DEA Extends COVID Telemedicine Prescribing Rules for Controlled Substances
UPDATE: DEA and HHS Extend Telemedicine Flexibilities through 2024 October 9, 2023 Statement from the DEA on Telemedicine Flexibilities deadline: "We continue to carefully consider the input received and are working to promulgate a final set of telemedicine regulations by the fall of 2024, giving patients and medical practitioners time to plan for, and adapt to, the new rules once issued. Accordingly, DEA, jointly with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has extended current telemedicine flexibilities through December 31, 2024. The full text of the extension, entitled “Second Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled...
DEA Announces Proposed Telemedicine Rule Change for Controlled Substances
On 2/24/23 the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced a proposal for permanent rule changes to the Ryan Haight Act that will allow for the prescription of controlled substances through telemedicine, under certain circumstances, after the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) expires on May 11, 2023. The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 requires prescribers conduct an in-person examination to evaluate each patient at least once before prescribing a controlled substance, even if a patient has already been taking the medication in question. During the PHE, the in-person requirement was changed to allow prescribers to perform...
Read the latest Update on Telehealth Prescribing Controlled Substances - June 2024 In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and escalating pandemic, in January 2020 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) declared a federal public health emergency (PHE) that is still in effect today. The PHE declaration resulted in numerous waivers of federal laws and regulations impacting the practice of medicine, including telehealth, HIPAA, scope of practice, and Stark laws. The PHE also provides healthcare providers with COVID-related liability protections under the PREP Act. Simultaneously, many individual state medical boards instituted waivers around licensure requirements for out-of-state physicians...
As of October 2, 2018, all providers practicing in California must check the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) database before prescribing certain medications, including opioid pain medications. Physicians and advanced practice providers who prescribe controlled substances already must be registered with CURES 2.0, according to state law. California Health and Safety Code Section 11165.1 requires health care practitioners authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish, or dispense scheduled controlled substances to submit a CURES registration application to the Department of Justice before July 1, 2016, or upon receipt of a DEA registration. Senate Bill 482, which was signed...
Hawai’i Providers: Mandatory Opioid Prescription Requirements under Act 66
MIEC’s member providers in Hawai'i who prescribe opioid pain medications should be aware of a new state law which just went into effect this month. This new law imposes more stringent requirements around chronic pain management, patients who are also taking anti-anxiety medication, and/or patient who are on large dosages of opioids. Specific elements of the law are discussed below. Under Hawai'i Act 66 (17), Relating to Heath, as of July 1, 2018, all providers authorized to prescribe opioids in Hawai'i must adopt a written policy that includes the execution of a written informed consent document when prescribing opioids to...