The American Telemedicine Association and its advocacy arm, ATA Action, launched a member-driven initiative on July 31 to shape how AI is governed in virtual care delivery.
The AI in Virtual Care Policy Initiative convenes three working groups, each focused on a different policy landscape. A state policy group will develop model recommendations for lawmakers, covering clinician oversight, transparency, liability, patient consent and validation standards. A federal legislative group will advise Congress on reimbursement, access, infrastructure, clinical validation and national standards. A third group will focus on federal agency guidance, including transparency, trust, workflow integration, privacy and data quality.
Outcomes will be presented in December at the ATA EDGE Policy Conference and will set ATA Action’s advocacy priorities for 2027.
“The public policy decisions being made today will shape how AI is used in virtual care for years to come,” said Kyle Zebley, CEO of the ATA and executive director of ATA Action.
The initiative aims to avoid a fragmented patchwork of federal and state requirements that could slow responsible adoption of AI-enabled virtual care, the association said. It wants recommendations that support innovation, strengthen patient trust and provide clarity for care teams and technology developers.
Working group chairs include Sam Pinson of Nixon Law Group, Matthew Anderson of Honor Health and Abigail Crawford of WVU Medicine Children’s. The effort builds on ATA Action’s 2026 work on remote patient monitoring and AI policy in the proposed physician fee schedule.
Telehealth groups have stepped up AI policy engagement as states pass their own rules and federal agencies draft new guidance for AI-enabled care.
