ATA Letter To Congress Outlines Additional Recommendations To Advance Telehealth To Combat COVID-19 As Part of the Next Coronavirus Relief Package
WASHINGTON, DC, MAY 5, 2020 — The ATA, the premier organization working to accelerate the adoption of telehealth, sent a letter to Congress last week outlining additional funding and policy changes to address remaining barriers to appropriate virtual care to include in the next COVID-19 relief package. The ATA has worked closely with members, telehealth advocates, and leaders in Congress to ensure previous COVID-19 legislation expanded access to telehealth during this public health emergency.
The ATA’s letter to Congress outlines recommendations to advance and support the expansion of telehealth and digital health technologies, to best support patients and health care providers, including:
- Additional funding for telehealth infrastructure and coverage to ensure that providers can continue to rapidly scale to serve patients remotely.
- Necessary regulatory flexibility for federal health programs to adequately offer telehealth.
- A seamless experience for patients and providers by ensuring continued access to remote care moving forward.
“Our nation has come to fully recognize the power of telehealth and we urge Congressional leaders to continue working to ensure patients who benefit from telehealth and other remote technologies do not lose essential access to care,” said Ann Mond Johnson, CEO, the ATA. “The new realities of health care delivery in a post-COVID-19 world will necessitate the continued use of telehealth to support social distancing and maximize health care resources. Further, the continuation of many temporary policies, and enactment of new, permanent statutory and regulatory changes, will be needed as America returns to ‘normal.'”
Expanding Access to Telehealth Services and Remote Monitoring During the COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.americantelemed.org/policies/ata-letter-to-congress-on-coronavirus-iv-legislation/
About the ATA
As the only organization completely focused on advancing telehealth, the ATA 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. ATA represents a broad and inclusive member network of health care delivery systems, 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. Visit the ATA COVID-19 Resource Center. @americantelemed #gotelehealth #ATApolicy
