The ATA Agrees With The HHS Office Of Inspector General (OIG) Statement Recognizing Telehealth As ‘A Matter of Safety’
WASHINGTON, DC, FEBRUARY 26, 2021 – The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) applauds a new statement issued today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recognizing that, “Where telehealth and other remote access technologies were once a matter of convenience, the public health emergency made them a matter of safety for many beneficiaries.”
“The ATA appreciates the HHS Office of Inspector General for their fair-minded statement about the healthcare challenges the COVID-19 public health emergency created, the importance of telehealth in delivering safe, effective care to patients wherever and whenever needed, and the future role of telehealth and remote monitoring for improving care coordination and health outcomes,” said Ann Mond Johnson, CEO, the ATA. “The OIG also rightly points out the need to differentiate ‘telefraud’ and telemarketing schemes and legitimate telehealth services. This is a critical message from the OIG, to address confusion and allay concerns around the safety and effectiveness of telehealth.”
In today’s statement, Christi A. Grimm, HHS-OIG Principal Deputy Inspector General, also noted, “…OIG recognizes the promise that telehealth and other digital health technologies have for improving care coordination and health outcomes.”
“Moving forward, the ATA stands ready to work with OIG and other government agencies to ensure that telehealth services continue to delivery safe, quality and convenient care, and that telehealth becomes permanently available as part of a two-channel care delivery system that balances in-person and virtual care. We must protect the taxpayer from healthcare fraud while ensuring Medicare beneficiaries maintain access to high-quality virtual care.”
About the ATA
As the only organization completely focused on advancing telehealth, the American Telemedicine Association is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and appropriate care when and where they need it, enabling the system to do more good for more people. The ATA represents a broad and inclusive member network of leading healthcare delivery systems, academic institutions, technology solution providers and payers, as well as partner organizations and alliances, working to advance industry adoption of telehealth, promote responsible policy, advocate for government and market normalization, and provide education and resources to help integrate virtual care into emerging value-based delivery models. @americantelemed #telehealthishealth #ATApolicy
# # #
CONTACT:
Gina Cella
Cella Communications
781-799-3137
gcella@cellapr.com
