The Texas Medical Board (TMB) issued preliminary guidance related to Texas’ new limit on opioid prescriptions that will go into effect on September 1, 2019. The 10-day limit on opioid prescriptions was created by HB 2174 in the 2019 Texas Legislature. Click here to view the initial guidance: HB 2174 Initial Guidance – TMB
Opioids
Texas Medical Board Offers Guidance Related to the State’s New Opioid Law
TOA Encourages the Texas Medical Board to Seek Legislative Intent on Opioid CME Bills

The Texas Orthopaedic Association (TOA) supported legislative efforts in the 2019 Texas Legislature to require continuing medical education (CME) for prescribing opioids. TOA was pleased that lawmakers worked with TOA on the issue. Instead of passing an omnibus bill related to opioids, the 2019 Texas Legislature took a “shotgun approach” to opioids by passing a…
Carl Nunziato, MD testifying on opioids before the Texas House Public Health Committee

Carl Nunziato, MD is an orthopaedic resident at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. A California native, Dr. Nunziato completed medical school at the University of Vermont and received an undergraduate degree from Yale. Dr. Nunziato is a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserves. TOA asked Dr. Nunziato to testify before the Texas Legislature…
Prescription Monitoring Program

Click here to view the Prescription Monitoring Program
Texas House Select Committee Releases Opioid Findings

The Texas House Select Committee on Opioids and Substance Abuse released its report on December 3, 2018. The committee is chaired by Rep. Four Price of Amarillo. An additional select committee, which is co-chaired by Senator Charles Schwertner, MD and Rep. JD Sheffield, DO, is expected to release a report on the state’s prescription monitoring…
Texas Medicaid Proposes New Opioid Limits

The Texas Medicaid Vendor Drug Program has proposed a policy that would apply morphine equivalent dose (MED) limits per day and seven-day limits on opioids opioids that are used to treat acute pain in the state’s Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs). The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is accepting comments until November 14,…