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The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Drug Control Division (DCP) has issued guidance for health care providers regarding refills and reissuances of controlled substance prescriptions for patients without an in-person visit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. DCP explains that “practitioners may issue prescription refills for controlled substances using their professional discretion for a patient under their care without seeing the patient in-person within certain parameters.” The parameters are as follows:

  • Schedule-Specific Requirements for Controlled Substance Prescriptions
    • Schedule II prescriptions cannot be refilled; however, practitioners with a pre-existing relationship with a patient who have prescribed a particular controlled substance for the patient previously can reissue the prescription without an in-person visit. Additionally, no prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance can contain more than one (1) prescription.
    • Schedule III and IV prescriptions can be refilled up to five (5) times every six (6) months as authorized by the prescribing practitioner.
    • Schedule V prescriptions can be refilled as authorized by the prescribing practitioner.

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Continue Reading Connecticut DCP Issues Guidance for Remotely Refilling Prescriptions

On March 24, 2020, the Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health issued a Pharmacy Practice Order related to pharmacy practice by retail and institutional pharmacies. The Order as well as supplemental guidance issued by the Board of Registration in Pharmacy (Board) is effective as of March 24. …
Continue Reading Massachusetts Issues COVID-19 Orders and Related Guidance for Pharmacies and Pharmacy Professionals

Rhode Island has issued important updates for health care providers related to COVID-19, available at https://health.ri.gov/diseases/ncov2019/for/providers/.  Providers should be aware of these updates including, among others, the following described below.
Continue Reading Rhode Island Issues Emergency Regulations on Off-Label Prescribing for COVID-19, and Guidance on Telehealth and Reciprocal Licensure

On March 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued additional guidance in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on HIPAA and telehealth services to help providers furnish care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FAQs follow and provide further information on the Notification of Enforcement Discretion issued by HHS on March 17 (Notification), in which HHS indicated that it would not penalize providers for using popular video chat applications, such as FaceTime and Skype, in good faith to provide telehealth services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  HHS has emphasized, however, that the Notification does not allow the use of public-facing communications products, such as Facebook live or other livestreaming applications.
Continue Reading COVID-19: HHS Issues FAQs on HIPAA and Telehealth to Help Providers Maintain Access to Care During the Pandemic

On March 19, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order No. 7G, which is intended to expand access to telehealth services for Connecticut residents amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.  Notably for health care providers, the Order waives or modifies provisions of Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-906 and any associated regulations, rules and policies regarding the…

Massachusetts government agencies have issued recent guidance and updates concerning the COVID-19 emergency. A summary is provided below.

Allowing Health Care Personnel with Potential Exposure to COVID-19 to Continue to Work

On March 19, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued the following Guidance for Health Care Personnel with Potential Exposure to Patients with COVID-19…

On June 28, 2019, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 19-76 “An Act Expanding Medicaid Coverage of Telehealth Services” (PA 19-76).  PA 19-76 revises the criteria and process by which the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) determines the telehealth services covered by the Medicaid program. PA 19-76 is effective July 1, 2019.
Continue Reading Connecticut Empowers DSS to Expand Medicaid Coverage of Telehealth Services

On November 1, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a final rule that updated payment policies and rates under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). This rule also formalized two types of remote service offerings known as “virtual check-ins” and “store and forwards.” In an effort to increase access for Medicare beneficiaries, CMS has recognized and finalized a code to provide separate payment for communication technology “virtual check-in” service. The purpose of these services are “brief check-ins” using communication technology to evaluate whether or not an office visit is warranted. Currently, these types of services would be bundled into the payment for the resulting visit, such as through an evaluation and management visit code. However, not all of these communications lead to an office visit. Subsequently, there is no service the communication can be bundled into. CMS believes that these communications are becoming more frequent and more effective at addressing patient concerns. CMS goes so far as to state that “better practitioners” are leveraging technology to furnish check-ins and mitigate unnecessary office visits.
Continue Reading 2019 Physician Fee Schedule Rule Review: CMS Recognizes “Virtual Check-Ins” and “Store and Forward” Remote Service Offerings

On February 9, 2018, Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (the Act), which included a number of important health law provisions..

AKS and CMP Violations

Under the Act, Congress doubled the statutory civil fines for certain violations of the Anti-kickback Statue (AKS) and adjusted certain fines under the Civil Monetary Penalty (CMP) Law. The Act also increased the maximum criminal penalty from $25,000 to $100,000 and increased the maximum incarceration period from five years to ten years.
Continue Reading Bipartisan Budget Act Revises Stark Law, Increases Penalties for AKS and CMP Law Violations, and Expands Telehealth Coverage