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The Future of Health is NOW! Major Telehealth Prescribing Update for Behavioral Health, AI news and more

Published about 8 hours ago • 1 min read

Welcome to The Future of Health Now!

Hello Reader

This week: a major Telehealth prescribing policy update for behavioral health, fresh AI funding and tools, and a security heads-up worth flagging to patients.

  1. DEA/HHS Extend Controlled-Substance Telehealth Prescribing Through 2026
    January 2, 2026 — HHS
    The DEA and HHS issued a fourth temporary extension of telemedicine flexibilities that let patients receive prescriptions for controlled medications without a prior in-person visit, averting the "telemedicine cliff." New expiration: December 31, 2026. HHS specifically noted the benefit to "individuals receiving treatment for mental health conditions or substance use disorder" — over 7 million such prescriptions were issued via telemedicine in 2024 alone.
    Source: HHS.gov
  2. Onos Health Raises $17M for AI Behavioral Health Platform
    August 26, 2026 — MobiHealthNews
    Onos Health raised $17M for its AI platform, which helps health plans analyze behavioral health care quality and utilization — part of a broader push to bring AI-driven measurement into virtual mental health care.
    Source: MobiHealthNews
  3. Epic Targets Outpatient Visits with New AI Tool
    August 19, 2026 — Healthcare Dive
    Ochsner Health is the first deployment site for Epic's new AI-powered tool designed to streamline outpatient office visits.
    Source: Healthcare Dive
  4. Suki Launches AI Dictation Tool with EHR Integration
    August 26, 2026 — Healthcare Dive
    The new dictation tool integrates with Epic and Meditech, offering accurate transcription for complex medical terminology to reduce clinician documentation burden.
    Source: Healthcare Dive
  5. Health Systems Warn Patients of MyChart Phishing Scam
    August 24, 2026 — Healthcare Dive
    Epic reports a rise in phishing attempts impersonating the MyChart patient portal brand, attributing the activity to cybercriminals rather than a breach of Epic's own systems.
    Source: Healthcare Dive

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Compiled from HHS.gov, MobiHealthNews, and Healthcare Dive. Reflects publicly reported news through August 26–27, 2026.

-Dan

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Secure Telehealth

President, Secure Telehealth

I'm a coach and entrepreneur who loves to talk about shaping the future of health & wellness by using the right technology. My mission is to make sense of health care tech and make it accessible to everyone. Subscribe and join over 4,000+ newsletter readers every week!

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