Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients
Published Date: 1/17/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting February 18, 2025, VA doctors can prescribe controlled medicines through telemedicine even if they haven’t met the patient in person, as long as another VA doctor has done an in-person check before. This makes it easier and faster for veterans to get their meds without extra trips. Doctors must check the patient’s VA records and state prescription databases first to keep things safe and sound.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
VA Telemedicine Prescribing Authorized
Starting February 18, 2025, VA practitioners acting within their VA employment can prescribe controlled substances by telemedicine to a VA patient even if the prescribing practitioner has not met the patient in person, so long as another VA practitioner has previously done an in-person medical evaluation of that patient. This authority covers controlled substances in schedules II through V when the conditions in the rule are met.
Mandatory EHR and PDMP Checks; 7-Day Limit
Before issuing a prescription via telemedicine for a schedule II–V controlled substance, the VA prescribing practitioner must review the patient's VA electronic health record (including the VA internal prescription database) and the state prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) for the state where the patient is located (if the state has a PDMP). If either the VA EHR or the state PDMP is unavailable or non-operational, the practitioner may limit the initial telemedicine prescription to a 7-day supply and must later review both the VA EHR and the PDMP before continuing to prescribe via telemedicine.
Rule Excludes Contracted and Disability Evaluations
This final rule does not apply to contracted practitioners located outside a VA facility or clinic who provide care via the Community Care Network (CCN), nor does it apply to practitioners conducting disability compensation evaluations. Those practitioners are not authorized under this rule to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine under the VA-specific authority described here.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-20447, Transparency in Coverage
Starting soon, health plans and insurers must share clearer, easier-to-understand price info for medical services and drugs. This helps you see what in-network and out-of-network costs really look like, with more details and better updates. These changes affect most group and individual health plans and kick in with new reporting rules to make healthcare pricing more transparent and fair.
2026-20469, Privacy Act Exemptions
The Department of the Treasury is creating a new system to handle tips and complaints about waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs. To keep investigations safe and effective, this system will be partly exempt from some Privacy Act rules starting November 5, 2026. This change helps protect sensitive info while fighting fraud, with no extra costs to the public.
2026-20441, Medical Devices; Cardiovascular Devices; Classification of the Hyperoxia Monitoring Device Adjunct to Pulse Oximetry
The FDA is officially putting the hyperoxia monitoring device that works with pulse oximeters into a safer, easier-to-manage category called Class II. This change, effective October 6, 2026, means the device will have special safety rules but fewer regulatory hurdles, helping patients get access to this cool tech faster. Medical device makers and healthcare providers will feel the impact, with smoother approval processes and no big new costs expected.
2026-20448, Medical Devices; Exemptions From Premarket Notification: Class II Devices; Certain Clinical Toxicology Test Systems
Starting October 6, 2026, the FDA is letting certain clinical toxicology test systems skip the usual premarket approval step, cutting red tape and saving money for medical device makers. This change means these devices can get to market faster without extra paperwork, helping labs and patients get quicker results. If you make or sell these test systems, this update is a big win for your business and the healthcare world!
2026-20440, Medical Devices; General and Plastic Surgery Devices; Classification of the Focused Ultrasound System for Non-Thermal, Mechanical Tissue Ablation
The FDA is officially classifying the focused ultrasound system for non-thermal, mechanical tissue ablation as a Class II device, meaning it has special safety rules but fewer hurdles than the strictest category. This change helps make the device safer and easier to get to patients, boosting innovation and cutting red tape. The new classification is effective October 6, 2026, but has been in effect since October 6, 2023, affecting manufacturers and patients alike.
2026-20443, Medical Devices; Immunology and Microbiology Devices; Classification of the High Throughput DNA Sequencing for Hereditary Cancer Predisposition Assessment Test System
The FDA is officially putting high throughput DNA tests for hereditary cancer risk into a safer, easier-to-access category called Class II. This change means these tests will have special rules to keep them safe and effective, while also making it simpler for patients to get these life-saving tools. The new classification took effect on October 6, 2026, helping speed up innovation without extra costs for companies or patients.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-01002, Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Compressors
The Department of Energy is updating how compressors are tested to fix a math error and make sure pressure is measured correctly, especially at different heights. These changes affect manufacturers who must follow the new rules starting July 16, 2025, helping ensure fair and accurate energy efficiency ratings. This update won’t cost extra but will make testing clearer and more reliable.
Next: 2025-01049, Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter
Starting January 17, 2025, doctors can prescribe buprenorphine for opioid treatment through telemedicine, including phone calls without video, after checking patient data. Patients can get up to six months’ worth of medicine split into several prescriptions, making treatment easier and more accessible. Pharmacists must confirm patient identity before filling these prescriptions, helping keep things safe and smooth.