Lawmakers on each side of the aisle within the Home and Senate are calling for COVID-era flexibilities on telemedicine providers to be prolonged to make sure entry to “necessary and life-saving treatments,” and are talking out towards a proposed rule reportedly being superior by the DEA that may restrict telemedicine prescribing.
Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) led a bunch of 11 senators in a letter addressed to President Biden, objecting to a reported draft proposed rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to restrict telemedicine prescribing.
The proposed rule would reportedly require that not more than half of a prescriber’s prescriptions be given by means of telemedicine. The rule would additionally reportedly make prescribing schedule II substances like Adderall just about unimaginable, in accordance with a Politico Professional report.
“We appreciated the DEA’s extension of the telemedicine flexibilities through the end of the year while developing this proposal, but are concerned that the new policies would significantly restrict access to necessary and life-saving treatments. These restrictions would be detrimental to patients and a barrier to accessing care,” the senators wrote of their letter.
In the course of the public well being emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine flexibilities had been launched to make sure individuals might proceed receiving care. These flexibilities have since been prolonged twice. A few of these flexibilities have been made everlasting, however others are set to run out on the finish of this yr.
Advocates applaud DEA for being open to enjoyable digital prescribing guidelines
The DEA despatched a “Third Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription” to the Workplace of Administration and Funds final week for regulatory overview. It’s not but out there to the general public.
Among the many flexibilities set to run out on Dec. 31 of this yr are guidelines permitting federally certified well being facilities and rural well being facilities to supply non-behavioral telehealth providers in addition to permitting all Medicare suppliers to supply telehealth providers.
The COVID-era flexibilities have significantly helped develop entry to substance abuse care and psychological well being providers.
Reps. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) and Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) led 18 members of the Home in an identical letter addressed to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.
Underneath 2008 laws, the DEA was directed by Congress to develop a particular registration for the Telemedicine course of, which might have suppliers who want to prescribe a managed substance with out an in-person go to register with the DEA. Regardless of 16 years having handed and multiple legislative directive from Congress, the company has by no means established this registration course of.
The DEA’s draft proposal reportedly contains plans to create such a course of, however the members of Congress expressed issues that what the company was proposing is counter to what the laws supposed, citing the obvious exclusion of total courses of medication and suppliers.
“If the reporting is true, the proposed content of the rule seems misaligned with Congressional intent in authorizing such a Special Registration process. Such a rule may unnecessarily risk care for thousands of patients reliant on telemedicine for critical medications,” their letter learn.
“We cannot condone such a potential interpretation of the Special Registration requirement,” they added.
The Hill has reached out to the DEA and White Home for remark.
