Statement from Libby Jones, Associate Vice President, Overdose Prevention Initiative, Global Health Advocacy Incubator

“Today, DEA and HHS  kept a critical door open for people who rely on telehealth to start and stay on treatment for opioid use disorder. This temporary rule extends COVID-19 era telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled medications through December 31, 2026. This step averts a sudden policy snapback that would have forced patients and providers to rebuild care access overnight. 

People do not benefit from care they cannot reach, or care they cannot stay in. Telehealth helps people find and stay connected to care. Evidence shows FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) substantially lower the risk of mortality and risk increases after treatment stops. Research in Medicaid populations found an association between telemedicine initiation of buprenorphine, a key medication to treat opioid use disorder, and improved retention. This extension preserves that pathway through 2026, including the audio-only option for certain OUD medications described in the federal rule.

But this remains a patch, not a plan. A temporary extension keeps a deadline on the calendar. That uncertainty still weighs on patients who already face the biggest access barriers, and it still complicates staffing and service decisions for providers who deliver care.

Congress now needs to do its part. Medicare faces another major telehealth deadline on January 30, 2026. Most temporary Medicare telehealth flexibilities for non-behavioral health services expire after that date unless Congress extends them. That sets up a fragmented system where substance use disorder (SUD) telehealth may remain available, but the non-behavioral healthcare that supports prevention and recovery becomes harder for many Medicare beneficiaries to reach. Congress should extend these Medicare flexibilities and move the country from short-term fixes to durable telehealth policy that protects continuity of care and reduces avoidable barriers to treatment.”