SAMHSA’s Final Rule Expands Telehealth Access to OUD Treatment

January 31, 2024

On January 31, 2024, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration finalized its
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) rule, marking a significant step in the accessibility of
buprenorphine treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD).

The rule makes audio-visual and audio-only telehealth visits a permanent option for initiating and
managing buprenorphine treatment without the need for in-person visits. Additionally, the rule extends
telehealth flexibility for methadone treatment, allowing opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to conduct
audio-visual visits for new patient inductions. The rule preserves pandemic-era flexibilities, facilitating
easier access to take-home doses by eliminating as sole consideration strict time-in-treatment
considerations and rigid drug testing requirements. Furthermore, the rule eliminates outdated and
stigmatizing language related to OUD and its treatment.

While OTPs celebrate these telehealth flexibilities, the DEA’s stance on the future of remote prescribing
of controlled substances settings remains uncertain.

Learn more here.