How is virtual healthcare used to benefit patients and care givers? What are the newest innovations in virtual care technology? How do telehealth and telemedicine fit into the realm of virtual healthcare? We have our finger on the pulse and are striving to report the latest developments around virtual healthcare.
Industry News
ATA Action Launches Cross-State Care Coalition to Modernize Licensure and Expand Access to Care
ATA Action, the American Telemedicine Association’s affiliated organization focused on Advocacy Shaping Virtual Care, today announced the launch of the Cross-State Care Coalition, a new national effort bringing together health systems, provider organizations, innovators, and virtual care leaders to develop and advance practical, bipartisan federal legislation that removes unnecessary barriers to cross-state care and expands patient access.
Blue Shield of California Expands Virtual Blue Program, Bringing $0 Out-Of-Pocket virtual Benefit to 260,000 Members
Blue Shield of California today announced a significant expansion of its flagship virtual care benefit, Virtual Blue, advancing the nonprofit health plan’s commitment to accessible, affordable, high-quality healthcare. The expansion will make Virtual Blue available to an additional 200,000 mid-size employer preferred provider organization (PPO) members and 60,000 Individual and Family Plan members, increasing total enrollment in plans with the Virtual Blue program benefit from 150,000 to more than 410,000.
AMA announces Jennifer Goldsack to lead Center for Digital Health and AI
The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced the hiring of Jennifer Goldsack as senior vice president and inaugural leader of the AMA Center for Digital Health and AI. Goldsack joins the AMA from the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), a global non-profit organization dedicated to advancing digital medicine to optimize health, where she was both founder and CEO. A leading voice on the responsible adoption of digital health and AI in healthcare, Goldsack has a record of bringing together evidence, clinical practice, technology, and policy to help ensure digital innovations are safe, effective, equitable and capable of delivering meaningful value for patients and physicians.
Remote Patient Monitoring
VA Telehealth Study Finds Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Face Connectivity Barriers
Veterans in a recent study of a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) telehealth program indicated they think positively of remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices in general, but faced challenges with Bluetooth pairing and data transmission which limited care teams to successfully access their data in real time during video visits. Patients reported benefits to health, behavior, and communication with care teams. To maximize the impact, program enhancements should prioritize device interoperability, accessible training, and expanded outreach. See the analysis here.
2027 Physician Fee Schedule Could Reshape RPM and RTM services
CMS’s 2027 Physician Fee Schedule proposal could eliminate third-party vendor remote patient monitoring (RPM). CMS aims to consolidate billing codes while ensuring patients receive all three components of remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM). Check out LexaView’s full review of the new proposed rule.
Policy News
Telehealth Regulatory Waivers Expanded Access, But Disparities Persisted, Review Finds
Federal telehealth regulatory waivers introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic expanded access to virtual care, particularly by removing geographic restrictions; but did not eliminate underlying barriers for rural and disadvantaged patients, according to a new review of U.S. telehealth research. Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill searched four databases and ultimately included 19 studies in the analysis. Read more here.
To Read
Medbridge Debuts Specialized Skills Training to Advance At-Home Care for Children With Medically Complex Needs
Medbridge just announced the launch of its new Pediatric Clinical Skills curriculum. The new program combines specialized pediatric education, competency validation, and point-of-care clinical support in one platform. It provides nurses trusted guidance for medically complex pediatric patients. The curriculum is built specifically for pediatric home care workflows, and digital competency tools that help organizations move nurses from onboarding to field readiness.
HCAA Expands Access to Certified Self Funding Specialist® Designation Through WebCE
The Health Care Administrators Association (HCAA), the nation’s leading nonprofit membership trade association supporting the self-funded health benefits industry, is offering its Certified Self Funding Specialist® (CSFS®) designation through WebCE, providing insurance and benefits professionals with a convenient way to expand their knowledge of self-funded healthcare while earning continuing education credits.
Global Telehealth Research Gaps Raise Questions About Generalizability
Telehealth research is disproportionately conducted in high-income countries, according to a new analysis, raising concerns that evidence generated in one healthcare system may not be applicable to patients and clinicians in another. The findings highlight the importance of considering the population, the healthcare environment, and the broader implementation context in which the evidence was generated before applying it to another setting.
To Listen
Our HealthcareNOW Radio Telehealth Playlist
The Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines telehealth as “the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support and promote long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration.” To learn more and find out about the latest in telehealth tune in to the episodes on this playlist. Additionally, be sure to read HCNR’s Friday Five which recaps the site’s month long concentration on telehealth.
Defining the Industry According to the AAFP
Telemedicine is the practice of medicine using technology to deliver care at a distance. It occurs using a telecommunications infrastructure between a patient (at an originating or spoke site) and a physician or other practitioner licensed to practice medicine (at a distant or hub site).
Virtual Care is a patient service model for healthcare providers.
Telehealth refers to a broad collection of electronic and telecommunications technologies that support health care delivery and services from distant locations. Telehealth technologies support virtual medical, health, and education services.
Hashtags to follow for updates on Telemedicine:
Telehealth.HHS.gov
During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, we don’t have to choose between medical care and social distancing. When patients can get health care through telehealth — and doctors can provide it — we protect ourselves and our communities. The Telehealth.HHS.gov website provides information about the latest federal efforts to support and promote telehealth services.
The American Telemedicine Association Events
ATA is a non-profit association based in Washington DC with a membership network of more than 10,000 industry leaders and healthcare professionals. We are a leading telehealth association helping to transform healthcare by improving the quality, equity and affordability of healthcare throughout the world. Find their next event.
Upcoming Events
ATA The Next Mile: Scaling Virtual Care in Rural America (@AmericanTelemed)
What: ATA’s Virtual Insights Summit Workshop
When: Oct 20, 2026 01:00 PM EST
Where: Virtual Event
The infrastructure is taking shape. The evidence is growing. Now comes the hard part: scaling virtual care where it’s needed most.
This interactive workshop brings together leaders working on the front lines of rural virtual care to tackle the real-world challenges of scaling—from hub-and-spoke specialty care to acute and behavioral telemedicine.
With the Rural Health Transformation Program beginning to reach states, we’ll explore what the funding is making possible, where implementation is hitting roadblocks, and what health systems further along the journey have learned.
This isn’t a panel or lecture. It’s a problem-solving session.