Effective June 27, 2022, under certain circumstances, doctors in outpatient settings prescribing an opioid for pain management may also be required to simultaneously prescribe an opioid antagonist to the patient. This new LAW applies to the first opioid prescription to a patient each year when any one of the following conditions are known to exist:
(a) a history of substance use disorder; or
(b) high dose or cumulative prescriptions that result in ninety morphine milligram equivalents or higher per day; or
(c) concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepine or nonbenzodiazepine sedative hypnotics.
Each provider's first opioid prescription of the year to a patient is subject to this law. It does not matter if the patient already had received another opioid prescription from a different provider earlier in the year. If it is your first opioid prescription to the patient that year and one of the noted conditions exist, you must also prescribe an opioid antagonist.