Senator Schatz leads 15 Senators in Demanding FCC Increase Funding for Health Providers, Help Expand Telehealth Services During Pandemic

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) led a group of 15 senators in urging Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to increase funding for and improve the operations of the Rural Health Care (RHC) program, which helps expand access to telehealth services in hard-to-reach and economically depressed communities. “Cash-strapped health care providers are looking to the RHC Program for help to defray these costs, but you have so far not taken steps that would allow health care providers to receive additional support through the program,” they wrote. “We urge you to address these issues as soon as possible."

The letter to Chairman Pai was also signed by Sens Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tom Udall (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Tom Carper (D-DE).