DEA Telemedicine Rule Raises Concerns for Hospice Care
Washington, D.C., Thursday, 20 March 2025.
The DEA’s new telemedicine rule could impede hospice care, with the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) highlighting increased costs and burdens.
Registration Requirements and Cost Barriers
The proposed DEA rule introduces substantial financial burdens for healthcare providers, requiring an $888 special registration fee that must be renewed every three years [1]. For practitioners offering care across state lines, the costs multiply significantly, with estimates showing a primary care provider could face expenses of up to $1,088 for maintaining just four state registrations [2]. These requirements particularly affect hospice and palliative care providers, who must now schedule telehealth interactions before prescribing controlled substances, even in emergency situations [1].
Technical and Operational Challenges
The rule mandates the use of audio-video telecommunication systems for telehealth interactions, creating significant barriers for patients without access to smart devices or reliable broadband service [1]. Current electronic prescribing systems and prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) lack the infrastructure to support the new required data elements under the DEA proposal [2]. Adding complexity, practitioners must perform PDMP checks in both the patient’s and clinician’s locations, potentially creating delays in urgent care situations [3].
Impact on Healthcare Access
The timing of this regulation is particularly critical, as it coincides with significant healthcare provider shortages. Current data shows 122 million Americans live in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas, requiring over 6,200 additional practitioners to meet basic needs [4]. The Alliance for Connected Care has raised concerns that the rule’s geographic restrictions could disproportionately affect rural patients, who typically travel 64 kilometers further than urban residents for care [2].
Future Implications and Deadlines
While the current telemedicine flexibilities extend through December 31, 2025 [5], healthcare providers face a pressing timeline to adapt to these new requirements. The DEA’s proposed rule, unless modified by the current administration [1], will significantly reshape telehealth prescribing practices. Healthcare organizations and advocacy groups have until March 18, 2025, to submit their comments on these proposed changes [2][3].