FCC opens $100M connected care telehealth pilot program: 4 things to know

The Federal Communications Commission will open applications Nov. 6 for its $100 million Connected Care Pilot Program, which aims to improve telehealth access for low-income Americans and veterans.

The program, which was introduced by the FCC in 2018, will provide up to $100 million from the Universal Service Fund over a three-year period to help providers implement connected care services.

Four things to know:

1. The online application window will remain open through Dec. 7, and the pilot is open to nonprofit and public eligible healthcare providers located anywhere in the U.S.

2. Connected Care will cover 85 percent of telehealth programs’ connectivity costs, including patient broadband internet access services, provider broadband data connections, other connected care information services and certain network equipment.

3. The program will not fund telehealth devices such as end-user connected devices like tablets and remote patient monitoring equipment, medical equipment, provider administrative costs or personnel costs.

4. Connected Care is open to eligible providers in rural or non-rural areas but is limited to nonprofit and public providers including post-secondary educational institutions, teaching hospitals, medical schools, community health centers, rural health clinics and community mental health centers.