What is the FCC Telehealth Program?
Last year, Congress appropriated $200 million through the CARES Act to launch the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Through the program, 539 applicants were issued awards to fund telehealth and connected care services. In December 2020, Congress approved another $249.95 million through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 for the second round of program funding.
On March 30, 2021, the Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved the process for distributing nearly $250 million in the next round of COVID19 Telehealth funding. The agency is expected to begin accepting applications within 30 days of March 30th, 2021. We’ll continue to provide updates regarding dates and timelines. The FCC has released a document detailing a rating system with specific details on how applicants will be evaluated. This information can be found on the FCC’s website.
UPDATE: On April 15, the FCC released a Public Notice announcing that the application window for the second round of COVID-19 Telehealth funding will open NEXT THURSDAY, APRIL 29. The submission period lasts only 7 days to compile and deliver your application and supporting materials to the FCC in order to secure funding for your telehealth and virtual care efforts. Interested applicants can participate in a series of trainings before the application window to prepare.
We’re here to help you craft your winning submission.
Who is eligible to apply?
The program is open to non-profit and public health care providers, whether they are located in rural or nonrural areas. For-profit entities are not eligible for funding. Round 1 applicants are still eligible for round 2 funding, even if they were awarded prior funding. There is a 1 million dollar cap in funding per applicant. Round 1 award amounts will not count towards the 1 million dollars round 2 cap. Round 1 applicants that were not awarded funding, will also receive an increase in points for Round 2.
According to the FCC, eligible institutions include;
- post-secondary educational institutions offering health care instruction, teaching hospitals, and medical schools;
- community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants;
- local health departments or agencies
- community mental health centers;
- not-for-profit hospitals;
- rural health clinics; and
- consortia of health care providers consisting of one or more entities described above.
How Conversa helps
As recently reported by CBInsights, Conversa is the market-leading, automated virtual care and triage platform, well-suited to dramatically expand care capacity, and monitor, manage, and engage underserved and disadvantaged populations at scale for a lower cost than typical telehealth solutions.
Using our proprietary patient profiling, health signals engine, and an extensive library of evidence-based digital pathways, we help healthcare organizations effectively and efficiently risk stratify and remotely manage patients across the care continuum. Leading health systems, payers, employers, and pharmaceutical companies are using Conversa to develop meaningful relationships and drive better health outcomes.
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