The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), together with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published two final rules covering the prescription of controlled substances via telemedicine in limited contexts...more
This Week in Washington: HHS announces reorganization of health technology offices; House recesses early because of an inability to pass appropriations bills; Senate Finance Committee chairman introduces legislation to...more
This Week in Washington: House Appropriations Committee marks up FY2025 Labor-HHS-Education and the Agriculture- FDA and Related Agencies funding bills; Senate Appropriations Committee marks up FY2025 Agriculture-FDA and...more
On April 4, 2024, a final rule published on February 2, 2024 (the Final Rule) went into effect that concerns medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder. The Final Rule, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental...more
On February 8, 2024, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) jointly issued a final rule to amend the...more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released the long anticipated Final Rule to revise the Confidentiality of Substance...more
On February 1, 2024, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued a final rule revising 42 CFR Part 8, which regulates opioid treatment programs (OTPs). The final rule is the first update to...more
This Week in Washington: Congress averts government shutdown; President issues executive order concerning foreign exploitation of health data; Sen. McConnell announces he is stepping down as leader at the end of the term;...more
On February 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released a final rule modifying 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) provisions regarding the confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records. The...more
On February 2, 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Final Rule that expands access to medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) via telehealth modalities and “take-home” doses....more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released its anticipated Final Rule last week. The Final Rule revises...more
After more than a year since the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued the proposed changes to the...more
After a nearly two-year delay, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office for Civil Rights, promulgated a Final Rule...more
The long-anticipated final rule addressing substance use disorder (SUD) records at 42 C.F.R. Part 2, commonly referred to as Part 2, is here. The final rule is a joint undertaking by the U.S. Department of Health and Human...more
On February 8, 2024, the federal Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records regulations at 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) were revised in part to increase patient protection and streamline patient consent...more
On February 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), released final rule (Final Rule)...more
This Week in Washington: Senate Finance Committee holds hearing on AI use in healthcare; CMS makes corrections to 2024 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment Rates; House passes ban on QALYs....more
On February 1, 2024, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced a final rule updating the regulations regarding Opioid Treatment Programs...more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (“SAMHSA”) published a final rule on Feb. 2, 2024, that cemented significant Pandemic-era flexibilities...more
On February 2nd, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule expanding patient access to medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (“OUD”). This new final rule implements changes...more
In a significant stride toward expanding access to addiction treatment services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) published, on January 31, its Final Rule allowing telehealth access to...more
Congress Works to Meet Imminent Funding Deadlines. Speaker of the House Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) announced an agreement on top-line spending levels to fund the government for the remainder of...more
This Week in Washington: Senate Finance Committee reports out Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs and Extenders Act; Senate confirms NIH Director; House Speaker Proposes Laddered Continuing Resolution....more
This Week in Washington: Congress passes Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded until Nov. 17; CMS announces premium increase for Medicare Advantage plans in FY 2024; HHS releases shutdown contingency plan...more
This Week in Washington: House Energy and Commerce Committee marks up 15 healthcare bills; Senate HELP Committee to hold mark up on primary care bill; CMS concerned over procedural Medicaid coverage terminations...more