In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Health care facility” means: A hospital; A federally qualified health center; An outpatient mental health clinic; An outpatient or residential addiction treatment provider; and A local health department. “Opioid addiction treatment medication” means a medication approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid use disorders. Each health care facility that is not part of a health care system and each health care system shall make available to patients the services of health care providers who are trained and authorized under federal law to prescribe opioid addiction treatment medications, including buprenorphine–containing formulations. To comply with subsection (b) of this section, a health care facility or a health care system may: Directly employ, contract with, or refer a patient to a health care provider who is trained and authorized under federal law to prescribe opioid addiction treatment medications, including buprenorphine–containing formulations; or Deliver the services in person or, if appropriate, through telehealth.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Nonpreferred medication” means a medication prescribed to treat an opioid use disorder that contains methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone and is not on the State’s preferred drug list. “Preferred medication” means a medication prescribed to treat an opioid use disorder that contains methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone and is on the State’s preferred drug list. The Department shall: Adopt a reporting system to monitor the prescribing of medications to treat opioid use disorders in the State, including which medications are being prescribed; Analyze patterns of prescribing medications in the State to identify prescribers who regularly prescribe nonpreferred medications, including a comparison of the patterns to the findings of the report submitted under subsection (d) of this section; Conduct outreach to individuals authorized to prescribe drugs and devices in the State using educational materials regarding the benefits of prescribing preferred medications; and Identify barriers to individuals who need medication to treat an opioid use disorder to obtaining the medication in a timely manner. On or before October 1 each year, beginning in 2023, the Department shall report on its findings and actions taken under subsection (b) of this section to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly. On or before October 1, 2022, the Department shall submit a report with an initial analysis of the items listed under subsection (b) of this section to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly.