DA 22-805

Released:  July 29, 2022

WC Docket No. 20-89

By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) extends two deadlines for Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program (COVID-19 Program).  First, in response to recent requests from awardees, we extend the deadline for funding recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services from July 31, 2022, to October 31, 2022.[1]  We also necessarily extend the deadline for submitting invoices for reimbursement by three months.[2]

              In order to build off the success of Round 1 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, Congress, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, appropriated $249.95 million to the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) for Round 2 of the Program.[3]  The Commission issued funding awards for 446 applications between August 26, 2021, and January 26, 2022, awarding more than $256 million in funding.[4] 

Round 2 funding recipients were given a July 31, 2022, deadline to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services (purchase/implementation deadline).[5]  To date, the Bureau has received multiple requests to extend this deadline.  Participants requesting more time have cited a variety of reasons, including supply-chain delays and discontinuities, staff absences due to COVID, and challenges with state government purchasing regulations.[6]  In addition, during Round 1, the initial deadline for purchasing and implementation of services was extended similarly.[7]  For these reasons, the Bureau extends the purchase and implementation deadline to October 31, 2022.  Next, the Round 2 rules permit program participants to be reimbursed for twelve months of recurring services, so shifting the purchase and implementation deadline by three months may also affect the time participants have to start, incur, and be reimbursed for the full year of services.  In light of the fact that the invoicing deadline could be impacted by the change to the purchase and implementation deadline, we also adjust the invoicing deadline and extend it by three months.  Finally, while the Bureau extends the purchase/implementation deadline, we encourage COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services as soon as practicable.

Additional Information.  For assistance, all program participants are encouraged to email Round2TelehlthInvoicSupp@fcc.gov.  For special situations or to resolve ambiguous issues, please contact Clinton Highfill, Attorney-Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, clinton.highfill@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0091.  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are posted at the Commission’s website for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, www.fcc.gov/covid19telehealth.

-FCC-

[1] The new purchasing/implementation deadline supersedes the previous announcement in Wireline Competition Bureau Announces A Purchase and Implementation Deadline of July 31, 2022 For Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 22-260 (WCB Mar. 11, 2022) (Round 2 Purchase Deadline Public Notice).

[2] The new invoicing deadline supersedes the previous announcement in Wireline Competition Bureau and Office of Managing Director Set July 31, 2023 Invoicing Deadline for COVID-19 Telehealth Program Round 2 and Provide Post-Program Guidance,WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 22-582 (WCB May 25, 2022).

[3] Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No:  116-260, Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access Service, § 903 “FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program” (2020), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/133/text (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021).

[4] See Wireline Competition Bureau Approves Sixth and Final Group of Funding Awards in Round 2 of COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 22-88 (WCB Jan. 26, 2022).

[5] Round 2 Purchase Deadline Public Notice at *1.

[6] See E-mail from Jim Towler, Office of the CIO, Novant Health, to Clinton Highfill, Attorney-Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau (July 26, 2022) (explaining that recent COVID cases have created staffing constraints and also challenges scheduling vendors); E-mail from Kevin Welch, CEO, Kau Hospital and Rural Clinic, to Clinton Highfill (July 21, 2022) (explaining that COVID-19 cases have increased down time for vital technical staff); E-mail from Christina Higa, Co-Director, Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center, to Clinton Highfill (July 20, 2022) (explaining that vendors need more lead time to obtain clearances required to transact business with a State of Hawaii entity).

[7] Wireline Competition Bureau Extends the COVID-19 Telehealth Program September 30, 2020 Purchase and Implementation Deadline, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 20-1139 (WCB Sept. 28, 2020).

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Sixteen new projects have been selected to receive the funding in the last round of the program established in 2020 to support the advancement of connected care.

By Anuja Vaidya

March 23, 2022 – The Federal Communications Commission has selected 16 new Connected Care Pilot Program projects to receive $29.7 million in funding.

This is the fourth and final set of approved projects under the Connected Care Pilot Program, which was launched in 2020 to help cover costs of broadband connectivity, network equipment, and information services for projects that provide telehealth and connected care services. The program was set up to provide up to $100 million over three years to selected applicants.

The FCC announced its first group of program awardees in January 2021 and, along with the most recent round, is set to fund 107 projects serving patients in 40 states and Washington, D.C.

“Telemedicine has moved into the mainstream. It is now an essential part of healthcare in rural communities, urban communities, and everything in between,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. “These pandemic days have proven it.”

The final round includes projects that aim to address several health conditions, such as high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, mental health conditions, opioid dependency, and COVID-19.

“On a personal level, I’m especially pleased that efforts to address maternal health and high-risk pregnancy are the focus of several of our awardees,” Rosenworcel said. “We are the only industrialized nation with a rising level of maternal mortality. That’s unacceptable in every way…My goodness, we need to do better. So, I’m glad that in several locations, including Virginia, Hawaii, Delaware, Alaska, and South Carolina, we have been able to use this program to support connected care for pregnancy monitoring and maternal health.”

Several organizations are seeking more than $1 million in new funds, including Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport, Louisiana, which is seeking $9.4 million, Palmetto State Providers Network, a consortium with 34 sites in South Carolina, which is asking for $7.1 million, and New England Telehealth Consortium, with 11 locations in New Hampshire and Maine, which is seeking $2.5 million.

Though this is the last round of awards through the Connected Care Pilot Program, the FCC will continue its efforts by studying the award recipients in the program, the connections they used, and how they helped facilitate care, Rosenworcel said. Next year, the agency plans to produce a report on initial lessons learned through the connected care and COVID-19 telehealth programs.

The COVID-19 Telehealth Program, initially launched as a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020, aims to help providers offer connected care services to patients in their homes or at mobile locations in response to the public health emergency. The FCC relaunched the program in March 2021, and recently completed its sixth and final phase of funding through the program, providing $48 million to 100 healthcare providers.

The FCC is also supporting broadband deployments through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to boost access to internet connectivity, which will expand access to virtual care. The agency recently approved more than $640 million in new funds for broadband carriers in 26 states.

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Program Will Support Connected Care Services Across Country, Focus on Low-Income and Veteran Patients

  —

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2022—Today, the Federal Communications Commission announced its fourth and final set of approved Connected Care Pilot Program projects.  These 16 projects were approved for a total of $29,752,601 in funding.  With the newly selected projects, the Connected Care Pilot Program is set to fund 107 projects serving patients in 40 states plus Washington, D.C. 

