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
Tele-prescribing
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…
DEA Further Extends COVID-19 Telemedicine Prescribing Flexibilities through December 31, 2024
On October 10, 2023, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued another extension (Second Temporary Rule) of its pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities “in light of the need to further evaluate the best course of action” with respect to the prescribing of controlled substances via telemedicine. DEA is issuing a limited extension in order to give itself more time to finalize new standards governing tele-prescribing of controlled substances.Continue Reading DEA Further Extends COVID-19 Telemedicine Prescribing Flexibilities through December 31, 2024
As COVID-19 Emergency Waivers End, DEA Proposes to Expand Tele-Prescribing of Controlled Substances
On February 24, 2023, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a pair of proposed rules to make permanent certain “telemedicine flexibilities” related to the prescribing of controlled substances via telehealth that have been relied upon by prescribers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed rules respectively address (1) telemedicine prescribing of certain controlled substances without an in-person medical examination (Tele-Prescribing Rule), and (2) expansion of buprenorphine prescribing via telemedicine encounters (Buprenorphine Rule). Below please find a high-level summary of the Tele-Prescribing Rule. A separate post will follow addressing the Buprenorphine Rule in detail.Continue Reading As COVID-19 Emergency Waivers End, DEA Proposes to Expand Tele-Prescribing of Controlled Substances