On Thursday, October 18, the Board of Medicine approved the proposed draft regulations that would replace emergency regulations for the prescribing of opioids and buprenorphine by NPs.
 
These regulations are favorable, as they permit SAMHSA-waivered NPs to prescribe buprenorphine outside of a practice agreement, so long as these NPs are autonomous – that is, having completed five years of full-time experience and the attestation process, per the requirements of HB 793.
 
On October 10, the Joint Boards of Medicine and Nursing had unanimously voted to approve these regulations, in spite of organized medicine’s opposition. The draft regulations will now be reviewed and voted on by the Board of Nursing at its November 13th meeting. To view a copy of the latest draft regulations on the prescribing of opioids and buprenorphine, please click here.
 
The Board of Medicine also voted to eliminate the separate license for NP prescriptive authority. The updated regulations repeal 18VAC90-40-50 (“Renewal of prescriptive authority”), as well as 18VAC90-40-60 (“Reinstatement of prescriptive authority”). There will be a one-time, $35 fee for the initial issuance of prescriptive authority. For additional information, please see the relevant Notice of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA).