American Telemedicine Association Expands Commitment to Telehealth Policy Reform, Launches New Government Relations Special Interest Group

WASHINGTON, DC, FEBRUARY 4, 2022 – The American Telemedicine Association (ATA), the premier organization working to accelerate the adoption of telehealth, today announced the formation of a new Government Relations Special Interest Group (SIG), focusing on strategies that support the development of sustainable and viable telehealth policy. The ATA Policy Council will continue to make final determinations as to policy positions taken by the ATA and ATA Action, the ATA’s new affiliated trade organization working to support the enactment of state and federal telehealth coverage and appropriate payment policies to secure telehealth access for all Americans, including those in rural and underserved communities.

“The ATA is putting unrivaled firepower and resources behind our public policy efforts in order to ensure permanent access to and appropriate payment for telehealth services,” said Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of the ATA. “Working with our members, partners and other key stakeholders, we are bringing an even stronger, more informed and inclusive voice to these important issues that will shape the future of healthcare delivery. The ATA is well-suited to advance telehealth policy and establish virtual care as an effective option in a hybrid healthcare system that better supports overburdened providers and delivers quality care to patients where and when they need it.”

Leading the ATA’s Government Relations SIG are co-chairs Alexis Gilroy, Jones Day; Alyssa Keefe, CommonSpirit Health; and Andrew Van Ostrand, One Medical. Under their direction, the SIG will work to identify the value proposition of patient-centered laws and regulations governing the use of clinically appropriate telehealth and discuss strategies on how to make these public policy aims reality.

The ATA also added seven new members to the Policy Council: Allie Dodd, Medical University of South Carolina; Greg Fulton, Philips; Mary Griskewicz, Cigna; Jim Parker, VoCare, Inc.; Nick Schilligo, 1-800 Contacts; Kara Townsend, HCA Healthcare; and Amy Westergren, Ro. The Policy Council helps the ATA chart a path forward on the important policy questions now facing our industry.

“We have the benefit of collaborating with many of our industry’s foremost leaders and with representation from all corners of the telehealth ecosystem, giving the ATA a most comprehensive and balanced perspective and unparalleled access to decision-makers,” added Kyle Zebley, the ATA’s Vice President, Public Policy, and Executive Director, ATA Action. “All of our work is informed and inspired by the ATA’s Policy Principles, providing a clear roadmap and vision for federal and state health policy that is technology, modality and site-neutral.”

ATA Action recognizes that telehealth and virtual care have the potential to transform the healthcare delivery system by improving patient outcomes, enhancing the safety and effectiveness of care, addressing health disparities, and reducing costs. ATA Action is a registered 501c6 company and an affiliated trade organization of the ATA.

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

CONTACT:
Gina Cella
Cella Communications
781-799-3137
gcella@cellapr.com

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