The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has released a temporary rule extending COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities for the prescription of controlled substances. Per the rule, DEA states:
- The full set of telemedicine flexibilities regarding prescription of controlled medications as were in place during the COVID-19 PHE will remain in place through November 11, 2023.
- Additionally, for any practitioner-patient telemedicine relationships that have been or will be established on or before November 11, 2023, the full set of telemedicine flexibilities regarding prescription of controlled medications as were in place during the COVID-19 PHE will continue to be permitted via a one-year grace period through November 11, 2024. In other words, if a patient and a practitioner have established a telemedicine relationship on or before November 11, 2023, the same telemedicine flexibilities that have governed the relationship to that point are permitted until November 11, 2024.
A DEA press release for the rule is available here. Please contact healthpolicy@aapmr.org with any questions.