Today’s action also sets a uniform deadline for all participants to file their initial funding request by September 16, 2022.

Telehealth has assumed an increasingly critical role in health care delivery, enabling patients to access health care services without needing to visit a health care provider’s medical office. Among other benefits, connected care services, delivered via a broadband internet access connection directly to the patient’s home or mobile location, also can help contain and treat health conditions during public health emergencies, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Pilot Program will make available funds from the Universal Service Fund over a three-year period for selected pilot projects to help defray the costs of providing certain telehealth services for eligible health care providers, with a particular emphasis on providing connected care services to low-income and veteran patients. 

The additional projects selected today will address a number of critical health conditions such as high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, mental health conditions, opioid dependency, COVID-19, and chronic conditions.  Funding these projects will help bring connected care services to rural and other underserved areas nationwide and will also help the Commission learn more about how Universal Service Fund support can enable providers to use connected care to help improve health outcomes.

• Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.  Boston Medical Center seeks $446,250 in Connected Care support to provide video visits or consults, remote treatment, and remote patient monitoring to low-income patients who are suffering from chronic/long-term conditions and mental health conditions.  Boston Medical Center would serve approximately 1,500 patients, 85% of whom would be low-income.  Boston Medical Center was selected because of its potential impact on this low-income patient population.
   
• Boston’s Community Medical Group, Inc., Boston, MA.  Boston’s Community Medical Group, Inc., seeks $918,000 in Connected Care support to deploy a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform to serve its 22,000 low-income patients across Massachusetts with primary care and wrap-around services.  Patients to be served are eligible for both Medicare and state Medicaid-supported services, with many having a physical or behavioral disability, a severe mental illness, or substance-use disorder.  Boston’s Community Medical Group’s proposal was chosen because of its potential impact on rural and medically underserved areas and its focus on high-need, low-income populations.  
  
  
• Children’s Hospital of Denver, Aurora, CO.  Children’s Hospital of Denver would use $824,096 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and treatment services to low-income patients under 21 years of age suffering from medically complex conditions.  Children’s Hospital would serve an estimated 200 patients in Wyoming and Colorado, 100% of whom are low-income.  Children’s Hospital of Denver was selected because of its potential impact on low-income children with medically complex conditions in Colorado and surrounding rural areas.
  
  
• Christiana Care Health Services, Newark, DE.  Christiana Care Health Services’ Pilot project would use $3,253,627 in Connected Care support to provide prenatal remote patient monitoring and telehealth visits to primarily low-income patients.  Christiana Care Health Services’ Pilot project would serve an estimated 5,000 patients in Delaware, 80% of whom would be low-income.  Christiana Care Health Services was selected because of its focus on maternal health for low-income patients. 
  
  
• Community Guidance Center – Indiana Location C19, Indiana, PA.  Community Guidance Center would use $154,530 in Connected Care support to provide teletherapy services to low-income and veteran patients in western Pennsylvania.  This Pilot project will focus on providing mental health, substance abuse, and intellectual disability treatment services to 150 patients.  Community Guidance Center’s Pilot project was selected because of its focus on expanding access to mental health services to low-income patients residing in rural areas.
  
  
• Community Health Center, Inc. (CHCI), Middletown, CT.  Community Health Center, Inc., is a consortium with 30 different sites across Connecticut.  CHCI seeks $1,093,398 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and video consults to low-income and veteran patients with complex, chronic conditions such as hypertension, mental health disorders, obesity, opioid dependency, and HIV, often compounded by adverse social determinants of health such as homelessness.  CHCI would treat an estimated 15,000 patients, more than 80% of whom would be low-income and approximately 5% of whom would be veterans.  Community Health Center, Inc. was selected because of its potential impact on low-income and veteran patients across multiple communities.
   
• Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (Yukon Flats Health Center), Fort Yukon, AK.  Through its Pilot project, Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (Yukon Flats Health Center) seeks $1,124,486 in Connected Care support to provide patient-based, internet-connected remote monitoring, other monitoring, video visits, imaging diagnostics, remote treatment, and other services for veterans and low-income patients with chronic conditions, high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, infectious diseases like COVID-19, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency.  This Pilot project would reach an estimated 5,588 patients, 95% of whom would be low-income and 5% of whom would be veterans.  This project was chosen because of  its potential impact on low-income and veteran patients in a rural region in Alaska.
  
  
• Golden Valley Health Centers, Merced, CA.  Golden Valley Health Centers’ Pilot project would use $725,195 in Connected Care support to provide patient-based internet-connected remote monitoring, other monitoring, video visits or consults, and imaging diagnostics primarily to low-income patients suffering from chronic or long-term conditions, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency.  Golden Valley Health Centers’ Pilot project would provide connected care services to 70,000 patients in California, nearly all of them low-income.  Golden Valley Health Centers was selected because it would serve a large number of low-income patients.
  
  
• Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc., Brandywine, MD.  Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc., seeks $406,249 in Connected Care support to provide patient-based, internet-connected, remote monitoring, video visits, and remote treatment for veterans and low-income patients whose needs include chronic or long-term conditions, high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, infectious diseases like COVID-19, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency.  Greater Baden Medical Services’ Pilot project would reach an estimated 5,400 patients across Maryland, 35% of whom would be low-income and 20% of whom may be veterans.  Greater Baden Medical Services was selected because of its potential impact on the low-income and veteran populations that it serves. 
  
  
• MUSC Medical Center, Charleston, SC.  MUSC Medical Center’s Pilot project seeks $246,347 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and video visits to treat patients for maternal health, chronic conditions, mental health issues, opioid dependency, and infectious diseases.  MUSC Medical Center’s pilot project would reach an estimated 3,500 patients, 25% of whom would be low-income patients.  MUSC Medical Center was selected because of its focus on expanding connected care services, with a specific focus on maternal health and chronic conditions. 
  
  
• New England Telehealth Consortium, Inc., a consortium with a site in North Conway, NH, and 10 sites in Maine.  New England Telehealth Consortium seeks $2,560,098 in Connected Care funding to connect patients directly into its existing consortium network for purposes of receiving connected care services.  The Pilot project would serve 1,872 patients, 20% of whom would be low-income patients and 11% of whom would be veterans.  New England Telehealth Consortium was selected because of its potential impact on these patient groups and its commitment to address maternal health, chronic and long-term conditions, infectious diseases, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency. 
  
