Charleston, WV (WOAY) – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey joins a multistate bipartisan coalition calling for federal officials to extend telehealth services permanently.
The coalition addressed the letter to U.S. attorney Merrick Garland, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram and Dr. Miriam Delphin Rittmon, assistant secretary for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The U.S continues to combat an ongoing opioid crisis, with over 100,000 people dying due to overdose last year alone.
In March 2020, the DEA allowed audio-visual telemedicine services to prescribe all Schedule II-V controlled substances, including buprenorphine. This practice remains in effect until the COVID-19 public health emergency expires.
The current allowance for telehealth services also expands access to buprenorphine to patients who may have previously struggled to receive the medication.
