Program objective

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, communities and health care providers are turning to telemedicine to enable social distancing measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. As a result, many health care providers are expanding existing telehealth services and implementing new telehealth services, and the demand for connected care services provided directly to patients in their homes or mobile locations is skyrocketing. In response, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, provided, among a panoply of other actions, $200 million to the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) to support health care providers in the fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The FCC, to effectuate Congress’ intent in enacting the CARES Act, established a COVID-19 Telehealth Program (Program) to distribute an appropriated budget of $200 million to help eligible health care providers maximize their provision of connected care services during the COVID-19 pandemic. To build on the success of Round 1 of the Commission’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program, in the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, Congress appropriated an additional $249.95 million for this Program (Round 2). First, Congress directed the Commission to seek comment on the “metrics the Commission should use to evaluate applications for funding” and “how the Commission should treat applications filed during the funding rounds for awards from the [Program] using amounts appropriated under the CARES Act . . . .” Second, it instructed the Commission, to the extent feasible, to ensure that at least one applicant from all 50 states and the District of Columbia is awarded funds during either of the Program’s funding rounds. Third, the Consolidated Appropriations Act directed the Commission to allow applicants from Round 1 the opportunity to update or amend their applications.