Capito seeks better treatment for patients with opioid addiction through sharing of medical records

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) recently unveiled a bipartisan bill that would protect the confidentiality of substance use disorder patients, while also ensuring that medical professionals have access to a patient’s history of opioid addiction in order to provide them with appropriate medical care.

“It is essential that privacy requirements for patients’ substance use records are updated to better reflect a patient’s history,” Sen. Capito said on Monday. “I know this bill will make a tremendous difference as we continue fighting the drug epidemic.”

Sen. Capito on April 3 led nine other original cosponsors, including U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), in introducing the Protecting Jessica Grubb’s Legacy Act, S. 1012, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).

S. 1012 would improve health care coordination by allowing the medical records of patients being treated for substance use disorder to be safely and privately shared between healthcare providers if the patient provides that information.The bill, according to Sen. Capito, would ensure medical providers do not accidentally give opioids to individuals in recovery, such as in the case of Jessica Grubb.

Grubb, a 30-year-old native of West Virginia who was in Ann Arbor, Mich., recovering from a hip surgery and a seven-year heroin addiction, died on March 2, 2016 after overdosing on opioids prescribed for her post-surgery pain by a discharging doctor who said he didn’t know she had a previous drug problem.

“Jessie Grubb’s death remains a heartbreaking reminder of the opioid epidemic’s consequences, but her story continues to inspire action and results,” Sen. Capito said. “I am proud to reintroduce this legislation in her honor … and to ensure medical professionals have all of the information they need to avoid tragedies like this.” 

During the previous session of Congress, Sens. Capito and Manchin also introduced the original, same-named S. 1850, which stalled in a U.S. Senate committee.

“By making changes to the existing regulations regarding medical records, we can save thousands of lives,” added Sen. Manchin. “No one should go to the doctor expecting to receive help and instead be thrown back into the nightmare of addiction. We have seen far too many deaths in West Virginia from this epidemic.”

The newly introduced S. 1012 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for consideration.