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Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act 2.0 of 2026

USA119th CongressS-4941| Senate 
| Updated: 6/24/2026
Edward J. Markey

Edward J. Markey

Democratic Senator

Massachusetts

Cosponsors (7)
Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Rand Paul (Republican)Tina Smith (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This legislation aims to significantly expand access to methadone for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) by establishing an alternative care model. It achieves this by waiving current federal requirements, allowing the Attorney General to register specific practitioners to prescribe methadone for dispensing through pharmacies. Under this bill, eligible practitioners must be licensed to prescribe controlled substances and hold specific addiction medicine or psychiatry board certifications , or be otherwise deemed qualified by the Secretary. Prescriptions must be exclusively electronic , for liquid or dispersible tablet formulations , and comply with federal and state quantity limits. This new dispensing method is intended to supplement, not replace, care received through traditional opioid treatment programs. Key safeguards include requirements for practitioners to obtain informed consent from patients, detailing differences in confidentiality protections between pharmacy and clinic dispensing. States are also granted the authority to opt out of this program, allowing them to cease or revoke registrations within their borders. Furthermore, the bill explicitly permits the provision of methadone treatment through telemedicine under this new model. To ensure oversight, the Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator will be required to submit annual reports to Congress. These reports will detail the number of registered practitioners per state, any state opt-out requests, instances of registration revocations, and the volume of methadone ordered by pharmacies under the new provisions.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-644
Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act
Jun 24, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Jun 24, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Jul 20, 2026

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-9790
Introduced in House
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-644
    Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act


  • June 24, 2026
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 24, 2026
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


  • July 20, 2026

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-9790
    Introduced in House

Health

Related Bills

  • HR 119-9790: Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act 2.0 of 2026

Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act 2.0 of 2026

USA119th CongressS-4941| Senate 
| Updated: 6/24/2026
This legislation aims to significantly expand access to methadone for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) by establishing an alternative care model. It achieves this by waiving current federal requirements, allowing the Attorney General to register specific practitioners to prescribe methadone for dispensing through pharmacies. Under this bill, eligible practitioners must be licensed to prescribe controlled substances and hold specific addiction medicine or psychiatry board certifications , or be otherwise deemed qualified by the Secretary. Prescriptions must be exclusively electronic , for liquid or dispersible tablet formulations , and comply with federal and state quantity limits. This new dispensing method is intended to supplement, not replace, care received through traditional opioid treatment programs. Key safeguards include requirements for practitioners to obtain informed consent from patients, detailing differences in confidentiality protections between pharmacy and clinic dispensing. States are also granted the authority to opt out of this program, allowing them to cease or revoke registrations within their borders. Furthermore, the bill explicitly permits the provision of methadone treatment through telemedicine under this new model. To ensure oversight, the Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator will be required to submit annual reports to Congress. These reports will detail the number of registered practitioners per state, any state opt-out requests, instances of registration revocations, and the volume of methadone ordered by pharmacies under the new provisions.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-644
Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act
Jun 24, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Jun 24, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Jul 20, 2026

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-9790
Introduced in House
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-644
    Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act


  • June 24, 2026
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 24, 2026
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


  • July 20, 2026

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-9790
    Introduced in House
Edward J. Markey

Edward J. Markey

Democratic Senator

Massachusetts

Cosponsors (7)
Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Rand Paul (Republican)Tina Smith (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Health

Related Bills

  • HR 119-9790: Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act 2.0 of 2026
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted