FCC Approves First Set of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications

The Federal Communications Commission approved six funding applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Health care providers in some of the hardest hit areas like New York will use this $3.23 million in funding to provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic. As part of the recently-enacted CARES Act, Congress appropriated $200 million for the FCC to support health care providers’ use of telehealth services during this national emergency. And in less than three weeks, the FCC has adopted new rules for this new program, create the application process, opened the application window, and approved the first set of funding requests. The FCC began accepting applications on April 13. It is continuing to evaluate applications and will distribute additional funding on a rolling basis.