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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Pharmacy and prescription drugs

Feb 19, 2025 - Notice from the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) delaying the January 17, 2025, final rules titled "Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter" and "Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients" in accordance with the January 20, 2025, presidential memorandum titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review." These final rules will now be effective March 21, 2025. Comments regarding the delayed effective date are due by February 28, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 11, 2025 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) delaying the effective date of the December 13, 2024, final rule in accordance with the January 20, 2025, presidential memorandum titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review." The final rule is now effective April 14, 2025, and the compliance date is also delayed until April 14, 2028.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 17, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare practitioners acting within the scope of their VA employment to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine to a VA patient with whom they have not conducted an in-person medical evaluation. VA practitioners can prescribe controlled substances to VA patients if another VA practitioner has previously conducted an in-person medical evaluation of the VA patient at any time, subject to certain conditions. This final rule is effective February 18, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 17, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) amending their regulations to increase access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorders (OUD) through a telemedicine encounter. This rule expands the circumstances under which individual providers are authorized to prescribe buprenorphine for OUD via telemedicine, including an audio-only telemedicine encounter. This final rule is effective February 18, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 17, 2025 - Notice of proposed rulemaking from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposing regulatory changes aimed at expanding patient access to controlled substance medications via telemedicine while mitigating the risks of diversion associated with such expansion. Proposed changes would establish a Special Registration framework and authorize three types of Special Registration that would allow more comprehensive prescribing, including prescribing of Schedule II and narcotic and non-narcotic controlled substances in limited circumstances, by properly registered physicians and mid-level practitioners and dispensing by online telemedicine platforms that constitute covered online telemedicine platforms. Comments are due by March 18, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 15, 2025 - Announces a new grant to combat the opioid epidemic in rural Georgia by training, supporting, and compensating 50 rural pharmacists in dispensing naloxone in addition to community education regarding local resources. Describes increases in overdose deaths and the use of fentanyl in Georgia.
Source: UGA Today
Jan 15, 2025 - Notice from the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) withdrawing the October 28, 2024, notice of proposed rulemaking regarding coverage of certain preventive services under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires non-grandfathered group health plans and non-grandfathered group or individual health insurance coverage to cover certain contraceptive services without cost sharing. This withdrawal is effective January 15, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 3, 2025 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Medicare Advantage Model of Care Submission Requirements; and 2) Request for Termination of Medicare Premium Part A, Part B, or Part B Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage (Part B-ID) and Supporting Statute and Regulations. Comments are due by March 4, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 30, 2024 - Notice from the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) withdrawing the February 2, 2023, notice of proposed rulemaking regarding coverage of certain preventive services under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires non-grandfathered group health plans and non-grandfathered group or individual health insurance coverage to cover certain contraceptive services without cost sharing. This withdrawal is effective December 23, 2024.
Source: Federal Register