Doctors would have the same access to records of patients who have been treated for substance use disorder as physicians have to other types of medical records under legislation announced by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Thursday.
In an effort to encourage individuals to seek treatment, the Public Health Service Act restricts substance use disorder treatment records from being disclosed unless specific criteria are met. Under the Protecting Jessie Grubb’s Legacy Act, substance use records would have the same privacy and confidentiality protections as other medical records to help physicians make more informed decisions.
The bill’s namesake, Jessie Grubb, was a recovering addict who suffered a fatal overdose after being prescribed opioid painkillers after a surgery. Although Grubb’s family informed her doctor, the discharging doctor who wrote the prescription wasn’t aware of Grubb’s history of addiction.
“The Grubb family has experienced unimaginable pain from the scourge of addiction that has taken the lives of so many in West Virginia and across the country,” Capito said. “Jessie’s death is heartbreaking, but her story has inspired action. With this new legislation, we are taking another important step to prevent future overdose deaths by making sure medical professionals have the information they need when treating patients who have struggled with addiction.”
The Protecting Jessie Grubb’s Legacy Act aims to ensure that doctors have access to a patient’s full medical history in order to prescribe the best care and treatment.
“As a mother and a grandmother, I cannot image the pain the Grubb family feels after losing their daughter, but I know this bill will make a tremendous difference as we continue fighting the drug epidemic,” Capito added.
Capito introduced the bipartisan bill with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).
“We miss Jessie everyday,” Kate Grubb, Jessie’s mother, said. “But this legislation will hopefully spare other families the sadness and grief we have experienced and are continuing to endure.”