  
• Northern Nevada HOPES, Reno, NV.  Northern Nevada HOPES’ Pilot project seeks $331,884 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring services and virtual visits to low-income patients suffering from HIV/AIDS, diabetes, opioid dependency, heart disease, and hypertension.  Northern Nevada HOPES’ Pilot project would serve an estimated 180 patients, nearly all of whom would be low-income.  Northern Nevada HOPES was selected because of its focus on providing broadband to patients residing in transitional housing intended to relieve homelessness. 
  
  
• Palmetto State Providers Network, a consortium with 34 sites in South Carolina.  Palmetto State Providers Network’s Pilot project would use $7,192,893 in Connected Care support to provide remote monitoring and video consults to primarily low-income patients suffering from chronic conditions and infectious diseases.  Palmetto State Providers Network’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 18,000 patients at six locations, of whom 80% are low-income.  Palmetto State Providers Network was selected because of its provision of broadband to a large number of low-income patients.
  
  
• Tower Health – Reading Hospital, West Reading, PA.  Tower Health – Reading Hospital’s Pilot project seeks $396,457 in Connected Care support to provide patient broadband and connected care services for low-income residents of transitional housing.  Tower Health – Reading Hospital’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 169 patients, nearly all whom would be low-income and 15% of whom would be veterans.  Tower Health’s project was selected because of its provision of broadband to low-income and veteran patients and potential impact on these populations.
  
  
• University Hospital, Newark, NJ.  University Hospital seeks $627,300 for telehealth platforms, including an integrated telehealth platform, to facilitate virtual visits and remote patient monitoring to treat patients with chronic and long-term conditions, as well as COVID-19.  University Hospital would serve 80,000 patients in Newark, approximately 29.7% of whom are low-income or veteran patients.  University Hospital was selected because it has significant telehealth experience and is the only state-owned acute healthcare facility in Newark New Jersey’s Central Ward, with a service area that includes medically underserved areas. 
  
  
• Willis-Knighton Health System, Shreveport, LA.  Willis-Knighton Health System seeks $9,451,791 in Pilot Program funding for patient broadband and to expand remote patient monitoring and video visits and consults to treat patients for chronic conditions (including diabetes, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, mental health conditions, opioid dependency and infectious diseases.  Willis Knighton Health System’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 12,554 patients, approximately 57% of whom would be low-income or veterans, in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, including rural and medically underserved areas.  Willis Knighton Health System’s Pilot project was selected because of its focus on expanding access to connected care services and addressing broadband connectivity barriers for low-income and veteran patients, including in rural and underserved areas.

To learn more about the FCC’s Connected Care Pilot Program, visit https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/telecommunications-access-policy-division/connected-care-pilot-program.

Action by the Commission March 16, 2022 by Public Notice (FCC 22-23).  Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington approving.  Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr and Starks issuing separate statements.

WC Docket No. 18-213

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COVID-19 Telehealth Program

Federal Communications Commission   DA 22-260

DA 22-260
Released: March 11, 2022

WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES A PURCHASE AND IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINE OF JULY 31, 2022 FOR ROUND 2 OF THE
COVID-19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM

WC Docket No. 20-89

By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) sets July 31, 2022, as the deadline for Round 2 COVID-19 Telehealth Program (COVID-19 Program) funding recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services. A purchase and implementation deadline is necessary for efficient Program administration, as it ensures that Program funds are used in a timely fashion, and it will allow for a subsequent invoicing deadline, which will be announced at a later date.
In order to build off of the success of Round 1 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, Congress, as part of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, appropriated $249.95 million to the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) for Round 2 of the Program. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No: 116-260, Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access Service, § 903 “FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program” (2020), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/133/text (Consolidated Appropriations Act).
The Commission issued funding awards for 447 applications between August 26, 2021 and January 26, 2022, awarding over $256 million in funding. See Wireline Competition Bureau Approves Sixth and Final Group of Funding Awards in Round 2 of COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 22-88 (WCB Jan. 26, 2022).

During Round 1 of the Program, the final funding commitments were issued on July 8, 2020, Federal Communications Commission, Press Release, FCC Approves Final Set of Covid-19 Telehealth Program
Applications (July 8, 2020), https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-365417A1.pdf.
and the purchase and implementation deadline was initially set as September 30, 2020. Before the September 30, 2020 deadline, the Bureau received numerous requests for an extension of that deadline and eventually set the final purchase and implementation deadline for December 31, 2020. See Wireline Competition Bureau Extends the COVID-19 Telehealth Program September 30, 2020 Purchase and Implementation Deadline, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 10580 (WCB 2020).
As a result, during Round 1 all awardees had, at a minimum, just under six months from the notice of their awards to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services. We believe that a similar time frame should apply for Round 2 of the Program, as evidenced by the numerous extension requests we received from Round 1 awardees. Accordingly, we set a deadline of July 31, 2022 to ensure that all Round 2 awardees will have sufficient time to utilize Program funds to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services. While the Bureau sets the purchase/implementation deadline of July 31, 2022, we encourage COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services lists as soon as practicable.
Additional Information. For further information regarding this Public Notice, please contact Nathan Eagan, Attorney-Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Nathan.Eagan@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0991.
-FCC-

2

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The FCC is requesting public comment on proposed reforms to the Rural Health Care Program to “promote program efficiency and ensure that rural healthcare providers receive appropriate levels of funding.”

Initial Comments Due: 30 days after publication in the Federal Register
Reply Comments Due: 60 days after publication in the Federal Register

Background

The Rural Health Care Program provides funding to eligible health care providers for telecommunications and broadband services necessary for the provision of health care. 

As explained by the FCC, such funding is critical in light of the recent “explosion in demand for telehealth services, a trend accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, that has increased the bandwidth needs of rural health care providers. Reliable high speed connectivity is critical for rural health care providers to serve patients in rural areas that often have limited resources, fewer doctors, and higher rates for broadband and telecommunications services than urban areas.”

The Rural Health Care Program consists of two programs: (1) the Telecommunications (Telecom) Program; and (2) the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program.

