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
Telemedicine
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
By Danielle Tangorre, Conor Duffy & Guest Contributor on
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…
Telehealth Services on the Brink Again – Is a 7-Week Stopgap the Only Fix?
By Danielle Tangorre, Conor Duffy & Guest Contributor on
This post is co-authored with Paul Palma, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
Healthcare providers are again confronted with the potential termination of telehealth services unless Congress acts to extend the Medicare flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. If no legislative action is taken before September 30, 2025, those providers…
CMS Proposes Several Changes Affecting Telehealth Services in the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
By Danielle Tangorre, Conor Duffy & Guest Contributor on
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…
OIG Shines Spotlight on Billing for Remote Patient Monitoring
By Danielle Tangorre & Guest Contributor on
This post is co-authored by Seth Orkand, co-chair of Robinson+Cole’s Government Enforcement + White-Collar Defense Team and Ivy Miller, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Ivy is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts.
On August 25, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a new report (Report) highlighting trends…
Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities Extended through September 30, 2025
By Conor Duffy, Danielle Tangorre, Michael Lisitano & Guest Contributor on
Posted in Academic Medical Centers, Accountable Care Organizations, COVID-19, Government Enforcement, Health Information Technology, Health Policy, Hospitals and Health Systems, Legislation, Licensure, Physicians and Allied Health Professionals, Privacy and Security, Reimbursement, Telehealth, Telemedicine
This post is co-authored by Seth Orkand, co-chair of Robinson+Cole’s Government Enforcement and White-Collar Defense Team and Paul Palma, law intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
On March 14, 2025, as part of a spending bill to avert a federal government shutdown, Congress extended COVID-era telehealth “waivers” applicable to Medicare…
CMS Finalizes Standard for Identifying Overpayments and Grace Period for Investigations of Related Overpayments
By Conor Duffy & Leslie Levinson on
Posted in Academic Medical Centers, Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC), Department of Justice, False Claims Act, Fraud and Abuse, Government Enforcement, Health Policy, Home Health/ Home Care, Hospice, Hospitals and Health Systems, Laboratories, Long Term Care and Nursing Homes, Pharmaceuticals and Biologics, Pharmacy Law, Physicians and Allied Health Professionals, Private Equity, Reimbursement, Stark Law, Telehealth, Telemedicine
As part of its 2025 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (PFS Rule), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized two crucial updates to federal Medicare overpayments regulations (sometimes referred to as the “60-Day Rule”) that (1) align the standard for when an overpayment is identified with the applicable standard under the…
DEA Extends Telehealth Lifeline for Patients
By Conor Duffy & Guest Contributor on
*This post was co-authored by Paul Palma, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
On November 15, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) jointly announced an extension of current COVID-era tele-prescribing flexibilities for another year – through December 31, 2025 – via…
DOJ Charges 36 Defendants in Connection with Telemedicine and Clinical Laboratory Fraud and Abuse Schemes
By Danielle Tangorre & Guest Contributor on
*This post was co-authored by Lily Denslow, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Lily is not admitted to practice law.
On June 27, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, which resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes alleged to…