FCC announces 62 recipients of COVID-19 telehealth funding totaling $42M
The awards ranged from roughly $100,000 to up to a million dollars to fund programs to acquire network improvements and connected devices.
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The FCC announced 62 award winners for funding commitments totaling nearly $42 million as part of the second round of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program.
Funds were doled out to healthcare providers in each state, territory and in Washington, including ones previously unfunded in the first round.
The awards ranged from roughly $100,000 to up to a million dollars to fund programs to acquire network improvements and connected devices, as well as implement telehealth programs for patients whose incomes are below the federal poverty level.
For example, St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford, Mass., as part of Southcoast Health System, was awarded $1,000,000 for laptops, mobile devices, and remote patient monitoring equipment to expand the hospital's telehealth capabilities and provide quality care services to patients at home.
For the Virgin Islands Healthcare Foundation in Christiansted, St. Croix, the FCC awarded $416,002 to purchase remote patient monitoring systems to reduce in-person contact for providers and patients with chronic conditions who might contract COVID-19 from otherwise routine hospital visits.
The second round is a $250 million federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act.
The FCC said next funding awards will commit funding to the highest-scoring applications, regardless of geography, until at least $150 million has been committed.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The COVID-19 Telehealth Program provides funding to eligible healthcare providers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic to support the telecommunications services, information services and connected devices needed to provide critical connected care.
In 2020, virtual care was expected to account for more than 20% of all medical visits in the U.S., which in turn is projected to drive $29 billion in total healthcare services. Meanwhile, multiple studies are showing patients are increasingly comfortable using telehealth services and technologies.
THE LARGER TREND
The FCC acted earlier this year to establish a system for rating applications in Round 2, factoring in the hardest-hit and lowest-income areas, tribal communities, and previously unfunded states and territories.
Almost 88% of Americans want to continue using telehealth for nonurgent consultations after COVID-19 has passed, according to a March Sykes survey that polled 2,000 Americans on how their opinions on virtual care have changed within the past year.
ON THE RECORD
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, access to healthcare has proven to be not only a national issue, but also a local issue, and it is imperative that every community is given the tools to access this care as safely and effectively as possible. The FCC is committed to ensuring that every state and territory in the United States receive funding as part of this program," FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement.
"Now even more doctors and nurses in every corner of our country can establish or expand telehealth services to support patients and their families."
