[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 58 (Wednesday, April 3, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND PATIENT SAFETY ACT

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 3, 2019

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the 
Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act. As the opioid crisis 
continues to devastate our communities, this legislation would help to 
address the opioid crisis by ensuring that medical providers have 
access to the full medical history of patients suffering from substance 
use disorders.
  Currently, because of an antiquated law from 1972, substance use 
treatment records are kept expressly separate from a patient's medical 
record. This life-threatening barrier prevents medical providers who 
treat patients in recovery for substance use disorders from knowing 
their full medical history, which can lead to poor, and in some cases, 
tragic patient outcomes.
  The Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act would align the 
outdated and restrictive law, known as 42 CFR Part 2 (or ``Part 2''), 
with the patient privacy protections currently in place under HIPAA, 
ensuring substance use records are treated as all other medical 
records. The legislation also incorporates language to guard against 
unauthorized invasions of patient privacy, discriminatory activities, 
and authorizes penalties and breach notification requirements for these 
transgressions not currently available under Part 2.
  As our health care delivery system moves towards more robust, 
integrated care models, every member of a patient's treatment team 
needs to understand a patient's full medical history, including 
substance use disorder history. Current Part 2 regulations stand as a 
hindrance to whole-person care and must be changed to ensure all 
patients, regardless of diagnosis, have access to safe, effective, 
high-quality treatment and care.
  If substance use disorder treatment is not included in your entire 
medical records, then they are not complete. It makes care coordination 
more difficult and can lead to devastating outcomes. This bill works to 
remove the stigma that comes with substance use disorders and ensures 
necessary information is available for safe, efficient, and transparent 
treatment for all patients. I urge all of my colleagues to join me to 
pass the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act.

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