The opioid crisis continues to devastate communities across the United States, and new research is shedding light on how telehealth can play a role in addressing this public health emergency.
Key Research Findings
Recent studies have found that states with telehealth payment parity laws — which require insurers to reimburse telehealth services at the same rate as in-person visits — have seen lower rates of opioid overdose. This suggests that improving access to virtual care can have a meaningful impact on substance use disorder treatment outcomes.
The Role of Medicaid
Medicaid plays a critical role in providing coverage for substance use disorder treatment, particularly for low-income populations. Expanding Medicaid telehealth coverage can help bridge the gap in access to evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted therapy (MAT) and behavioral health counseling.
CTeL's Policy Recommendations
CTeL continues to advocate for comprehensive telehealth policies that support substance use disorder treatment, including permanent telehealth flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances, expansion of Medicaid telehealth coverage, and removal of geographic restrictions that limit access to virtual care.