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Addiction Treatment & Mental Health: Increased Telehealth Access

New rules make it easier to access addiction treatment and mental health services through telehealth, especially for Medicare beneficiaries. This means patients can more frequently use phone or video consultations, potentially making it simpler to get needed help without an in-person visit. The act also changes rules for prescribing certain controlled substances remotely.
Key points
Increased availability of addiction treatment and mental health services via phone or video calls, especially for Medicare beneficiaries.
Ability to prescribe certain controlled substances (e.g., for addiction) after a telehealth consultation, provided an initial in-person or video evaluation has occurred.
Practitioners prescribing addiction medications via telehealth must adhere to recognized guidelines and diversion control plans.
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Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 117_S_340
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Process start date: 2021-02-22
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Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
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OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

TREATS Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 117_S_340.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2021-02-22.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Increased availability of addiction treatment and mental health services via phone or video calls, especially for Medicare beneficiaries.
  • Ability to prescribe certain controlled substances (e.g., for addiction) after a telehealth consultation, provided an initial in-person or video evaluation has occurred.
  • Practitioners prescribing addiction medications via telehealth must adhere to recognized guidelines and diversion control plans.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-29.

CATEGORIES

Health