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MATE Improvement Act
4/1/2025, 6:43 PM
Summary of Bill S 946
Under the proposed legislation, prescribers would be required to undergo training on topics such as proper prescribing practices, identifying and managing substance use disorders, and alternative treatments for pain management. The goal of this training is to reduce the misuse and abuse of controlled substances, while also ensuring that patients receive appropriate and effective treatment.
Additionally, the bill includes provisions for ongoing education and training for prescribers, to ensure that they stay up-to-date on the latest research and best practices in prescribing controlled substances. This will help to improve patient outcomes and reduce the risk of addiction and overdose. Overall, Bill 119 s 946 seeks to enhance the quality of care provided to patients who require controlled substances, while also addressing the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States. By clarifying and strengthening training requirements for prescribers, the legislation aims to promote safe and responsible prescribing practices, ultimately benefiting both patients and the healthcare system as a whole.
Congressional Summary of S 946
Medication Access and Training Expansion Improvement Act or the MATE Improvement Act
This bill expands the types of organizations that may provide required training for practitioners registering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to dispense (i.e., prescribe or administer) certain controlled substances.
Current law requires health care practitioners to register with the DEA and complete a one-time training on substance use disorders from specified entities in order to dispense schedule II-V controlled substances. Practitioners who graduated within the last five years from specified types of schools and whose curriculum included similar training on substance use disorders are exempt from having to receive this additional training.
The bill adds several organizations (e.g., the American Academy of Family Physicians) to the list of entities that may provide the required one-time training for physicians or other practitioners. It also expands the types of practitioners who are exempt from this training requirement to include those who graduated from schools of podiatric medicine or schools of pharmacy within the last five years and received similar training as part of their curriculums.
The bill applies retroactively, taking effect as if enacted on December 29, 2022.
