In pursuing policies that allow for providers to provide safe, equitable, affordable and appropriate
care, the ATA and ATA Action released the ATA Policy Principles, a code of ethics for practioners to follow.
The principles include:
- All services provided remotely should meet the clinical standard of care and adhere to practice standards determined by the profession, state regulatory boards, and state law.
- Providers should be appropriately licensed, credentialed, or certified to deliver care and permitted to practice without impermissible influence on their clinical judgement.
- Telehealth and virtual care platforms, systems, and devices should mitigate cybersecurity risk and provide for patient safety and confidentiality.
- Advertising for virtual care services should be truthful and non-misleading and demonstrate a commitment to quality healthcare that meets the standard of care and compliance with all applicable state and federal laws.
These policy documents were also updated:
- ATA’s Permanent Policy Recommendations – Updated to include federal omnibus telehealth provisions.
- ATA’s Recommendations on Online Prescribing of Controlled Substances – Updated with additional recommendations for consideration by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
ATA will be submitting comments on the following:
- CY 2023 Home Health Proposed Rule – Comments due August 16
CMS is soliciting comments on the collection of telehealth data on home health claims to allow CMS to analyze the characteristics of the beneficiaries utilizing services furnished remotely.
- Request for Information (RFI): HHS Initiative To Strengthen Primary Health Care – Comments due August 1
Requests information about innovations, models, solutions to barriers, and possible HHS actions that may strengthen primary health care to promote health equity, reduce health disparities, improve health care access, and improve health outcomes.
- Calendar Year (CY) 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule – Comments due September 6
The ATA said in a statement to send Alexis Apple (aapple@americantelemed.org) any comments your organization would like the association to include in its letter responses by open of business Friday, July 29 for the Primary Care RFI and Wednesday, August 3 for Home Health and Medicare PFS proposed rules.
