{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2521", "Balderson, Kelly Introduce Legislation to Combat Prescription Opioid Abuse", "2023-06-28", "2023", "2023-06", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Troy Balderson", "B001306", "balderson.house.gov", "balderson", "https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=6", "scraper", "WASHINGTON D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) and Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL) introduced legislation to enable health care providers to track and ensure the well-being of patients who are prescribed opioids. The Remote Opioid Monitoring Act would create a study focusing on the benefits and efficacy of remote monitoring.\n\n\u201cThe opioid epidemic has been indiscriminate, impacting every community across the country,\u201d said Balderson. \u201cPreventing addiction and abuse from the outset is the most effective way to combat this crisis. This legislation would give health care providers the opportunity to oversee the treatment of their patients and observe how they respond to their prescribed medication.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe right medication can be life-changing, and even life-saving, but we must ensure that medication like opioids are used safely,\u201d said Kelly. \u201cWe need to better understand how to leverage current technologies by studying the efficacy and outcomes of remote monitoring of patients who are prescribed opioids. I\u2019m proud to lead this legislation which will bring us closer to overcoming the challenges of substance abuse faced by so many Americans.\u201d\n\nIn 2021, 80,816 Americans died from an opioid overdose. Many Americans\u2019 first exposure to opioids comes from a lawful prescription by their physician. Then, from either proper use or misuse, some patients develop an addiction.\n\nRemote monitoring gives health care providers the ability to view trends and identify problems in physiological functions when the patient is no longer under their direct supervision. Two examples of remote monitoring include tracking medication adherence and preventing opioid-induced respiratory depression, which is the direct cause of death from an opioid overdose.\n\n\u201cDigital health technologies have proven an important tool in combatting the nation\u2019s opioid epidemic. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) commends Congressman Balderson and Congresswoman Kelly for leading this legislation to study the use of remote monitoring tools that reduce the risks of opioid misuse and promote early intervention by tracking a patients' vital signs, medication adherence, and overall well-being from the safety of their homes,\u201d said Catherine Pugh, Senior Manager, Digital Health, Consumer Technology Association.\n\nThe Remote Opioid Monitoring Act would require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the remote monitoring of patients prescribed opioids. The study would look at the efficacy of remote monitoring programs, the prevalence of existing programs, and provide recommendations for improving existing federal health care programs.\n\nThe bill was included for consideration by the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on Wednesday, June 21, in a Legislative Hearing entitled, \u201cResponding to America\u2019s Overdose Crisis: An Examination of Legislation to Build Upon the SUPPORT Act.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the Remote Opioid Monitoring Act can be found here.\n\n###\n\nRelated News\n\nOp-Ed \u2013 Keeping pace with innovation: Empowering Americans in the age of wearables\n\nFebruary 25, 2026 | Posted in Articles\n\nBalderson Leads Effort to Close Alzheimer\u2019s Diagnosis Gap with Enhanced Training for Primary Care Providers\n\nJune 5, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nBalderson, Dunn, Murphy Reintroduce Bill to Expand Telehealth Access for Seniors\n\nApril 22, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nBalderson, Kelly Reintroduce Bill to Prevent Prescription Opioid Abuse\n\nMarch 27, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nBalderson Tapped to Serve on Key Congressional Health Panel\n\nApril 12, 2024 | Posted in Press Releases", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:08:25Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2521"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4480999670922756, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}