The industry’s leader in ADHD assessment and treatment said telehealth will return to pre-pandemic rules when the Public Health Emergency expires on May 11.
ADHD Online, the leader in online ADHD assessment and treatment options, said patients using telehealth for access to certain prescriptions must take specific steps to prepare for changes related to the end of the national Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11.
“The pending end of the Public Health Emergency will change how telemedicine and telehealth operates,” said ADHD Online co-founder and CEO Zachariah Booker. “It is vital that patients who utilize telehealth and telemedicine are aware of how this will impact them moving forward with treatment plans and prescriptions.”
The Department of Health and Human Services announced Feb. 9 that the PHE implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will expire on May 11.
In order to speed vaccine development and to help people maintain access to their doctors and medications, the PHE temporarily suspended many healthcare regulations. Among them was a requirement that physicians, with limited exceptions, must conduct an in-person medical examination of a patient in order to prescribe a controlled substance.
The PHE allowed telemedicine companies like ADHD Online to prescribe all types of medication without an in-person exam, a vital option during the pandemic when patients were often unable to see their doctors in person and telehealth became a primary way of receiving healthcare.
As of May 11, pre-pandemic rules will apply and telemedicine companies will not be able to prescribe controlled substances without an in-person exam. This includes any medication prescribed to those with ADHD. Patients who want to continue to use telehealth to receive prescriptions for medications on the federally controlled substance lists must be able to document that they have seen a physician within the past two years.
ADHD Online is recommending that its patients taking widely used medications like Adderall, Ritalin and Concerta (or any other medications on this list) take the following steps:
If they have seen a doctor in the past 23 months, they should send this form to the healthcare provider and ask the provider to complete the form. Then the provider or patient should return the form to ADHD Online.
If they have not seen a doctor over the past 23 months, they should schedule an in-person physical with their primary care provider and bring this form to the provider to complete. Then the provider or patient should return the form and a summary of the patient’s doctor visit to ADHD Online.
“Taking these steps will ensure that patients will continue to receive their medications after the expiration of the PHE,” Booker said. “Rest assured that ADHD Online is here for you and we’re working hard to make sure you will continue to receive care and treatment for your ADHD.”
About ADHD Online
ADHD Online was founded in 2018 with the mission that everyone should have access to quality ADHD assessments regardless of who and where they are. The ADHD Online team is filled with industry experts across the United States who all share the same passion for ADHD and making sure patients have access to critical mental health services. ADHD Online is leading the way with being a critical voice for those who might be struggling with ADHD and is the only organization to offer HIPAA-secured ADHD assessments online with results from doctorate-level psychologists. ADHD Online is active in all 50 states.
