Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services Act” or the “TREATS Act”.
Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services Act
A BILL
To amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow for the use of telehealth in substance use disorder treatment, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Telehealth for substance use disorder treatment
Section 309(e)(2) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 829(e)(2)) is amended—
in subparagraph (A)(i)—
by striking “at least 1 in-person medical evaluation” and inserting the following:
“(I) 1 in-person medical evaluation”
by adding at the end the following:
“(II) for purposes of prescribing a controlled substance in schedule III, IV, or V that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of a substance use disorder, 1 telehealth evaluation of the patient; or”
by adding at the end the following:
“(D) The term telehealth evaluation means a medical evaluation that is conducted in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws by a practitioner (other than a pharmacist) who is at a location remote from the patient and is communicating with the patient, or a practitioner who is treating the patient, using a telecommunications system referred to in section 1834(m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)) that includes audio-only or audio and video equipment permitting two-way, real-time interactive communication between the distant site practitioner and the patient, or the practitioner who is treating the patient.”