TREATS Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1627 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1627

    To amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow for the use of 
telehealth in substance use disorder treatment, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2025

Mr. Norcross (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
   in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

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                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow for the use of 
telehealth in substance use disorder treatment, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Telehealth Response for E-
prescribing Addiction Therapy Services Act'' or the ``TREATS Act''.

SEC. 2. TELEHEALTH FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT.

    Section 309(e)(2) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 
829(e)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)(i)--
                    (A) by striking ``at least 1 in-person medical 
                evaluation'' and inserting the following: ``at least--
                                    ``(I) 1 in-person medical 
                                evaluation''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(II) for purposes of prescribing 
                                a controlled substance in schedule III, 
                                IV, or V that has been approved by the 
                                Food and Drug Administration for the 
                                treatment of a substance use disorder, 
                                1 telehealth evaluation of the patient; 
                                or''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) The term `telehealth evaluation' means a 
                medical evaluation that is conducted in accordance with 
                applicable Federal and State laws by a practitioner 
                (other than a pharmacist) who is at a location remote 
                from the patient and is communicating with the patient, 
                or a practitioner who is treating the patient, using a 
                telecommunications system referred to in section 
                1834(m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)) 
                that includes audio-only or audio and video equipment 
                permitting two-way, real-time interactive communication 
                between the distant site practitioner and the patient, 
                or the practitioner who is treating the patient.''.
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