Warner, Murkowski, Whitehouse, and TillisReintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Telehealth Access

Washington - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Mark Warner (D-VA) reintroduced the Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act. This bipartisan legislation addresses regulatory hurdles to accessing telehealth services for opioid use disorder by making permanent the resources that were made available during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Telehealth has become an essential part of patient care, helping providers reach people where they are, especially in rural and underserved communities in Virginia and across the country," said Sen. Warner. "For many, it's been a literal lifesaver. But the current flexibilities are temporary, and this bipartisan bill would make sure patients can continue accessing the telehealth treatment and resources they rely on."

"Over 80 percent of our communities are off the road system in Alaska, which often leaves people to fly hundreds of miles to receive care," said Sen. Murkowski. "Expanded access to telehealth services has proven to be critical in meeting people in recovery where they are. This legislation makes permanent patients' access to these services regardless of where they call home."

"The opioid epidemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on families in Rhode Island and across the country," said Sen. Whitehouse. "There is a bipartisan commitment in Congress to supporting people who are on the long, noble road of recovery by preserving lifesaving recovery support from the comfort and privacy of home."

"The opioid epidemic is one of the most pressing public health emergencies of our time," said Sen. Tillis. "During the pandemic, temporary flexibilities allowed life-saving opioid use disorder (OUD) treatments, such as buprenorphine, to be prescribed via telehealth. This bipartisan legislation will permanently allow health care providers to prescribe OUD treatments via telehealth as appropriate, and result in expanded access to treatments that are proven to be effective in treating substance use disorders. As the United States continues to experience an unacceptable number of opioid overdose deaths, we must pursue policies that reduce barriers and increase access to care, and I'm proud to work with my colleagues on the TREATS Act, which does exactly that."

Additional cosponsors include Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Fetterman (D-PA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

Background

In March 2020, early in the Public Health Emergency declared during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) authorized healthcare providers to prescribe medication to treat opioid addiction via audio-only or audio-visual telehealth appointments. This expansion of coverage improved access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), improved retention in care, and reduced risk of overdose. These expanded services are set to expire at the end of the year. This legislation seeks to codify access to these treatment options.