Last Updated: Sep 30, 2021

The Pennsylvania General Assembly recently passed House Bill (HB) 1774. On Sept 30, 2021, Gov. Wolf signed HB 1774 into law as Act 72 of 2021.

This Act implements into law certain waivers that were issued by the Wolf Administration as part of the Opioid Disaster Declaration that the Governor first issued in Jan. 2018 and subsequently renewed several times. The disaster declaration ended on Aug. 25, 2021. With the ending of the declaration, all waivers and flexibilities issued pursuant to the declaration also ended.

Act 72 amends the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program (ABC-MAP) Act to allow additional designated personnel from certain commonwealth agencies to access information through Pennsylvania’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). Pursuant to the Opioid Disaster Declaration, the Pa. Department of Health was allowed to provide additional PDMP access to certain personnel from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and Department of Labor & Industry. Act 72 implements these waivers into law.

Additionally, Act 72 also extends the sunset of the ABC-MAP from June 30, 2022 to December 31, 2028.