The End of the Public Health Emergency: What It Means for Telehealth

by Emily A. Johnson, JD •

Prescribing Controlled Substances

Another exception that expired at the end of the PHE is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) exception to requirements for separate DEA registrations in all states where patients being prescribed controlled substances by telehealth are located.

During the PHE, if a clinician was registered with the DEA in any state, they didn’t need to register in other states where they were prescribing or dispensing controlled substances via telehealth, if state law allowed. Now that the PHE has expired, clinicians once again need to register with the DEA in all states in which their patients are located.

An in-person medical evaluation is also once again required to prescribe Schedule 2–5 substances through telehealth.

Delayed Changes

Happily, many more telehealth changes post-PHE won’t take effect until the end of 2024. One telehealth policy that will remain through Dec. 31, 2024, is that clinicians can provide telehealth services to patients regardless of their geographic location. The ability to provide services across state lines has been a popular option for some practices during the pandemic; the HHS cautions, however, that this allowance is subject to individual state laws, which may prevent interstate telehealth services.

Also extended until Dec. 31, 2024, is the ability to provide telehealth services to Medicare patients in their homes, as well as providing audio-only telehealth services to patients. The HHS has provided guidance for how audio-only telehealth can remain compliant after the OCR’s enforcement discretion ends.

Importantly, clinicians should note that landlines will not violate HIPAA, whereas cell phones or other electronic communication technologies may. Clinicians should take reasonable steps to ensure their audio-only service is private, that the patient’s identity is verified, and that auxiliary aids or services are used as appropriate to ensure the effectiveness of the communication.

No Change Expected

Some telehealth changes made as a result of the PHE will remain in place permanently. Most of these changes deal with the provision of behavioral health or mental health services. However, with any of the changes made due to the PHE, it’s important to stay informed about any other extensions or guidance that may be implemented even after the end of 2024. As industries adjust their businesses post-PHE, additional action may be taken by federal or state governments to preserve telehealth changes that are popular with the general public.

The end of the public health emergency signals many changes in the healthcare industry, but among the most important will be changes to the use of telehealth. —Emily A. Johnson, JD