overdoses 24 hours a day in emergency departments to providing substance use disorder treatment to connecting patients with recovery resources in communities, America’s hospitals and health systems work to combat the opioid epidemic on a daily basis.

We commend the administration for taking steps to improve safety for patients seeking substance use disorder treatment. In particular, we appreciate the support for data reporting in prescription drug monitoring programs, with patient consent, and the clarification of the role primary care physicians can play in coordinating treatment.

We urge Congress to further this progress by enacting legislation to align requirements for information sharing for the treatment of substance use disorder with HIPAA.

Contact:   Sean Barry, American Hospital Association, (202) 626-2306