What is the patient limit in the third year for a provider with a DATA waiver?

A provider with a DATA (Drug Addiction Treatment Act) waiver can treat a specific number of patients for opioid use disorder, and this limit changes over time as the provider gains experience and may wish to expand their services.

In the first year after receiving the waiver, a provider is allowed to treat up to 30 patients. After one year, the provider can increase their patient limit to up to 100 patients. By the third year, based on the provider's ongoing training and experience, the limit expands further to allow treatment of up to 275 patients. This structure is designed to ensure that providers have adequate experience in treating patients with opioid use disorder before allowing them to take on larger patient loads.

This tiered approach is important as it not only helps manage the quality of care provided to patients but also prevents overwhelming the provider, which could negatively affect treatment outcomes. Overall, understanding these limits is crucial for compliance with regulations related to addiction treatment and for ensuring effective patient care.