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CONTACT:  Farrah Kim, +1.202.568.8986, FarrahKim@Rational360.com

Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership Emphasizes Enhanced Patient-Generated Health Data, Voluntary Standards, and High Priority Conditions

ARLINGTON, VA (November 13, 2013) – The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, and the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), the Association for Competitive Technology (ACT), and the Continua Health Alliance, today announced their joint letter encouraging Congress to realize the full potential of enhanced patient-generated health data (PGHD) in advancing the American health care system.  The letter was originally submitted to House Ways & Means and Senate Finance Committees on November 12. 

This jointly submitted input to Congressional leadership was in response to a proposed framework and discussion draft towards repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula and reforming the Medicare physician payment system. 

In their comments, TIA, ATA, ACT, and Continua stressed:

(1) the importance of incentivizing the adoption of PGHD in these reform efforts;

(2) the use of open and voluntary standards for interoperability between remote patient monitoring devices and electronic health records (EHRs) that would leverage the broader information and communications technology industry; and

(3) the focus on high priority conditions that would result in SGR-related cost savings as well as be consistent with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) priority to reduce long-term health care costs.

To read the joint letter, visit www.tiaonline.org/sites/default/files/pages/Multi-Association%20SGR%20Framework%20Letter%20on%20Patient-Generated%20Health%20Data%20%28PGHD%29%20111213.pdf

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents manufacturers and suppliers of global communications networks through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment, and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org for more details.

TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and is a proud sponsor of ANSI’s Standards Boost Business campaign. Visit www.standardsboostbusiness.org for details.

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