The DEA and SAMHSA have extended telehealth prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances through November 11, 2024, following a temporary rule. The move comes after several healthcare organizations, including the AHA, requested continued telehealth prescribing flexibilities for patients with substance use disorders. The extension will enable healthcare providers to continue prescribing controlled substances via telehealth services, ensuring that patients receive critical care while also safeguarding against misuse and diversion. Telehealth services have become a critical component of the healthcare industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling providers to reach patients in need regardless of location.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes to the healthcare industry, including the rapid adoption of telehealth services. To mitigate the spread of the virus, healthcare providers were forced to transition to virtual care and telemedicine. However, the pandemic has also presented several challenges to the prescribing of controlled substances, particularly for patients with substance use disorders.
In response to this challenge, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued a temporary rule in April 2021 to extend telehealth prescribing flexibilities for buprenorphine and other controlled substances through November 11, 2024. The rule was issued in response to requests from several healthcare organizations, including the American Hospital Association (AHA).
The temporary rule allows healthcare providers to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth services, providing a lifeline to patients with substance use disorders who require ongoing treatment. The DEA and SAMHSA have also been working on developing final regulations for telehealth prescribing that are consistent with public health, safety, and effective controls against diversion.
Before the extension was approved, telehealth prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances were set to end when the COVID-19 public health emergency expired on May 11, 2021. The extension was welcomed by healthcare providers and organizations who have been advocating for continued telehealth prescribing flexibilities.
The AHA has been particularly vocal in its support of telehealth prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances. According to Ashley Thompson, AHA’s senior vice president for public policy analysis and development, “The AHA appreciates the Administration listening to our concerns by extending COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities for prescriptions of controlled medications. These important flexibilities have made it possible for patients to get the care and critical medicines they need over the past three years and have also helped preserve provider capacity during ongoing workforce shortages. We will continue to work to increase health access for at-risk patients while at the same time safeguarding the prescribing of controlled medications.”
The extension of telehealth prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances is a significant step forward in improving access to care for patients with substance use disorders. It provides healthcare providers with the tools they need to deliver critical care to patients in need, while also ensuring that these medications are prescribed safely and responsibly.
Furthermore, the extension acknowledges the value of telehealth services, which have become a critical component of the healthcare industry during the pandemic. Telehealth services have enabled healthcare providers to reach patients who are unable to access care due to mobility or transportation issues, geographic barriers, or other factors. By extending telehealth prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances, healthcare providers can continue to leverage these services to reach patients in need, regardless of their location.
