The explosion of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic has been transformative for countless patients who might otherwise be unable to access care. But the Drug Enforcement Administration is preparing to roll back telemedicine options for many essential prescriptions. It would be a dangerous move, exacerbating already gaping disparities and imperiling the most vulnerable patients.
The proposed rule changes would require that patients be seen in person in order to receive prescriptions for certain controlled medications, including stimulants and opioids to treat attention disorders, pain and seizures. For other controlled medications, such as buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, the DEA would allow a 30-day supply to be provided via telemedicine, but a patient must then arrange an in-person visit to continue to receive medication.
One key problem with these proposals is that they ignore the fractured reality of our health care system, where care deserts are rampant. Currently, nearly 100 million Americans live in areas with a shortage of health professionals, while 130 million face a dearth of behavioral care providers. In the cities with the best physician-to-patient ratios, the average wait time to arrange primary care is 26 days. In rural areas where many clinics and hospitals have shuttered, wait times are considerably longer.
