Telehealth doctor consultation with a female patient via laptop and headset.

State Telehealth Prescribing Laws: What Federal Rules Don’t Cover

Federal DEA and HHS telemedicine rules set a floor, not a ceiling. Most of what actually trips providers up isn’t federal at all, it’s the state-level layer sitting on top that federal rules were never designed to touch. What Do Federal Rules Actually Cover? The Ryan Haight Act and DEA’s telemedicine exceptions, including the current…

Medical professional reviewing patient records for telehealth consultation.

CMS 2026 Medicare Fee Schedule: Key Telehealth Changes for Providers

Yes, CMS made real changes to telehealth in this year’s fee schedule, a streamlined process for adding services, new codes, a higher originating site fee, and a permanent supervision rule. It also turned down a few things telehealth advocates were pushing for, which matters just as much. What’s the Biggest Procedural Change to the Telehealth…

Healthcare professional conducting telehealth consultation via laptop.

DEA Buprenorphine Telemedicine Rule: What OUD Providers Need to Know

Yes, this rule is permanent, and it’s separate from the temporary extension everyone’s watching expire in December. If you treat opioid use disorder via telemedicine, this is the rule that’s actually built around your patients specifically, not the broader one covering all controlled substances. What Does This Rule Actually Let OUD Providers Do? Under the…

Doctor and patient discussing health on telehealth consultation at home.

DEA Telemedicine Prescribing Extension: What Happens After December 2026

Short version: if DEA doesn’t finalize a permanent rule before December 31, 2026, the old in-person requirement snaps back for telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances, except for two permanent rules that don’t depend on the extension at all. Here’s what that actually means for your practice. What Happens If DEA Doesn’t Finalize a Permanent Rule…