In response to ongoing advocacy from the AASM and many other medical organizations, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in concert with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has issued a third extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications through Dec. 31, 2025.
This extension was granted to prevent lapses in care and allow for the prescribing of controlled medications via telemedicine encounters, even when the prescribing practitioner has not conducted an in-person medical evaluation of the patient. The telemedicine flexibilities in this extension continue to authorize practitioners to prescribe schedule II-V controlled medications via audio-video telemedicine encounters, including schedule III-V narcotic controlled medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for maintenance and withdrawal management treatment of opioid use disorder via audio-only telemedicine encounters, provided that such prescriptions otherwise comply with the requirements outlined in DEA guidance documents and regulations, and applicable federal and state law.
Learn more about telemedicine and send questions about telemedicine flexibilities to coding@aasm.org.
