119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 9790
This bill expands access to methadone for treating opioid addiction by allowing qualified addiction medicine physicians and addiction psychiatrists to prescribe methadone through pharmacies, rather than limiting it to specialized opioid treatment programs. Qualified practitioners must hold specific board certifications in addiction medicine or psychiatry, or meet standards set by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and must use electronic prescribing for liquid or dispersible tablet formulations. The bill affects patients with opioid use disorder, healthcare providers, pharmacies, and state governments, with patients able to receive methadone through regular pharmacies while maintaining access to other addiction treatment services. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment, and the Drug Enforcement Administration must report to Congress annually on the number of registered practitioners, state requests to opt out, registration violations, and pharmacy orders for methadone. States retain the authority to request that the Attorney General stop registering prescribers within their borders if they choose not to participate in this expanded access model.