Resources & Reports

As mentioned in CCHP’s In-Focus last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held listening sessions on September 12 and 13 to gather more information on the proposals the agency made earlier this year regarding the use of telehealth to prescribe a controlled substance post-pandemic. Earlier this month, CCHP also provided a recap of DEA telehealth policy in our September newsletter, including the waiver of existing in-person requirements through November 11, 2023. For those interested in providing comment during the DEA listening sessions, the DEA implemented a request and approval process prior to the sessions for all comments/questions as described in the DEA notice.

In CCHP’s April 25, 2023 In Focus titled Health Data Privacy & Telehealth, we wrote about the rising concern regarding how telehealth vendors and practitioners were protecting and using health data.  We discussed recent actions the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had taken against dubious data sharing practices.  On July 20, 2023, the FTC and the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) cautioned hospitals and telehealth providers on the privacy risks of online tracking technologies that may be integrated in websites and apps they were using. They warned that these tracking technologies may be disclosing personal health data to another party without the patient’s permission.

CCHP’s September Newsletter is here! This month’s topics include – Medicare Payment Rules Address Telehealth for Hospice, SNFs & CAHs in Medicare FCHIP Demonstration; Recap of DEA Telehealth Policy:  DEA listening sessions happening today and tomorrow; Significant Telehealth Policy Dates & Deadlines; Latest Policy Developments in CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder and Policy Trends Map; Telehealth Provider Survey from New York; Study Finds Providers Aren’t More Likely to Prescribe ADHD Drugs via Telehealth; Open for Questions:  FQHC Billing Assistance Technical Assistance.

CCHP hopes everyone enjoyed a much-needed day of rest and relaxation on Labor Day yesterday! As summer comes to a close and we look toward fall, we wanted to take this time to provide a few reminders of upcoming important telehealth policy dates and deadlines occurring over the coming weeks and months…

During the pandemic, the depth of the digital divide became even more apparent in all aspects of life, from education to healthcare. The increased attention to, and importance of, audio-only telehealth policies in particular is inherently connected to barriers to high-quality internet and digital devices necessary to utilize other telehealth modalities. To properly address these digital equity concerns additional funding and engagement across an expanding group of stakeholders and agencies has increased and numerous broadband initiatives and investments have been made over the past couple of years.