ATA ACTION LAUNCHES CROSS-STATE CARE COALITION TO MODERNIZE LICENSURE AND EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE
New coalition to advance federal legislation establishing pathways for cross-state care while preserving states’ core role in patient safety and professional oversight
WASHINGTON, DC, SEPTEMBER XX, 2026 — 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.
Co-chaired by Johns Hopkins Medicine and informed by the ATA’s Policy Principles on Breaking Down Interstate Barriers to Care, the Coalition is working to modernize licensure through narrow, clearly defined federal pathways that would, in targeted circumstances, clarify conflicting state licensure requirements that unnecessarily prevent clinically appropriate cross-state care. These targeted pathways are not intended to federalize professional licensure or displace states’ broader authority over standards of practice, scope of practice, discipline, patient safety, and professional accountability. Its mission is to protect continuity of care, enable timely access to expertise, support innovation and research, preserve patient safety and accountability, and advance nationwide coordination toward more seamless, connected care.
“Patients should be able to continue receiving clinically appropriate care from trusted providers, even when life, geography, or specialty care needs cross state lines. The Cross-State Care Coalition is focused on pragmatic, bipartisan solutions that protect patients, preserve the essential role of states in regulating clinical practice, and remove unnecessary barriers that stand between people and the care they need,” said Kyle Zebley, CEO of the ATA, executive director of ATA Action, and co-chair of the Coalition. “This is not about federalizing medical licensure. It is about identifying specific circumstances where a narrow federal pathway can solve a real patient-access problem while maintaining strong safety and accountability protections. We intend to work with Republicans and Democrats, federal and state policymakers, clinicians, patient advocates, and other stakeholders, and alongside our Coalition members, to build support for practical legislation and get meaningful reforms signed into law. This is about building a more connected, responsive healthcare system that reflects how care is delivered today.”
The Coalition prioritizes high-impact clinical and care-delivery contexts where state-by-state licensure creates unnecessary friction for patients and providers, including virtual specialty care, follow-up and continuity care with an established provider, second opinions, rare and complex subspecialty care, technology-enabled services, and care delivered through federally regulated clinical trials.
ATA Action Cross State Care Coalition Priorities
- Protect continuity of care across state lines
- Expand access to specialty, rare, and complex care
- Support innovation through virtual clinical research
- Preserve patient safety and state oversight of professional accountability
- Advance coordinated, connected care nationwide
“Telehealth has expanded access and changed the way care is delivered, but licensure remains state bound. This initiative calls for targeted federal leadership, working alongside states, to ensure continuity of care and access to specialized services without compromising safety or accountability,” said Mary Fernandes, PhD, assistant director of federal strategy, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, and co-chair of the Coalition. “We invite health systems, provider organizations, innovators, and digital health leaders to join us in addressing this critical issue.”
Founding members include Johns Hopkins Medicine, Access TeleCare, AdventHealth, Clara, MedStar Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Sanford Health, Talkiatry, and Teladoc Health, with additional organizations being invited to participate. The Coalition is designed to align targeted federal action with state authority, supporting patient safety and accountability while eliminating duplicative requirements that do not enhance quality. The Coalition builds on the work of the Licensure Innovation for Telehealth Transformation (LIFTT) Initiative launched earlier this year.
LIFTT Initiative (Licensure Innovation for Telehealth Transformation) Launched Earlier This Year
The ATA, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine, announced a three-year initiative in February to advance understanding and legislative action to reduce state licensure hurdles and expand nationwide telehealth access through carefully tailored federal solutions that complement, rather than replace, state-based licensure and oversight. The LIFTT Initiative (Licensure Innovation for Telehealth Transformation) aims to educate the public and policymakers on the urgent need for federal reforms to improve telehealth access nationwide. While state licensure frameworks remain the foundation of medical regulation, LIFTT focuses on pragmatic federal solutions that address specific gaps, such as continuity of care and access to rare expertise, where rigid state-by-state requirements can unintentionally harm patients.
About ATA Action
Founded in 2022 as the ATA’s affiliated 501(c)(6) organization, ATA Action is the leading organization focused on Advocacy Shaping Virtual Care, working with federal and state policymakers to expand and protect how virtual care is legislated and regulated. ATA Action drives industry momentum by influencing legislative and regulatory developments in telehealth, virtual care, remote patient monitoring, artificial intelligence in health, health data privacy, private sector healthcare investment, and more. Representing a diverse membership – including hospital systems, technology companies, professional associations, direct-to-consumer digital health providers, payers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, digital therapeutics developers, and remote monitoring organizations – ATA Action facilitates member-led coalitions focused on initiatives such as Cross State Care, Digital Therapeutics, and Virtual Foodcare.
About the ATA
As the Definitive Voice for Virtual Care, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) is the catalyst for advancing innovation and the transformation of healthcare through virtual care, digital health, hybrid delivery, and AI-enabled care models. Representing the most diverse ecosystem in healthcare – including leading health systems, academic medical centers, payers, technology innovators, life sciences companies, and clinician leaders – the ATA convenes the field, builds consensus, advances education and practical resources, develops standards and frameworks, and provides policy leadership consistent with its status as a 501(c)(3) organization.
