Alaska adopts permanent telemedicine rules for addiction treatment

Physicians in Alaska will operate under permanent rules for prescribing buprenorphine via telemedicine starting July 4, formalizing standards for remote opioid use disorder treatment that had been governed by emergency measures.

The Alaska State Medical Board adopted the regulations February 26, and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor signed and filed them June 4. The changes establish practice standards in Title 12, Chapter 40 of the Alaska Administrative Code after the federal Drug Addiction Treatment Act waiver was eliminated, according to a state notice.

Federal rule changes in January 2025 made permanent certain telemedicine flexibilities for opioid treatment, allowing DEA-registered providers to prescribe buprenorphine via telemedicine for up to six calendar months before an in-person evaluation is required.

The board published the proposed regulations in September 2025, inviting public comment through November 3, 2025. ATA Action, a national telehealth advocacy organization, submitted an October 30, 2025 letter supporting the proposed amendment to repeal outdated language restricting buprenorphine prescribing via telemedicine.

The regulations will be published in Register 259 in October 2026. The state does not expect any implementation costs for the agency. Rural Alaska communities that depend on telehealth for buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder will operate under these new permanent standards, though access may also be shaped by broadband availability, clinic capacity, and reimbursement policies.