Balderson, Kelly Reintroduce Bill to Prevent Prescription Opioid Abuse
Washington,
March 27, 2025
WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12) and Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-2) reintroduced the Remote Opioid Monitoring Act today to empower health care providers and combat opioid abuse. This legislation directs the federal government to study the benefits and effectiveness of remote monitoring technology, which would help health care providers track patients prescribed opioids and ensure their well-being.
“The opioid epidemic has devastated communities and families in Ohio and across the country,” said Balderson. “To combat this crisis, we must allow doctors to intervene early and prevent prescription abuse and misuse from the outset. This legislation empowers health care professionals to oversee their patients' treatment and monitor how they respond to prescribed medication.” “We need to better understand how to leverage current technologies to combat our country's tragic opioid epidemic,” said Kelly. “I'm proud to lead this legislation, which will bring us closer to overcoming the challenges of substance use faced by so many Americans. With better research and understanding through remote monitoring, we can ensure prescription opioids are used safely.” In 2023, opioids claimed the lives of 105,007 Americans, including 4,452 Ohioans who died from an unintentional opioid overdose. For many Americans, their first exposure to opioids comes from a prescription from their physician. Some patients develop an addiction, whether through proper use or misuse. Improving prescription monitoring has been identified by experts as a key component in the fight against the opioid epidemic. Detecting troubling signs during a prescription regimen allows health care providers to intervene early. The Remote Opioid Monitoring Act would require the Comptroller General of the United States to study the remote monitoring of patients prescribed opioids. The study would assess the efficacy of remote monitoring programs, examine their prevalence, and provide recommendations for improving existing federal health care programs. This legislation passed the House last Congress by a vote of 386-37 when it was included as part of the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which focused on equipping communities to combat substance abuse. Full text of the Remote Opioid Monitoring Act can be found HERE.
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