SB 18-168

Senate Bill 18-168 aims to make medication-assisted treatment more accessible for people with substance use disorders by allowing pharmacists to administer certain treatments and ensuring these medications are covered under Colorado’s medical assistance program. This means that individuals who need help managing opioid addiction can receive injectable treatments directly from their pharmacist, and the cost will be covered by insurance if they qualify. The bill is currently in a committee where it has been postponed indefinitely, which means it won’t move forward until there's further action or changes made to it.

Official Summary

The bill requires extended-release opioid antagonists for use in medication-assisted treatment to be included as a pharmacy benefit under the medical assistance program. The bill permits a pharmacist who has entered into a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement with one or more prescribers to administer injectable medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders and receive an enhanced dispensing fee under the Colorado medical assistance program for the administration. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More