On December 31, 2025, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) extended current regulatory flexibilities related to tele-prescribing of controlled substances for another year. The DEA issued a fourth temporary extension (2026 Extension) of its pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities, which are now scheduled to end on December 31, 2026. The DEA explained that another extension
Academic Medical Centers
Update on Processing of Telehealth Claims Impacted During the Government Shutdown
The recent government shutdown caused multiple Medicare statutory payment provisions to lapse on October 1, 2025, due to the absence of Congressional action. With the passage of the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 (Pub. L. 119-37), (discussed here), Congress has retroactively restored many of these…
Telehealth Survives Again: What the Most Recent Flexibility Extension Means for Providers
This post is co-authored with Paul Palma, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
On November 12, 2025, President Trump signed H.R. 5371 the “Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs and Extensions Act, 2026” (the Act). The Act ended the federal government shutdown by providing necessary funding…
Appeals Dropped of Decision Vacating HIPAA Reproductive Health Privacy Rule, Confirming Apparent End of the Rule and Attestation Requirement
This post was co-authored with Ivy Miller, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Ivy is admitted to practice in Massachusetts.
On September 10, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dismissed an appeal of the federal court ruling vacating key provisions of the HIPAA reproductive health care regulations, which appears to signal the end…
CMS Proposes Several Changes Affecting Telehealth Services in the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
This post is co-authored with Paul Palma, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
On July 14, 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2026 physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule, which in pertinent part proposes several changes affecting the delivery and reimbursement…
Connecticut Budget Bill Reinforces EMTALA and Emergency Medical Services Obligations for State Hospitals
This post was co-authored with Paul Palma, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
On June 30, 2025, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 25-168 (PA 25-168) (the Act), Connecticut’s Budget Bill for the period between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2027. The Act includes two…
Connecticut Budget Bill Includes Notable Changes to CON Laws
On June 30, 2025 Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed a bill implementing the state budget through June 30, 2027, Public Act No. 25-168 (PA-168). PA-168, among other things, contains changes to the state’s Certificate of Need (CON) program.
Termination of Services – Effective from Passage
In Connecticut, hospitals generally must obtain CON approval…
OIG Green Lights MSO Model Arrangement for Telehealth Platforms in New Advisory Opinion
This post was co-authored with Ivy Miller, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Ivy is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts.
On June 11, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) published Advisory Opinion 25-03 (the Advisory Opinion), in which OIG approved of a proposed arrangement under which a management support…
Connecticut Governor Signs Bill Codifying the Right of Minors to Consent to Reproductive Health Care Services
On June 9, 2025, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 25-28, “An Act Concerning Access to Reproductive Health Care” (the Act). The Act codifies under Connecticut state law the ability of minors to access reproductive health care services without the need to obtain parental consent, including services related to pregnancy…
CMS Issues Guidance and Requests Information to Promote Hospital Price Transparency Compliance and Enforcement Efforts
On May 22, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took a series of actions to promote enhanced price transparency compliance by hospitals and identify challenges thereto, in order to inform future price transparency enforcement activities and policies. These actions were taken in furtherance of the President’s February 2025 Executive Order No. 14221…