Telehealth Cliff
The Telehealth Cliff
The pandemic-era rules that let you prescribe controlled medications by telehealth without an in-person visit expire December 31. The DEA’s replacement rule is in final White House review, and once it publishes you may have only weeks to adjust. In 60 minutes, find out what’s changing, who’s most exposed, and what to do now.
- 📅 Thu, Nov 5
- ⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM ET
- 💻 Google Meet
- 🎟️ Free · Live Q&A
Six years of temporary rules end in one day.
Since 2020, clinicians have relied on a series of temporary extensions. The current one runs out December 31.
- 2008The Ryan Haight Act requires an in-person evaluation before prescribing controlled substances over the internet, with limited exceptions.
- 2020The COVID-19 public health emergency lets DEA-registered clinicians prescribe by telehealth without that in-person visit.
- Jan 2025The DEA proposes a telemedicine special registration and finalizes separate final rules governing buprenorphine treatment and certain VA telemedicine encounters.
- Dec 2025After three earlier extensions, the DEA issues a fourth, running through December 31, 2026.
- Aug 2026The final special registration rule goes to the White House for review. Its text isn’t public yet.
- Dec 31, 2026The current temporary flexibilities are scheduled to expire. What replaces them depends on what the final rule says and when it takes effect.
Leave with a clear picture and a plan.
- 1What’s actually changingWhat ends December 31, what the special registration rule is expected to require, and what stays in place, including the permanent buprenorphine pathway.
- 2Who’s most exposedWhich practice models, prescribers and patient groups are most likely to feel the change first.
- 3Your 60-day checklistPractical steps to take now: patient panel review, in-person visit planning, DEA and state registrations, and documentation.
- 4Live Q&ABring your questions. Use the registration form to send yours ahead of time, and we’ll build the session around them.
Who should pay close attention
You may be most exposed if you…
- Prescribe stimulants, benzodiazepines or other controlled medications to patients you’ve only seen by video
- Run a fully virtual practice with no physical location for in-person visits
- See patients in more than one state
- Started patients on controlled medications by telehealth since 2020 and have no in-person evaluation on file
- Work with or for a telehealth platform that prescribes controlled substances
Who it’s for
This is especially relevant to psychiatric and behavioral health practices, where controlled medications are a core part of care. Anyone whose patients depend on telehealth prescribing is welcome.
Patrick Brown, PMHNP-BC, DipACLM
Founder & CEO, Modyfi Health
Patrick is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and the founder of Modyfi Health, an Atlanta-based psychiatric care platform. He supervises and trains nurse practitioners who are building their own practices, and he speaks and teaches on psychiatric NP training.
“It took a year of mistakes, but by the end I had a full schedule and had brought a therapist into my practice.”
Good to know
Is it really free?
Yes. There’s no cost and nothing to buy.
How do I join?
After you register, you’ll get an email with your Google Meet link, a dial-in number and an “add to calendar” option. You can join from a browser on your computer or from the Google Meet app on your phone.
What if I can’t make it live?
Register anyway. We’ll email registrants the key takeaways after the session.
What if the DEA publishes the final rule before November 5?
Then we’ll walk through what it actually says. The session will reflect the latest information available on the day.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is an educational briefing. For decisions about your own practice, talk with your own healthcare attorney or compliance advisor.
Don’t find out on January 1.
Thursday, November 5 · 12:00–1:00 PM ET · Free
This information is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. It reflects publicly available information as of October 2026. Rules and timelines may change before or after the webinar.
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