Can a Regular Doctor Prescribe Suboxone?

Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board-Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner · Last updated June 2026

Yes — since the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MATE) Act of 2023, any DEA-licensed prescriber can prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. The X-waiver that previously restricted prescribing to specially trained providers is gone. Your primary care doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant can legally prescribe Suboxone today. Whether they actually do is a different question — and it explains why dedicated MAT programs continue to matter.

Specialized medication-assisted treatment providers bring the experience that makes Suboxone work.

What Changed in 2023: The MATE Act

Before 2023, prescribing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder required a specific DEA “X-waiver” obtained only after completing eight hours of training for physicians or 24 hours for non-physician providers. The requirement was well-intentioned but functioned as a structural barrier to access. For more on this, see our guide to whether Suboxone shows up on a drug test.

Congress eliminated it. The MATE Act, signed December 2022 and effective January 2023, removed the X-waiver entirely. Any practitioner holding an active DEA Schedule III registration — the standard registration that already authorizes prescribing controlled substances — can now prescribe buprenorphine for OUD.

Who can legally prescribe buprenorphine now:

• Medical doctors (MD) and doctors of osteopathic medicine (DO)
• Nurse practitioners (NP)
• Physician assistants (PA)
• Certified nurse midwives (CNM)
• Any DEA-registered prescriber with Schedule III authority

The MATE Act also added an eight-hour OUD training requirement to the DEA registration renewal process for all practitioners — not only those prescribing buprenorphine — to raise baseline awareness across the profession.

Why Many Primary Care Doctors Still Don’t Prescribe It

Eliminating the X-waiver made buprenorphine prescribing legally accessible to all DEA-licensed providers. It did not automatically change clinical practice patterns. Most primary care physicians still do not prescribe buprenorphine, for identifiable reasons:

Clinical training gaps. While the regulatory barrier is gone, clinical confidence is not automatic. Managing MAT requires understanding induction timing, urine drug screening interpretation, dose titration, monitoring protocols, and coordination with behavioral health — skills that are not standard in primary care training. We cover why Suboxone can make you tired in a separate article.

Practice capacity. MAT patients require more frequent appointments during induction and ongoing monitoring visits. In a primary care practice already running behind, adding MAT patients creates workflow pressure that most have not structurally solved.

Persistent stigma within the profession. Despite MAT being the evidence-based standard of care, some prescribers hold residual reservations about prescribing buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder. This position is not medically supported, but it persists in some practices.

The result: legal access expanded, but actual prescribing capacity remains unevenly distributed. Many patients in Florida — outside major metro areas or academic centers — still encounter primary care practices that do not offer MAT, regardless of what the law now permits. If that applies to you, read more about how long Suboxone blocks opiates.

What a Dedicated MAT Provider Offers That a PCP Often Cannot

Trust Psychiatry & Wellness exists precisely in that gap — between Suboxone’s legal availability and the practical experience of people who need consistent, expert management.

Psychiatric expertise. Opioid use disorder co-occurs with depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and trauma at very high rates. Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner — she evaluates and treats co-occurring psychiatric conditions that primary care often lacks the scope and time to address.

Induction support. Starting buprenorphine requires precise timing relative to the last opioid use. Taking it too soon causes precipitated withdrawal — a severe, avoidable outcome. Dedicated MAT providers have established induction protocols and same-day support for this process.

Ongoing medication management. Dose adjustments, side effect management, compliance evaluation, urine drug screen interpretation — these are routine in a MAT clinic and exceptional in primary care.

Behavioral health coordination. MAT medications work best in combination with counseling. A dedicated MAT provider maintains referral relationships with SUD counselors, behavioral health programs, and higher levels of care when needed. Our team also explains how to maximize Suboxone absorption in detail.

Telehealth access across Florida. Trust Psychiatry sees patients statewide via telehealth, which matters in the many areas of Florida — outside of West Palm Beach and the major metros — where MAT providers are not geographically accessible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my primary care doctor prescribe Suboxone?
Yes, legally — the MATE Act of 2023 eliminated the X-waiver requirement. However, many PCPs do not have established MAT programs. If yours does not prescribe buprenorphine, a dedicated MAT provider is the practical path forward.

Do I need a referral to see a Suboxone provider?
No referral is required to contact Trust Psychiatry & Wellness directly. You can schedule an evaluation without a PCP referral. Insurance verification and intake can be completed before your first visit. Learn more about taking gabapentin with Suboxone here.

Can a nurse practitioner prescribe Suboxone?
Yes. Nurse practitioners with DEA Schedule III registration are authorized under the MATE Act. Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with dedicated MAT training and experience.

What qualifications should I look for in a Suboxone provider?
Legal prescribing authority is the floor, not the ceiling. Look for a provider with specific MAT training, psychiatric capability for co-occurring conditions, structured monitoring protocols, and the capacity to coordinate care with other providers.

Is Suboxone available through telehealth?
Yes. Federal telehealth flexibilities allow buprenorphine initiation via telehealth without requiring an in-person first visit. Trust Psychiatry provides telehealth MAT evaluations and ongoing management across Florida.

This article is for educational purposes only. Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) requires a prescription and ongoing medical supervision. Contact Trust Psychiatry & Wellness at (561) 849-4449 to discuss MAT treatment options. You may also want to understand getting Suboxone at urgent care.

Specialized MAT Care in West Palm Beach and Across Florida

A prescriber who can legally write buprenorphine and a provider who manages MAT with clinical depth are not the same thing. At Trust Psychiatry & Wellness, Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC, combines psychiatric expertise with dedicated MAT management — including induction support, psychiatric evaluation, and ongoing medication management.

Learn more about our MAT and Suboxone program or call (561) 849-4449). In person at 4500 Belvedere Rd, Suite D, West Palm Beach — or by telehealth anywhere in Florida.

Related reading: maximizing Suboxone absorption and gabapentin with Suboxone. If symptoms are affecting your daily life, our medication management services can help.

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