Bill > H2535

This bill establishes a Naloxone Purchase Trust Fund to support a universal system for distributing opioid antagonists (medications like naloxone that can reverse opioid overdoses) throughout the Commonwealth. The trust fund will be financed through transfers from the executive office of health and human services, voluntary contributions from third-party payers, and interest earnings. The fund will be used to purchase, store, and distribute opioid antagonists to healthcare facilities such as hospitals, emergency departments, substance use disorder treatment facilities, and community health centers. Opioid antagonists will be targeted to patients with a history of opioid use, those diagnosed with opioid use disorder, or individuals who have previously experienced an opioid-related overdose. The bill limits administrative costs to 10% of the fund's total expenditures and requires the department to annually report fund collections and expenditures to various legislative committees. The department is also authorized to create rules and regulations to implement this universal purchase and distribution system, with the goal of addressing the opioid crisis by increasing access to life-saving overdose reversal medications.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2535