A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 8 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act 2.0 of 2026 aims to expand access to methadone for treating opioid use disorder. It allows certain qualified practitioners to prescribe methadone to be dispensed through pharmacies for supervised or unsupervised use. These practitioners include specific addiction medicine specialists or those determined qualified by the Secretary. The bill mandates that prescribing occurs exclusively via electronic means for liquid or dispersible tablet formulations. Additionally, treatment may be provided through telemedicine. The Act also establishes oversight through required reports to Congress from the DEA.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +8
Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths?
The bill directly targets the opioid crisis by diversifying treatment access methods.
- Scored +7
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill expands access to methadone treatment through pharmacies and telemedicine.
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates annual reports to Congress regarding methadone prescribing and registration statistics.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The bill notes potential differences in confidentiality protections when using pharmacies for dispensing.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Expanded Access to Treatment: The bill allows methadone to be dispensed through a pharmacy for an individual's own supervised or unsupervised use, which expands how people can receive care (Section 2, paragraph (2)(A)).
-
Use of Telemedicine: Maintenance treatment or detoxification treatment can be provided through the practice of telemedicine (Section 2, paragraph (2)(G)).
-
Streamlined Pharmacy Dispensing: Pharmacies are not required to obtain a separate registration to dispense methadone to an individual prescribed the medication by a registered practitioner (Section 2, paragraph (2)(H)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Confidentiality Risks: Individuals must be informed of specific differences in confidentiality protections when dispensing through a pharmacy instead of through an opioid treatment program (Section 2, paragraph (2)(E)(ii)).
-
State-Level Restrictions: A State has the power to request that the Attorney General cease registering, revoke existing registrations, or deny pending applications for these specific practitioners within that State (Section 2, paragraph (2)(F)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — The bill directly targets the opioid crisis by diversifying treatment access methods. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill expands access to methadone treatment through pharmacies and telemedicine.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates annual reports to Congress regarding methadone prescribing and registration statistics. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill allows States to request that the Attorney General cease or revoke registrations within their borders. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill notes potential differences in confidentiality protections when using pharmacies for dispensing.
- 9/15/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/13/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
Maggie HassanDemocrat · New Hampshire
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Rand PaulRepublican · Kentucky
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts