Chairwoman Rosenworcel Archive: Telehealth

This content is part of the archived initiatives from the term of former Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

Nowhere is bridging the digital divide more critical than in the area of healthcare. We live in a world where people can receive care no matter where they live via smartphones, tablets, or other remote devices. These connected care services can lead to better health outcomes and significant cost savings for both patients and healthcare providers. Guided by Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s leadership, the FCC has made expanding access to telehealth services – especially for underserved and marginalized communities – a top priority.

Connecting to Health Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

During her tenure, Chairwoman Rosenworcel implemented a number of initiatives to help keep Americans connected to critical health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Established the $200 million COVID-19 Telehealth Program to help health care providers provide connected care services to patients at their homes or mobile locations.
Set up Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, a $249.95 million initiative building on the CARES Act program.
Waived gift rules in the Rural Health Care programs to make it easier for broadband providers to support telehealth during the pandemic.
Increased Rural Health Care funding by $42.19 million to ensure healthcare providers had resources to promote telehealth solutions.
Granted waivers to GE Healthcare and MIT to expedite medical equipment and remote patient monitoring systems.

Support for Telehealth

Chairwoman Rosenworcel worked to ensure that rural health care providers have access to broadband and telephone service at rates comparable to those paid by urban providers was a core mission of the FCC. The agency also looked for new ways to boost telehealth efforts and maintained a dedicated team focused exclusively on connectivity and health care.

Approved a number of proposals for the Rural Health Care Program to streamline the application process, making it easier for healthcare providers to receive funding.
Restored prior rate determination rules for predictable and transparent funding.
Eliminated unnecessary administrative burdens, such as the Rates Database requirement.
Streamlined the invoice process for easier billing and payment.
Limited the applicability of the internal cap for greater funding flexibility.
Launched the Connected Care Pilot Program with $100 million in funding over three years to study how to make telehealth a permanent part of the Universal Service Fund.
Focused on providing telehealth services to low-income Americans and veterans.
Connect2HealthFCC Task Force:
- Directed the Connect2HealthFCC Task Force to explore the intersection of broadband, advanced technology, and health through stakeholder engagement and policy recommendations.
- Led the development of Mapping Broadband Health in America, an interactive platform to visualize and analyze broadband and health data.
- Ensured that wireless medical telemetry devices have access to the necessary spectrum to avoid interference and protect patient safety.
- Took action against fraudulent activities in the Rural Health Care Program, proposing a $18.7 million fine for violations of competitive bidding rules and the use of forged documents.

Engagement & Partnerships

Under Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s direction, the FCC actively engaged with the broader health care community, including providers, innovators, researchers, patients and caregivers, to find ways to help connect more Americans to life-saving services.

Conducted site visits, both in-person and virtually, to health facilities serving at-risk populations and children, including Whitman-Walker Health, Children's National Hospital, and the University of Virginia Center for Telehealth. This demonstrated a commitment to understanding the challenges and opportunities of telehealth implementation on the ground.
Fostered interagency collaboration:
- Partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture by signing a Memorandum of Understanding on the Rural Telehealth Initiative to address health disparities and promote broadband access in rural areas.
- Established an interagency Rural Telehealth Initiative Task Force to facilitate collaboration and information sharing among the agencies.
- Collaborated with the National Cancer Institute and the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center on the Broadband and Cancer Collaboration for Appalachia to study how increased connectivity can improve cancer care in rural and underserved areas.
Funded pilot programs and research initiatives to explore new applications of telehealth and evaluate its effectiveness in various healthcare settings.
Developed and shared resources, such as toolkits and guides, to help healthcare providers implement and optimize telehealth programs.
Hosted webinars and workshops to educate stakeholders on the latest telehealth technologies and best practices.