S. 921 — what changed

changed Study— Not later than 1 year 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and in coordination with other Federal departments, agencies, or stakeholders, as appropriate, shall complete a study to determine—

changed how frequently hospital emergency departments test for fentanyl (in addition to testing for other or fentanyl-related substances such as amphetamines, phencyclidine, cocaine, opiates, and marijuana) when a patient is experiencing an overdose, and test for other controlled substances related to such an overdose;

changed the costs associated with such testing scenarios in which hospital emergency departments do not administer tests for fentanyl;fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances when a patient is experiencing an overdose, or for other controlled substances related to such an overdose;

changed the potential benefits and risks for patients receiving costs associated with such testing for fentanyl; andfentanyl or fentanyl-related substances;

changed how fentanyl testing in hospital emergency departments may impact the experience of the patient, including—potential benefits and risks for patients receiving such testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances;

changed Guidance— Not later than 6 9 months after completion of the study under subsection (a), based on the results of such study, the Secretary of Health and Human Services Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and in coordination with other Federal departments, agencies, or stakeholders, as appropriate, shall issue guidance on the following:

changed Whether hospital emergency departments should implement fentanyl testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances as a routine procedure for patients experiencing an overdose.

changed How hospitals can ensure that clinicians health care professionals in their hospital emergency departments are aware of which substances are being tested for in their routinely-administered drug tests, regardless of whether those tests screen for fentanyl.fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances.

changed How the administration of fentanyl testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances in hospital emergency departments may affect the future risk of overdose and general health outcomes.

changed Definition—Definitions— In this section, the term hospital emergency department means an emergency department of a hospital or an independent freestanding emergency department as (as such term is used terms are defined in section 1867(a) 2799A–1(a)(3) of the Social Security Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 1395dd(a)).300gg–111(a)(3))).