Eligible health care providers include: (1) post-secondary educational institutions offering health care instruction, teaching hospitals, and medical schools; (2) community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants; (3) local health departments or agencies; (4) community mental health centers; (5) not-for-profit hospitals; (6) rural health clinics; (7) skilled nursing facilities and (8) health care consortia.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the United States, states, payers, and providers are looking for ways to expand access to telehealth servic es. Telehealth is an essential tool in ensuring patients are able to access the healthcare services they need in as safe a manner as possible. In order to provide our clients with quick and actionable guidance on the evolving telehealth landscape, Manatt Health has developed a federal and comprehensive 50-state tracker for policy, regulatory and legal changes related to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is the executive summary, which outlines federal developments from the past two weeks, new state-level developments, and older federal developments. The full tracker with details for each state is available through Manatt on Health, Manatt Health’s premium subscription service. 

New Federal Developments

New State-Level Developments

Note: As indicated in the table below, several states have recently taken action to update, continue, or renew their state of emergencies for COVID-19 in response to the rise of new cases linked with the Omicron variant. These updates are highlighted below because in many states, temporary telehealth flexibilities are tied to the status of state of emergency declarations.

Payment Parity Permanent State Laws and Statutes

Payment Parity requires that health care providers are reimbursed the same amount for telehealth visits as in-person visits. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many states implemented temporary payment parity through the end of the public health emergency. Now, many states are implementing payment parity on a permanent basis. As portrayed in Figure 1, as of February 2022, 19 states have implemented policies requiring payment parity, 4 states have payment parity in place with caveats, and 27 states have no payment parity.

_{Figure 1. Map of States With Laws Requiring Insurers to Implement Payment Parity (as of Febuary 2022)}

Federal Developments More than Two Weeks Old

Executive Branch Activity

Legislative Activity

Relevant Telehealth Data and Reports

In February 2022, the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation released an issue brief titled “National Survey Trends in Telehealth Use in 2021: Disparities in Utilization and Audio vs. Video Services,” which compared differences in telehealth access for audio-only and video visits between April and October 2021. While overall telehealth utilization was similar across demographic groups, except among the uninsured, there were significant differences in video telehealth use. Rates of video telehealth use were lowest among Latino, Asian and Black individuals, those without a high school degree and adults ages 65 and older.

In October 2021, the HHS-OIG released a data snapshot report titled “Most Medicare beneficiaries received telehealth services only from providers with whom they had an established relationship,” which evaluated the relationship between providers and Medicare patients utilizing telehealth between March and December 2020. Notably, the data snapshot found that 84% of Medicare beneficiaries received telehealth services only from providers with whom they had an established relationship.

In October 2021, JAMA published an study titled “Changes in Virtual and In-Person Health Care Utilization in a Large Health System During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” which sought to assess the association between the growth of virtual care and health care utilization in an integrated delivery network. The study found that while COVID-19 caused in-person visits to decline and virtual services to increase, there was no significant change in the overall volume of healthcare utilization, suggesting that virtual care was substitutive, rather than additive in the ambulatory care setting.

In September 2021, the HHS-OIG released two telehealth reports “States Reported Multiple Challenges With Using Telehealth To Provide Behavioral Health Services to Medicaid Enrollees” and “Opportunities Exist To Strengthen Evaluation and Oversight of Telehealth for Behavioral Health in Medicaid” based on surveys conducted in early 2020. The surveys focused around telemental health delivery though managed care organizations.

In July 2021, AAMC in in partnership with Manatt Health published “Sustaining Telehealth Success: Integration Imperatives and Best Practices for Advancing Telehealth in Academic Health Systems”, conducting extensive interviews with many leading telehealth AMCs across the country (Ochsner, VA, Kaiser, MUSC, UMMC, Intermountain, Jefferson, etc.) and synthesizing best practices through this report.

In July 2021, The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) published “Telehealth During COVID-19 Ensured Patients Were Not Left Behind,” which explores how health centers have utilized telehealth and the implications for health center patients should the PHE flexibilities not be extended. 

In June 2021, the Lucile Packard foundation published “COVID-19 Policy Flexibilities Affecting
Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs” to identify key flexibilities enacted during the PHE related to children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and summarize stakeholders’ perspectives about the impact of policy flexibilities on CYSHCN and their families and providers.

In June 2021, the Commonwealth Fund published “States’ Actions to Expand Telemedicine Access During COVID-19 and Future Policy Considerations,” which examined state actions to expand individual and group health insurance coverage of telemedicine between March 2020 and March 2021 in order to better understand the changing regulatory approach to telemedicine in response to COVID-19.. Notably, the report found that twenty-two states “changed laws or policies during the pandemic to require more robust insurance coverage of telemedicine.” Three policy flexibilities that states focused on included: requiring coverage of audio-only services; requiring payment parity between in-person and telemedicine services; and, waiving cost sharing for telemedicine or requiring cost sharing equal to in-person care.

In June 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health and Services Administration (SAMHSA) released “Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders,” a guide supporting the implementation of telehealth across diverse mental health and substance use disorder treatment settings. The guide examines the current telehealth landscape and includes guidance and resources for evaluating and implementing best practices that will continue to assist treatment providers and organizations seeking to increase access to mental health services via telehealth.

In May 2021, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) released “States Expand Medicaid Reimbursement of School-Based Telehealth Services” exploring how states are increasing Medicaid coverage of school-based telehealth services during COVID-19, determining which services can effectively be delivered through telehealth, and supporting equitable access to telehealth services for students.

In May 2021, the Kaiser Family Foundation published “Medicare and Telehealth: Coverage and Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Options for the Future” analyzing Medicare beneficiaries’ utilization of telehealth using CMS survey data between summer and fall of 2020.

In May 2021, the American Medical Association in partnership with Manatt Health published “Return on Health: Moving Beyond Dollars and Cents in Realizing the Value of Virtual Care”  to articulate the value of digitally enabled care that accounts for ways in which a wide range of virtual care programs can increase the overall health and generate positive impact for patients, clinicians, payors and society.

In March 2021, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published “In-Person and Telehealth Ambulatory Contacts and Costs in a Large US Insured Cohort Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” highlighting existing disparities related to the digital divide.

FAIR Health publishes a Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker to track how telehealth is evolving comparing telehealth: volume of claim lines, urban versus rural usage, the top five procedure codes, and the top five diagnoses.

In February 2021, the Commonwealth Fund published “The Impact of COVID-19 on Outpatient Visits in 2020: Visits Remained Stable, Despite a Late Surge in Cases” tracking trends in outpatient visit volume through the end of 2020 hoping to track what the clinical impacts of the pandemic are and how accessible has outpatient care been, if there are new policies encouraging greater use of telemedicine, and what has been the financial impact of the pandemic on health care providers.

