The American Telemedicine Association and 114 other healthcare organizations sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Agency and the attorney general's office urging permanent Medicare telehealth flexibilities be put into effect.
Though the COVID-19 public health emergency was extended past Jan. 11, there have not been any permanent telemedicine policies set for when the emergency declaration expires. If telehealth policies are not enacted, millions of Medicare patients could lose access to treatment.
The letter, signed by organizations including the American Psychiatric Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and others, urged the DEA to take action to ensure patients will not be affected by a lapse of care.
Here are the measures the organizations urge the DEA to take, according to the Nov. 11 letter.
- Update its telehealth policy to waive the requirement that a patient need a prior in-person appointment to be seen via telehealth for substance use disorder.
- Find a solution for patients who have established a lasting patient-provider relationship using telemedicine so they can still access care from their provider once the PHE is lifted.
- Formulate a solution for patients who, from this point on, will form a lasting patient-provider relationship before the official rules are published and in effect.
- Continue to allow providers that have at least one active, valid DEA license to prescribe controlled substances to patients until permanent telemedicine policies are established.
- Provide a set date for when permanent telemedicine rules and policies will be first proposed, finalized and take effect.
The full letter can be read here.