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COVID-19 Relief Stimulus Bill

FCC COVID–19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAMDownload

The following is a summary of the elements contained within SEC. 903. Of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Entitled, “FCC COVID–19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM.”

  • $249,950,000 in additional funds is appropriated for the FCC COVID–19 Telehealth Program
  • In early January, 2021, the FCC shall issue a Public Notice of a 10-day comment period.  Comment should include:
    • Evaluation metrics for funding
    • Treatment of prior applications that were not awarded funding
  • FCC must provide Congress notice of metrics to be used for evaluating applications
  • At least one applicant in each State must receive funding unless there are no applicants from any given State
  • Previous applicants that did not receive funding may update or amend their applications as necessary
  • FCC shall provide applicants with status updates
  • FCC shall provide applicants with the rationale for the final funding decision on the application after the decision is made

If you are interested in working towards the FCC Telehealth Grant opportunity.  Please confirm that you are eligible per the following requirements:

“Eligible health care providers” are “nonprofit and public eligible health care providers” that fall within the following categories:

  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; or
  8. consortia of health care providers consisting of one or more entities falling into the first seven categories.[2]

Interested providers should analyze whether they fall within any of the eight categories (i.e., determine whether the provider is an “eligible health care provider”), and submit FCC Form 460 (one for each service location) to determine eligibility, if the provider has not done so previously.

If you are eligible, per the above, we can assist you properly and provide guidance for you to complete and submit the FCC Telehealth Grant Application.