Expanding Access to Virtual Behavioral Care: Navigating State and Federal Regulations
Behavioral Health Business March 25, 2024
2024 could prove pivotal for virtual behavioral health as the federal government considers making COVID-era telehealth flexibilities permanent.
Federal and state regulations can heavily influence the availability of behavioral telehealth appointments. For behavioral health providers who provide care to Medicaid beneficiaries, or who prescribe controlled substances for conditions like substance use disorders (SUDs), regulations can be even more restrictive.
Several regulations that have created flexibility for behavioral health providers offering virtual care may change or expire later this year. Still, the federal government is signaling that telehealth is likely here to stay.
“We can’t allow those flexibilities to expire,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Xavier Becerra told the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday. “When the...