In February 2021, the California Health Care Foundation in partnership with Manatt Health published “Technology Innovation in Medicaid:What to Expect in the Next Decade,” a survey of 200 health care thought leaders in order to learn where health technology in the safety net is expected to go over the next decade.

In February 2021, Health Affairs published “Variation In Telemedicine Use And Outpatient Care During The COVID-19 Pandemic In The United States”, which examined outpatient and telemedicine visits across different patient demographics, specialties, and conditions between January and June 2020. The study found that 30.1% of all visits were provided via telemedicine, and usage was lower in areas with higher rates of poverty.

On December 29, JAMA published an article evaluating whether inequities are present in telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The study found that older patients, Asian patients, and non–English-speaking patients had lower rates of telemedicine use, and older patients, female patients, Black, Latinx, and poorer patients had less video use. The authors conclude that there are inequities that exist and the system must be intentionally designed to mitigate inequity.

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Round 2 of Program Supported 447 Health Care Providers Throughout the Country

WASHINGTON, January 26, 2022—The Federal Communications Commission today approved an additional 100 applications for funding commitments totaling $47.89 million for its COVID-19 Telehealth Program.  This is the FCC’s sixth and final funding announcement of approved Round 2 applications.  The FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program supports the efforts of health care providers to continue serving their patients by providing reimbursement for telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices necessary to enable telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The pandemic has forced us to think differently about how to deliver health care services and the FCC has risen to the challenge through a number of telehealth programs, including our COVID-19 Telehealth Program,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.  “From offering remote behavioral health services in Decatur, Illinois to supporting the underinsured and those living below the poverty line in Dade City, Florida, the health care providers announced today offer just a snapshot of the breadth of connected health care services this program has helped support in the past year.  I want to commend the work of our team in the Wireline Competition Bureau for their dedication to this program that has made such an impact on our nation’s doctors, nurses, and their patients.” 

Round 2 is a $249.95 million federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act.  The FCC took action last year to develop a system for rating applications factoring in the hardest-hit and lowest-income areas, Tribal communities, and previously unfunded states and territories.  Over the course of two funding rounds, this program has approved 986 awards to providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia.

Below is a list of health care providers that were approved for funding in this final wave (listed alphabetically):

• Adams County Regional Medical Center in Seaman, Ohio was awarded $498,756 to purchase telemedicine carts and other connected medical devices, which will allow providers to remotely conduct thorough health care assessments and improve patient health outcomes.
  
  
• Advantage Care Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Glen Head, New York was awarded $572,310 to purchase tablets, cameras, monitors, laptops, headsets, and other connected devices to expand its telehealth capabilities.
  
  
• AMH Comprehensive Medical Centers in Los Angeles, California was awarded $33,335 to purchase computers and monitors to expand telehealth care services at three different clinic locations across Los Angeles County.
  
  
• Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in La Junta, Colorado was awarded $339,501 to purchase infrastructure upgrades, including upgraded network capabilities, to support growing telehealth needs.
  
  
• Augusta University in Albany, Georgia was awarded $102,328 to purchase tablets and ultrasound devices that transmit images remotely, in order to provide diagnostic services to patients with respiratory issues, potential and confirmed COVID-19 infections, and others with COVID-19-like symptoms.
  
  
• AWARE, Inc., in Anaconda, Montana was awarded $457,603 to purchase laptops, software, and wireless access points to improve the connectivity of their telehealth program, enhancing providers’ capabilities to offer quality, accurate, and timely remote care for vulnerable populations.
  
  
• Berkshire Healthcare Systems in Pittsfield, Massachusetts was awarded $835,068 to purchase remote telehealth peripherals, laptops, tablets, secure video licenses, and wireless network infrastructure to upgrade their network capacity to accommodate advanced telehealth services while also enabling residents to connect with families while in isolation.
  
  
• Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers in St. Louis, Missouri was awarded $218,741 to purchase computers, phones, tablets, and networking devices, which will allow providers to remotely care for and assist patients with chronic illness, reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
  
  
• Bluestone Health Association of Princeton, West Virginia was awarded $169,383 to purchase telemedicine carts, monitors, laptops, desktops, and other telehealth equipment that will help health care staff to provide quality healthcare remotely.
  
  
• Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia was awarded $493,888 to purchase webcams, laptops, and desktop computers to facilitate synchronous communication with patients and providers and to monitor and provide primary care services to COVID-19 patients, among other telehealth services.
  
  
• California Rural Indian Health Board, a consortium of six health care providers in California, was awarded $638,914 to purchase telemedicine carts, Bluetooth-enabled medical devices, computers, and telecommunication video licenses to improve access to primary care for rural residents, improve the remote monitoring of patients, and continue the care and monitoring of at-risk patients.
  
  
• Canyonlands Community Health Care in Page, Arizona was awarded $506,702 for laptops, tablets, servers, web cameras, computers, patient telehealth platforms, and privacy and communication licenses to improve patient care, expand their telehealth services, and enhance remote monitoring.
  
  
• Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire was awarded $1,000,000 to purchase laptops, tablets, and data plans to allow for remote patient evaluations and enhance other telehealth applications.
  
  
• Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was awarded $447,400 for tablets and telehealth software to enable clinicians and staff to remotely monitor patients, decreasing the risk of COVID-19 exposure.
  
  
• Christus Health in Irving, Texas was awarded $734,675 to purchase laptops, tablets, telehealth carts, and remote patient monitoring equipment to more effectively reach remote patients and to increase capacity for virtual care.
  
  
• Cibola General Hospital in Grants, New Mexico was awarded $152,398 to purchase remote patient health monitoring equipment, which will be provided to providers and patients and provide consistent care and access to patient information.
  
  
• City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California was awarded $215,300 for laptops, tablets, cameras, headsets, and telehealth carts that will enable their providers to increase telehealth service offerings.
  
  
• Clara Martin Center in Randolph, Vermont was awarded $128,517 to purchase laptops and remote monitoring devices, and to expand wireless capabilities to help minimize the effect of the limited transportation options in the area, aiding in maintaining regular patient and treatment provider contact.
  
  
• Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center in Globe, Arizona was awarded $449,201 to purchase video conferencing subscriptions, tablets, and network hardware to connect providers directly with patients for COVID-19 follow-up care, as well as to maintain consistent communication for patients with chronic care needs.
  
