COVID-19 Resource Catalog-FCC Connected Care Pilot Program

Pdf Summary

The FCC Connected Care Pilot is a 3-year program that aims to provide $100 million dollars in funding to eligible healthcare providers for connected care services, with a focus on serving low-income or veteran patients. The program will cover 85% of eligible costs for broadband connectivity, network equipment, and information services necessary for connected care services. However, end-user devices and medical equipment are not covered. The goal of the pilot is to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and generate data on the benefits of connected care. The pilot is open to all nonprofit and public healthcare providers, with preference given to those with experience in providing telehealth services or partnerships with telehealth resource centers. The FCC is interested in funding projects related to medical conditions, public health epidemics, opioid dependency, mental health conditions, high-risk pregnancy, and chronic or recurring conditions. The program will support broadband services for patients and healthcare providers, as well as other information services such as remote patient monitoring and store-and-forward imaging. Network equipment necessary for connected care services will also be funded. The program does not cover end-user devices, medical equipment, administrative expenses, or other miscellaneous expenses. Eligible healthcare providers include post-secondary educational institutions, community health centers, local health departments, not-for-profit hospitals, and more. To apply for the program, healthcare providers must submit an eligibility and registration form, additional documentation to verify eligibility, and an application to the FCC. The application criteria include a clear research and evaluation strategy, a demonstration of impact on low-income or veteran individuals, and compliance with HIPAA and other applicable laws and regulations.

Asset Subtitle

About the Connected Care Pilot Program: This three-year Pilot Program will provide universal service support to help defray health care providers’ qualifying costs of providing connected care services. It will target funding to eligible health care providers, with a primary focus on pilot projects that primarily benefit low-income or veteran patients. The Pilot Program will make available up to $100 million, which is separate from the budgets of the existing Universal Service Fund (USF) programs and the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. The Pilot Program will provide funding for selected pilot projects to cover 85% of the eligible costs of broadband connectivity, network equipment, and information services necessary to provide connected care services to the intended patient population. In order to participate, eligible health care providers must submit an application to the Commission for the Pilot Program, and the Commission will announce the selected pilot projects.

Keywords

FCC Connected Care Pilot

Connected care services

Low-income patients

Veteran patients

Broadband connectivity

Telehealth services

Medical conditions

Remote patient monitoring

HIPAA compliance

Research and evaluation strategy