Premier Urges DEA to Ensure Continued Access to Prescribing Controlled Substances Via Telehealth

Premier joined more than 300 organizations in urging Congress and the White House to ensure continued access to virtual prescribing of controlled substances, as concerns grow that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) may soon impose significant restrictions. Premier is advocating for a two-year extension of telehealth prescribing flexibilities, which are set to expire at the end of the year, to provide more time for a balanced approach between patient access and controlling drug diversion. In letters addressed to Senate, House leadership, and the White House, the groups underscored that vulnerable patients could face major disruptions in their care if the current flexibilities that have been essential in ensuring access to critical treatments like mental healthcare, substance use disorder services and end-of-life care, are not extended.

This reinforces comments Premier submitted last year, expressing concern that the DEA’s approach is too restrictive and fails to build upon the lessons learned during the pandemic, the positive results documented on patient access and outcomes, and the work of other agencies in this area to further reduce restrictions on opioid use disorder providers.