  
• Coleman Professional Services in Kent, Ohio was awarded $631,836 to purchase laptops to provide uninterrupted, secure, and reliable audio-visual telehealth services to their patients and expand their telehealth capabilities.
  
  
• University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado was awarded $691,230 to purchase computers, phones, and networking devices to improve access, remotely manage care for patients, reduce patient and provider exposure, and conserve vital personal protective equipment for caregivers.
  
  
• CommuniCare Health Center in San Antonio, Texas was awarded $556,846 for mobile devices, such as phones and software, to expand their current telemedicine program, thereby increasing access to care for new and existing patients throughout the community.
  
  
• Community Foundation Northwest Indiana in Munster, Indiana was awarded $539,840 to purchase computers, monitors, webcams, headsets, tablets, and network connection devices to increase their capacity to provide a variety of telehealth care services to patients.
  
  
• Community Health Alliance of Pasadena, a system of health care providers in California was awarded $248,024 to purchase connected health monitoring devices and prepaid data plans to help provide safe and accessible care for high-risk and vulnerable patients within the community who would otherwise struggle to maintain connectivity.
  
  
• Community Health Center of Yavapai in Prescott, Arizona was awarded $915,985 to purchase remote patient monitoring devices, telemedicine carts, internet connectivity, and Wi-Fi infrastructure upgrades to enable mobile provider care, maintain telehealth monitoring for patients with high-risk medical conditions, handle a greater volume of telehealth visits to promote social distancing, and increase access to low-income, uninsured patients without smart phones or internet service.
  
  
• Community Health Partnership of Illinois in Chicago, Illinois was awarded $237,738 to purchase computers, video monitors, smart scales, blood pressure monitors, and blood glucose monitors, which will support patient monitoring and care management and help to reduce hospitalizations.
  
  
• Community Health Systems, Inc., a consortium of six providers in California, was awarded $33,320 to upgrade its phone system to improve patient experience for its 11,000 patients, the majority of whom are living below the poverty line and are underinsured or uninsured.
  
  
• Community Hospital, Inc., in Tallassee, Alabama was awarded $46,323 to purchase telehealth equipment, computers, and software to conduct patient visits and assessments remotely.
  
  
• Credo Community Center for the Treatment of Addictions in Watertown, New York was awarded $541,077 to purchase laptops, tablets, and telehealth software to conduct health assessments, individual and group counseling, peer services, care management, and medication management.
  
  
• Creek Valley Health Clinic in Colorado City, Arizona was awarded $241,586 to purchase remote patient monitoring devices, such as pulse oximeters, blood pressure devices, thermometers, and to provide loaner tablets to patients who may lack access to the devices needed to utilize telehealth care.
  
  
• Dayton Children’s Hospital in Dayton, Ohio was awarded $938,136 to purchase telehealth equipment, including tablets and remote monitoring devices, which will support their growing need for virtual consults and reduce the number of clinicians necessary for hands-on care, in turn reducing exposure to COVID-19.
  
  
• The Dickinson County Healthcare System in Gaylord, Michigan was awarded $1,000,000 to purchase webcams, tablets, and remote patient monitoring devices to facilitate the provision of telehealth and meet the increased patient demand for telehealth services while reducing the spread of COVID-19.
  
  
• East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina was awarded $367,900 to purchase remote patient health monitoring equipment, tablets, and data plans which will allow physicians and dentists to perform safe remote examinations in community settings and patient homes.
  
  
• Edgewater Health in Gary, Indiana was awarded $411,750 to purchase tablets, digital cameras, and telemedicine platform software to enhance and expand their primary care and behavioral health telehealth service offerings.
  
  
• Equitas Health in Columbus, Ohio was awarded $263,045 to purchase laptops, tablets, and remote patient monitoring kits for improved monitoring of high-risk patients who may be living with chronic illnesses.
  
  
• Family Counseling Center in Kennett, Missouri was awarded $163,900 to purchase tablet devices and software to deliver telehealth services to patients in Southeastern Missouri, where lack of transportation can pose a significant barrier to care in the largely rural area.
  
  
• Glencoe Regional Health Services in Glencoe, Minnesota was awarded $53,688 to purchase video-capable laptops and other telehealth devices which will help to enhance the telehealth services and ensure that patients who are unable to seek care in person are able to access remote care.
  
  
• Great River Medical Center in Blytheville, Arkansas was awarded $134,645 to purchase telehealth software and upgraded communications devices to improve patient outcomes by sharing information including COVID-19 electronic lab results, immunizations, and other patient health information across rural areas.
  
  
• Health West, Inc., a system of providers throughout Idaho, was awarded $774,240 to purchase computers, accessories, cameras, data and privacy software, routers, and telecommunications software licenses to improve and enhance telehealth services and create a robust network to support telehealth services going forward.
  
  
• HealtHIE Georgia, a system of providers throughout the state, was awarded $923,986 to purchase telehealth carts, laptops, tablets, and remote patient monitoring devices to enable remote care, coordination, and telehealth for residents of underserved rural Georgia.
  
  
• HealthNet in Indianapolis, Indiana was awarded $620,007 to establish a system of virtual telephone visits and real time video conferencing to enable the center to increase patient access by reducing barriers to care and more effectively care for patients with COVID-19 who may be discharged from the hospital or recovering at home.
  
  
• Herald Christian Health Center in Rosemead, California was awarded $604,854 to purchase laptops, computers, accessories, servers, and routers to increase their network’s capacity to support expanded telehealth service offerings and improve access to care.
  
  
• Heritage Behavioral Health Center in Decatur, Illinois was awarded $294,000 for telehealth devices and software subscriptions to facilitate remote access to video telehealth services.
  
  
• Heritage Health and Housing, Inc., in New York, New York was awarded $701,277 to purchase servers and tablets to increase telehealth services and enhance remote patient monitoring to provide vital services to their underserved community.
  
  
• High Country Community Health Center in Boone, North Carolina was awarded $495,429 to purchase tablets and other connected devices to enhance and facilitate their telehealth services and remote monitoring program.
  
  
• Hill Country MHDD Centers, a system of 15 providers throughout Texas was awarded $847,968 to acquire laptops and security software services which will allow providers to replace outdated desktop equipment, improve mobility of staff, and allow staff to provide better assistance to their patients through quicker access to internal systems.
  
  
• Hocking Valley Community Hospital in Logan, Ohio was awarded $410,647 to purchase laptops, tablets, remote monitoring devices, Wi-Fi services, and telehealth software to provide patient care in COVID-19 isolation rooms, allow for remote home monitoring with virtual check-ins, and for virtual treatment of opioid addiction.
  
