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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY WARD, D. WHITE, EICHELBERGER, STACK, VOGEL, ORIE, WAUGH, WOZNIAK AND MENSCH, MAY 26, 2010 |
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| REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, MAY 26, 2010 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An |
2 | act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public |
3 | welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance, |
4 | further providing for definitions; and in public assistance, |
5 | providing for payment conditions for methadone treatment. |
6 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
7 | hereby enacts as follows: |
8 | Section 1. Section 402 of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, |
9 | No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, is amended by adding |
10 | definitions to read: |
11 | Section 402. Definitions.--As used in this article, unless |
12 | the content clearly indicates otherwise: |
13 | * * * |
14 | "Methadone" means a synthetic opioid agonist which binds with |
15 | opioid receptors in the brain to initiate drug actions that |
16 | mimic the effects of opiates. |
17 | "Narcotic treatment program" means a program for chronic drug |
18 | users that either administers or dispenses agents under a |
19 | narcotic treatment physician's order for detoxification or |
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1 | maintenance purposes, or provides a comprehensive range of |
2 | medical and rehabilitative services to alleviate adverse |
3 | medical, psychological or physical effects incident to an |
4 | addiction to narcotics, or both. |
5 | * * * |
6 | "Opioid addiction treatment" means a narcotic treatment |
7 | program that involves the dispensing of an opioid agonist or |
8 | antagonist treatment medication, along with appropriate or |
9 | necessary medical and rehabilitative services to an individual |
10 | to alleviate the adverse medical, psychological or physical |
11 | effects incident to opiate addiction. The term encompasses |
12 | detoxification treatment, short-term detoxification treatment, |
13 | long-term detoxification treatment, maintenance treatment, |
14 | comprehensive maintenance treatment and interim maintenance |
15 | treatment. |
16 | * * * |
17 | Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read: |
18 | Section 443.11. Payment Conditions for Methadone |
19 | Treatment.--Payment by the department shall be made for |
20 | medically necessary methadone treatment clinic visits and opiate |
21 | detoxification clinic visits if the individual: |
22 | (1) has received a clinical assessment, including |
23 | identification of methadone or opioid addiction treatment needs, |
24 | conducted by a licensed provider; and |
25 | (2) has a narcotic treatment program that includes |
26 | detoxification treatment for up to one year, which may be |
27 | continued for up to an additional six months as long as the |
28 | individual is progressing toward a full recovery. |
29 | Section 3. This act shall take effect in 30 days. |
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