WASHINGTON – People who struggle with opioid use disorder will be able to get help through telehealth, at least for another year. The Drug Enforcement Administration has extended telehealth prescribing for certain controlled substances, including methadone, naltrexone and buprenorphine, through December 2026. Research has shown that these FDA-approved medications for OUD significantly reduce the risk of death, while the risk of overdose rises sharply after treatment ends.
“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,” said Libby Jones, associate vice president of the Overdose Prevention Initiative at Global Health Advocacy Incubator.
Jones said research involving Medicaid populations has shown an association between telemedicine prescribing of buprenorphine, a key medication for treating opioid use disorder, and improved retention.
“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,” said Jones.
Many in the industry have called for a permanent framework to replace yearly deadlines for the rule’s renewal. The last-minute nature of the extension also drew criticism from telehealth advocates.
“This extension came within hours of expiration, placing patients, providers, and health systems on the brink of unnecessary disruption. ATA Action is deeply grateful for the extension and recognizes that it was offered in good faith, as allowing these flexibilities to lapse for any extended period would have constituted a predictable and preventable public health crisis,” said Alexis Apple, the deputy executive director of ATA Action. “However, allowing the waiver to approach a hard deadline created avoidable uncertainty.”
Another major telehealth deadline is approaching for Medicare. Most temporary Medicare telehealth flexibilities for nonbehavioral health services are set to expire Jan. 30, 2026, unless Congress acts to extend 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,” said Jones.