  
• Houlton Regional Hospital in Houlton, Maine was awarded $277,934 to purchase devices, including tablets and telehealth carts, and software, that will support and connect patients to both primary care and specialty care physicians.
  
  
• Jamaica Hospital in Jamaica, New York was awarded $925,912 to purchase laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and patient monitoring cameras to equip providers with the necessary tools to conduct virtual telehealth visits and consultations, and to improve access to primary and specialty care and reduce strain on the hospital.
  
  
• Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Kennewick, Washington was awarded $762,420 to purchase patient monitoring kits that contain tablets, software, and accessories to monitor high-risk patients’ vital signs at home to avoid unnecessary COVID-19 exposures.
  
  
• Kaweah Delta Health Care District in Visalia, California was awarded $994,003 to purchase tablets, software, and shared computing services to keep up with increasing telehealth demands and provide improved telehealth service to its patients.
  
  
• Kern County Hospital Authority in Bakersfield, California was awarded $600,320 to purchase tablets, laptops, monitors, and other telehealth devices to provide primary and specialty care services remotely.
  
  
• Lakewood Health System in Staples, Minnesota was awarded $376,200 to purchase devices essential to their Remote Patient Monitoring program, including tablets, connected weight scales, pulse oximeters, and blood pressure monitors to provide telehealth services to patients.
  
  
• Los Angeles Christian Health Centers in Los Angeles, California was awarded $47,219 to purchase mobile devices and laptops for use by hard-to-reach patients, including those who may be experiencing homelessness, so they can continue to access medical care.
  
  
• University of Louisville Health in Louisville, Kentucky was awarded $571,652 to purchase telemedicine software, mobile phones, data plans, webcams, and network equipment to conduct telehealth visits and ensure quality health care throughout the pandemic.
  
  
• Marion General Hospital in Marion, Indiana was awarded $716,050 to acquire telemedicine carts, tablets, peripherals, and bidirectional audio-visual equipment to expand telehealth capabilities.
  
  
• McLeod Regional Medical Center of the Pee Dee, as part of a system of hospitals in South Carolina was awarded $764,309 to implement wireless network infrastructure upgrades, and to purchase other telehealth equipment, such as headsets and cameras, that will increase their telehealth service capacity while reducing the exposure and spread of COVID-19 throughout the hospitals.
  
  
• Mercy Foundation in Roseburg, Oregon was awarded $375,768 to purchase a telehealth platform system to implement rural school-based telehealth clinics, providing direct access to primary care and increasing the number of children who have access to quality healthcare.
  
  
• The Michigan Masonic Home in Alma, Michigan was awarded $519,532 to purchase telemedicine kits and remote monitoring devices to provide telemedicine services to the senior population of the area, due to their susceptibility to health complications during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  
  
• Morehouse Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia was awarded $907,235 to purchase remote patient health monitoring equipment and software, which will enable providers to monitor patients, provide frequent check-ins, and easily conduct provider-to-provider consultations.
  
  
• Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida was awarded $925,208 to purchase video cameras, tablets, computers, servers, telehealth software, and telehealth carts to enhance patient care and to improve communication internally and between patients and their families.
  
  
• Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System in Erie, Pennsylvania was awarded $80,137 to purchase computers, tablets, phones, and remote monitoring devices to allow providers, interpreters, and patients to connect more easily with each other and to have a higher level of quality for telehealth visits.
  
  
• Navicent Health in Macon, Georgia was awarded $549,463 to purchase telehealth carts, video conferencing software, clinical workstations, and phone solutions to support and enhance their telehealth services for patients.
  
  
• Neighborhood Health in Alexandria, Virginia was awarded $968,632 to acquire laptops, telemedicine carts, monitors, tablets, phones, servers, secure internet services, and connected devices, which will help improve and expand telehealth services.
  
  
• New Frontier in Fallon, Nevada, was awarded $134,353 to purchase computers, tablets, and telemedicine clinical assistant carts, which will provide secure videoconferencing and transmission of diagnostic information for primary care and mental health services.
  
  
• North Central Texas Community Health Care Center in Wichita Falls, Texas was awarded $531,156 to purchase computers, phones, and telemedicine carts to provide virtual care to patients without access to technology, to help reduce exposure to COVID-19 in the community.
  
  
• North Homes, Inc., in Grand Rapids, Minnesota was awarded $233,446 to purchase tablets and telehealth carts, which will provide secure videoconferencing and the transmission of diagnostic information for performing outpatient services.
  
  
• Northeast Valley Health Corporation in San Fernando, California was awarded $341,392 to acquire tablets, desktop computers, phones, and telehealth services to expand the center’s telehealth capabilities.
  
  
• Northpointe Behavioral Healthcare, a system of providers in Michigan, was awarded $37,679 to purchase laptops, monitors, servers, webcams, and other connected devices to help facilitate telehealth services and increase efficiency in patient care.
  
  
• Oklahoma Department of Corrections in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was awarded $202,692 to purchase telemedicine carts to increase the quantity and quality of remote health care while decreasing transportation time, safety risks, and exposure to COVID-19 in the community.
  
  
• One Brooklyn Health System in Brooklyn, New York was awarded $354,000 to purchase devices integral to their remote patient monitoring platform including laptops, connected scales, blood pressure cuffs, blood sugar monitors, pulse oximeters, and thermometers, which will allow clinicians to easily access patient data through an online portal, making patient consultation more efficient.
  
  
• Open Door Community Health Centers in Arcata, California was awarded $201,300 to purchase virtual interpretation services, specialized telemedicine carts, and ECG devices that can be operated remotely to provide continuous quality health care in a virtual and private setting.
  
  
• Pediatric and Family Medical Center in Los Angeles, California was awarded $357,096 to purchase laptops, hotspots, telehealth platform subscriptions, and remote monitoring devices to continue providing care to their most vulnerable patients with chronic diseases by reducing the need for patients to travel to appointments and thereby decreasing the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
  
  
• Potomac Valley Hospital in Keyser, West Virginia was awarded $70,669 to purchase telemedicine carts for the provision of telehealth services, which will help the hospital provide routine care for those whose access to transportation has been limited by COVID-19, follow-up appointments for specialty care and surgical services, and remote preventive medical services.
  
