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Balderson-Led Bill to Combat Opioid Addiction Passes House, Heads to Senate

Washington, December 15, 2023
WASHINGTON D.C. – This week, the House overwhelmingly passed the Remote Opioid Monitoring Act by a vote of 386-37. The bill, which was introduced by U.S. Representatives Troy Balderson (OH-12) and Robin Kelly (IL-02) in June, would direct the federal government to conduct a study on the benefits and efficacy of remote monitoring technology that would enable healthcare providers to track and ensure the wellbeing of patients who are prescribed opioids.

The bill was included as a part of the larger Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which focuses on equipping communities to fight substance abuse. Ohio, particularly its Appalachian region, has felt the brunt of the ongoing opioid epidemic. From 2011 to 2020, 27,071 Ohioans tragically lost their lives in an unintentional opioid overdose.

“For many Ohioans, their first exposure to opioids comes from a lawful prescription from their doctor,” said Balderson. “Sadly, through either misuse or abuse, patients can become addicted to the medication. Remote monitoring is an invaluable tool for physicians to prevent addiction from the outset and save lives.”

Once a patient’s prescription runs out, or when they build up a tolerance to their dosage, they may turn to illicit synthetic drugs like heroin and methamphetamine to fuel their addiction. Use of illicit drugs can already turn deadly, but the risk of overdose has skyrocketed with the rising presence of fentanyl. According to the most recent data from the Ohio Department of Health, illicit fentanyl is now involved in more than 80 percent of drug-overdose deaths in Ohio.

Addiction can quickly set in when opioids are involved, making it even more important for medical professionals to intervene as soon as possible when they see the warning signs.

Remote monitoring gives health care providers the ability to view trends and identify problems in physiological functions when a patient is no longer under their direct supervision. This can include tracking medication adherence and monitoring patients’ vital signs.

“We commend Representatives Balderson and Kelly for their visionary leadership in advancing crucial legislation,” said Jodi Salvo, Director of Substance Use Prevention Services at OhioGuidestone, a non-profit behavioral health agency that serves 26,000 people each year across the state. “By directing the federal government to undertake a comprehensive study on the benefits and efficacy of remote monitoring, we are embracing innovative solutions that empower healthcare providers to track and safeguard patients prescribed opioids. As Representative Balderson rightly highlights, the journey for many Americans into opioid use often begins with a lawful prescription. The Remote Opioid Monitoring Act addresses this critical point by leveraging cutting-edge remote monitoring technology. As this legislation progresses to the Senate, we remain hopeful that its innovative approach will garner the necessary support to become a transformative force in the ongoing battle against opioid addiction.”

“The House reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act provides first responders, treatment providers and Ohioans battling the opiate epidemic with much needed reinforcement by permanently eliminating barriers to accessing treatment, assisting in building the Behavioral Health workforce necessary to address the epidemic and authorizing research into innovative approaches that could also lead to safely expanding access and availability of medications for opiate use disorder treatment,” said Dustin Mets, CEO of CompDrug, an Ohio non-profit company offering prevention, intervention, and treatment services to those with addiction and mental health issues. “We won’t succeed if we don’t eliminate barriers to accessing safe care, have a workforce to serve those individuals seeking care, and work to find innovative solutions.  The House’s reauthorized SUPPORT Act does all three.”

The Remote Opioid Monitoring Act would require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the remote monitoring of patients prescribed opioids. The study would look at the efficacy and current use of remote monitoring in federal health care programs, and it would provide recommendations to expand remote monitoring services within those programs.

The legislation will now be sent to the Senate for further consideration.

Full text of the Remote Opioid Monitoring Act can be found HERE.
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