FCC Passes Midway Mark in COVID-19 Telehealth Program Funding
The Federal Communications Commission has earmarked more than $100 million from its $200 million COVID-19 Telehealth Program for 305 healthcare providers in 42 states and Washington DC.
The Federal Communications Commission has passed the halfway mark in funding telehealth programs to address the coronavirus pandemic, with more than $100 million in approved applications for COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding.
Some 67 healthcare providers are included in the FCC’s 10th funding announcement, released today, and will receive $20.18 million to develop or expand telehealth, mHealth and remote patient monitoring services in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In all, 305 providers have been approved to receive $104.98 million in funding from the $200 million program.
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“Since the adoption of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, the FCC has acted quickly to review applications and approve funding so that more patients can be treated safely at home,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a press release, noting that the program now serves providers in 42 states and Washington DC. “We have already awarded funds to health care providers across our country, from Maine to the Navajo Nation, Washington to Florida, and Minnesota to Mississippi. And we are already seeing the program’s positive impact on the health and wellness of our communities.”
“Additionally, the program is focused on mental as well as physical health,” Pai added. “More than 100 mental and behavioral health care providers have been awarded funding to ensure that their patients receive the treatment and support they need during the pandemic.”
The COVID-19 Telehealth Program is not a grant program. To receive disbursements, healthcare providers will be required to submit an invoicing form and supporting documentation to receive reimbursement for eligible expenses and services.
As in the past, the latest list represents a wide range of providers, from large health systems like NYC Health + Hospitals, UPMC and the Providence St. Joseph Health Consortium to smaller hospitals, clinics and programs like the Finger Lakes Migrant Health Care Project in upstate New York, the Los Angeles Free Clinic and Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill Health Center.
The full list of award recipients can be found here.