  
• Premier Community Healthcare Group in Dade City, Florida was awarded $569,940 for remote monitoring devices as well as upgraded telecommunications infrastructure, which will improve access to care and decrease delays for the most isolated and vulnerable patients, many of whom are underinsured, uninsured, or living below the poverty line.
  
  
• Premium Health, Inc., in Brooklyn, New York was awarded $29,438 to purchase laptops, Voice over Internet Protocol services, as well as an online telemedicine platform, to provide telehealth services for the first time to its patients, most of whom are at or below the poverty line.
  
  
• Prestera Center for Mental Health Services in Huntington, West Virginia was awarded $166,050 to purchase laptops, tablets, and network equipment to expand telehealth services to aid in combatting the rising needs for mental health care, exacerbated by the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  
  
• Primary Care Health Services, Inc., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was awarded $321,183 to purchase laptops, computers, monitors, internet connectivity, monitoring and management software, and telehealth carts to continue to provide remote care to vulnerable populations and encourage vulnerable populations to stay home to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
  
  
• The Providence Community Health Centers, a system of providers in Rhode Island, was awarded $898,467 to purchase telehealth software and remote patient health monitoring devices, which will facilitate the provision of primary care, including obstetrics, gynecology, behavioral health, asthma/allergy, dental, optometry, and podiatry to patients under the federal poverty line.
  
  
• Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin, Minnesota was awarded $250,488 to purchase internet-connected transmitting hubs and Bluetooth-connected devices to share patient data and improve patient quality of care by bridging the gap between patients and their healthcare providers.
  
  
• Roper St. Francis Hospital-Berkeley in Charleston, South Carolina was awarded $630,678 to purchase remote patient health monitoring equipment, which will be distributed to patients with chronic conditions to provide continuous remote care while decreasing the risk of COVID-19 exposure.
  
  
• SAC Health System in San Bernardino, California was awarded $540,319 to purchase computers, phones, and other networking devices in order to provide access to telehealth services to additional patients, many of whom are in remote and rural areas.
  
  
• San Ysidro Health in San Diego, California was awarded $1,000,000 to purchase computers, monitors, translation software, and remote patient monitoring devices to increase patient engagement and continuity of care in a virtual telehealth environment.
  
  
• Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center in Chillicothe, Ohio was awarded $400,712 to purchase laptops, hotspots, network upgrades, and video conferencing subscriptions to expand the clinic’s capabilities in remote patient monitoring by increasing clinician connectivity, allowing health care professionals to work from home, minimizing exposure to COVID-19, and enabling after-hours crisis care.
  
  
• Spartanburg Regional Health Services District in Spartanburg, South Carolina was awarded $152,230 to lease tablets and other telehealth devices, to enable the medical center to increase the number of patients that can be monitored from home, thereby leading to a decrease of both hospitalizations and re-hospitalizations.
  
  
• Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth, New Hampshire was awarded $307,324 to purchase tablets and wireless network infrastructure upgrades, to help the hospital expand current telehealth offerings and outreach to unserved populations including long-term care facilities and a veteran housing complex.
  
  
• St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Inc., a system of hospitals throughout Kentucky, was awarded $949,340 to purchase remote patient monitoring devices, video conferencing subscriptions, telehealth kiosks, and internet connectivity installation to support a dedicated team of virtual health care providers, which will increase primary, pediatric, specialty, and internal medicine care as well as support a 24-hour nurse triage line.
  
  
• St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania was awarded $796,010 to purchase tablets and virtual consultation system equipment, to provide consistent telehealth care and increased specialty care across a large geographic service area and to decrease delays to receiving care.
  
  
• St. Mary’s Health Wagon in Wise, Virginia was awarded $40,800 to purchase telemedicine carts and connected devices to reduce foot traffic at physical sites, and minimize COVID-19 transmission.
  
  
• Summit Community Care Clinic in Frisco, Colorado was awarded $143,495 to purchase laptops and other equipment necessary to provide secure and efficient medical, dental, and behavioral health care remotely.
  
  
• Tessie Cleveland Community Services Corporation in Los Angeles, California was awarded $394,142 to purchase telecommunication services and connected telehealth devices which will be distributed to patients who do not have access to technology and would otherwise be unable to receive telehealth care.
  
  
• ThedaCare, a system of providers throughout Wisconsin,was awarded $728,429 to purchase tablets, as well as specialized telehealth software, to increase access to specialty care for thousands of patients.
  
  
• United Community Family Services in Norwich, Connecticut was awarded $946,016 to purchase remote patient monitoring equipment, as well as connected mobile devices, which will help serve patients with chronic illnesses and a high risk for COVID-19 complications while also helping to decrease cost barriers to accessing telehealth services.
  
  
• Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, California was awarded $158,442 to purchase telehealth technology including laptops, webcams, and a telehealth platform, to avoid potential COVID-19 exposure for patients and staff while continuing to provide care to children.
  
  
• Valley Health Team, a consortium of 11 providers in San Joaquin, California was awarded $665,958 to purchase self-service kiosks, tablets, and connected devices to improve their telehealth services and reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure for patients.
  
  
• Venice Family Clinic in Venice, California was awarded $697,864 to purchase a telehealth platform, servers, routers, switches, and phones to expand accessibility, upgrade the network, and improve flexibility and mobility in providing telehealth services.
  
  
• The Village Health Center in San Diego, California was awarded $261,458 in funding to purchase laptops, docking stations, webcams, headsets, internet and phone services, and telehealth software to expand and provide more effective healthcare offerings.
  
  
• Vista Community Clinic in Vista, California was awarded $894,718 to purchase equipment such as computers, monitors, webcams, and headsets to facilitate and expand telehealth services, along with connected blood pressure monitors that will help providers track patient health and reduce barriers to care.
  
  
• Vocational Instruction Project in Bronx, New York was awarded $515,984 to purchase connected health monitoring devices that will facilitate a patient’s ability to adhere to treatment plans and increase patient engagement remotely, resulting in anticipated improvement in health outcomes.
  
  
• Yakima Valley Council on Alcoholism Triumph Treatment Services in Yakima, Washington was awarded $916,782 to purchase smartphones, tablets, laptops, and online remote patient monitoring and treatment platforms which will enable those economically disadvantaged or severely financially impacted by COVID-19 to have phone and internet-enabled devices, thereby facilitating their participation in virtual outpatient services.

For additional information on the FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth program, visit: https://www.usac.org/about/covid-19-telehealth-program/.

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