Telehealth

WASHINGTON—The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) announced it has submitted a letter to congressional leaders outlining the disruption caused by the recent expiration of telehealth flexibilities. The letter includes recommendations to reinstate these flexibilities and enact retroactive reimbursement for these services.

WASHINGTON—Waivers that provided key telehealth flexibilities expired Sept. 30 as the U.S. Congress hit an impasse over budget bills and triggered a government shutdown. 

WASHINGTON—United States Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) have reintroduced the Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill that would extend telehealth access for Americans enrolled in Medicare through fiscal year 2027. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) are leading the House companion bill.

WASHINGTON—The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) announced the winners of its fourth annual Telehealth Innovators Challenge, taking place at the association’s annual conference, Nexus 2025 in New Orleans. The ATA’s Innovators Challenge provides a platform for early-stage companies and innovators to showcase virtual care solutions in front of stakeholders, investors, decision-makers and the global health care industry.

BELLEVUE, Washington—DocNow, a provider of electronic health record (EHR) solutions for post-acute care, announced the launch of DocNow Telehealth, a secure, Zoom-powered virtual care platform built specifically for providers in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), long-term care (LTC) and home health settings.

ST. LOUIS—A medical doctor from the Kansas City, Kansas area admitted to accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to order medically unnecessary health care for thousands of patients.

WASHINGTON—ATA Action, the advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), has acquired the Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA), an international organization focused on expanding access to digital therapeutics. 

WASHINGTON—ATA Action, the advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association, submitted concerns and detailed recommendations on the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s proposed rule to establish special registrations for the remote prescribing of controlled substances without requiring an in-person visit. 

WASHINGTON—The American Telemedicine Association’s (ATA) affiliated trade association, ATA Action, has urged Congress to make extend or make permanent the telehealth flexibilities that are set to expire on Mar. 31. ATA Action said urgent action is needed by Congress to prevent millions of patients from losing access to essential virtual care services. 

SAN JOSE, California—VSee Health Inc., a digital health services and telehealth provider, announced it has been awarded a significant contract with a Florida health system. The company said this contract could grow significantly if its deployment broadens. The partnership intends to improve the company’s health care delivery systems by providing customized telehealth solutions that integrate with existing hospital infrastructure.

NEW YORK—The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) announced the launch of a new virtual helpline assistant that aims to assist families who are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related illnesses.

WASHINGTON—The American Telemedicine Association (ATA), a telehealth organization, and ATA Action, the company’s affiliated trade organization, have urged Congress to extend access to necessary virtual care services in a year-end legislative package. With many telehealth flexibilities set to expire at the end of the Congressional year, the company aims to gain the support of Congress members. 

WASHINGTON—In response to the 2024 presidential election results, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), a nonprofit organization seeking to promote access to medical care via telecommunications technology, and ATA Action, the ATA affiliated trade organization, issued the following statement regarding the potential future of the telehealth industry.