Gov. John Carney today at 2:00 p.m. will sign a series of bills designed to improve oversight of opiate prescriptions and expand access to treatment.  Legislators, activists, Secretary Dr. Kara Odom of the Department of Health and Social Services, and Attorney General Matt Denn will join the governor for the signing.

The three bills address both treatment and oversight.

Senate Bill 41 requires health care providers to cover "medically necessary" treatment of alcohol and drug dependencies." It also prohibits carriers imposing requirements like pre-admission screenings, referrals or prior authorization.

House Bill 91 gives the state's prescription monitoring program more ability to determine patterns of abuse and refer them to law enforcement.

House Bill 100 makes it easier to access Medicaid for drug treatment. The bill would allow the state Department of Justice to use money from the Consumer Protection Fund to provide legal assistance to those seeking benefits.