Today, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) reintroduced the Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025. This bill would permanently extend a pandemic-related exemption that currently allows healthcare professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prescribe medically necessary controlled substances to veterans via telemedicine under certain conditions regardless of whether that healthcare professional has conducted an in-person medical examination.
Congressman Womack said, “Easing access to critical care for America’s heroes is vital, and that’s exactly what my bill prescribes. By permanently extending successful telehealth services, veterans—including the millions of rural veterans without convenient access to VA clinics—will continue to receive quality care right in their homes. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this important, commonsense legislation across the finish line.”
Background:
The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 was enacted on April 13, 2009. This bill was designed to combat the rogue internet pharmacies that proliferated in the late 90s, selling controlled substances online.
Under this Act, a practitioner is required to have conducted at least one in-person medical evaluation of the patient, in the physical presence of the practitioner, before issuing a prescription for a controlled substance.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, requirements under the Ryan Haight Act for a patient to meet with a practitioner in-person for the prescription of a controlled substance were temporarily waived.
On November 19, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the continuation of temporary extension of flexibilities around telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances from the COVID-19 public health emergency through December 31, 2025.
Impact on Veterans:
Telehealth improves healthcare accessibility, convenience, and efficiency by enabling remote consultations, reducing the need for travel, and facilitating timely medical intervention.
Due to lack of immediate access to VA clinics, more than 2.7 million veterans residing in rural areas have particular difficulty conducting the one in-person visit with their health care provider that is required under the Ryan Haight Act.
Veterans residing in rural areas do not have the same access to VA healthcare as those in more suburban and urban areas, which can result in poor long-term health outcomes.
If the current exemption expires at the end of the year, veteran access to certain medications classified as a controlled substance will be severely restricted.
