– The best resource for monthly healthcare regulatory compliance updates.
Monthly Healthcare Compliance News: February 2025
Overlook:
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- DEA
- Licensure Compacts
- Other Legislation
- Board Updates
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA):
The DEA has issued rules addressing prescribing medication via telemedicine:
- Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for VA patients: Beginning February 18, 2025, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) practitioners, within the scope of their employment, will be permitted to prescribe controlled substances (CS) via telemedicine to VA patients for whom they did not conduct an in-person medical evaluation.
- Special Registrations for Telemedicine and Limited State Telemedicine Registrations: This rule establishes three types of Special Registrations for prescribing CS: Telemedicine Prescribing Registration, Advanced Telemedicine Prescribing Registration, and Telemedicine Platform Registration. DEA is encouraging individuals to submit comments concerning this rule by March 18, 2025.
Alabama:
The Alabama Board of Pharmacy has issued additional guidance for Telehealth and Prescribing practices:
- Rules for telehealth apply to where the patient is located. Alabama law requires a QACSC and Alabama DEA to prescribe controlled substances. They cannot prescribe with an out-of-state DEA.
- ALBOP has also received inquiries regarding whether an Alabama pharmacist may fill prescriptions (specifically controlled substances) for midlevel practitioners that are authorized to write in another state. If the prescription is written by a valid prescriber in the state in which it was written and it was not pursuant to telemedicine (see above), an Alabama pharmacist would legally be able to fill the prescription if the pharmacist felt in their professional judgement, it was a legitimate prescription. However, the Board cannot address whether insurance companies address this situation in an audit.
California:
On January 29, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-15-25, which postpones for one year the license renewal fees for Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA/Department) licenses that expire between January 1, 2025 and June 30, 2025, and whose residential or business address is within the impacted zip codes. Upon license renewal licensees eligible for the renewal fee postponement will renew with no payment due. This year’s renewal fees will automatically be postponed to 2026. Please note, renewal fees are not waived. You will still be required to pay the fees, but they will not be collected until 2026. Questions can be directed to the licencees’ respective board.
CA Executive Order Concerning License Renewal Fees
Nevada:
The Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine has issued a reminder of their new Thentia license database system used for application submission and licensee portal for board communication. This system will also now include Anesthesiologist Assistant licenses. Providers will also upload and submit completed CME certificates every year prior to renewal.
North Carolina:
Effective October 14, 2024, the North Carolina Medical Board temporarily waives supervision requirements for Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs), and physicians wishing to provide medical care in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. The healthcare providers must have a full and unrestricted license. Limited Emergency Licenses are available from the board for Physicians and PAs who have been inactive for five years or less and previously held a North Carolina license. Limited Emergency Licenses are also available for out-of-state PAs with full and unrestricted licenses. The waiver remains in effect for specific counties until March 1, 2025.
NC BOM Temporary Waived Supervision for NPs and PAs
Virginia:
The Virginia Board of Medicine has included summaries of 2024 passed legislation in their newsletter:
VA HB 971: Lowers the required amount for full-time clinical experience from five years to three years before an advanced practice registered nurse may practice without a practice agreement
VA HB 995: Permits the Board of Medicine to issue a provisional license to a physician licensed in a foreign country for no more than two years, then a subsequent renewable two-year license if the physician practices in a medically underserved area. After two years of practice under the renewable license in a medically underserved area, a physician licensed in a foreign country is eligible to apply for a full, unrestricted license to practice medicine.
VA SB 133: Allows Physician Assistants employed by a hospital or employed in certain facilities operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services or in federally qualified health centers designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to practice without a separate practice agreement if the credentialing and privileging requirements of the applicable facility include a practice arrangement.
VA BOM Board Briefs December 2024 (page 11)
The Virginia Board of Medicine has implemented reciprocal licensing for physician assistants as of August 30, 2024 for physician assistants who wish to practice in neighboring jurisdictions.
VA BOM Board Briefs December 2024 (page 13)
The Virginia Board of Medicine has voted to shorten the length of time applications can remain open from one year to 180 days.
VA BOM Board Briefs December 2024 (page 13)
The Virginia Board of Medicine has joined two interstate licensing compacts, Occupational Therapy in 2021 and Physician Assistants in 2024. The board anticipates that OT compact privileges will begin to be issued in 2025. The PA compact privileges are in implementation.
VA BOM Board Briefs December 2024 (page 13)
A license renewal extension, upon request, has been issued for licenses, certificates, and registrations expiring between September 25 and November 9, 2024. A licensee must be a resident of a jurisdiction affected by Hurricane Helene. To request a renewal extension, please email the board with “Renewal Extension Request” in the subject line.
VA BOM Board Briefs December 2024 (page 14)
Disclaimer: This information has been gathered from a variety of sources. Although Verisys has made every effort to provide complete, accurate and up-to-date information, Verisys makes no warranties, express or implied, or representations as to the accuracy or reliability of this information. The information is fluid and evolving. Verisys assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information contained in this resource.
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