Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Approves First Six Telehealth Applications, Maryland Revises Rules for Originating Access Charges

FCC Approves First Six Telehealth Applications 

The FCC announced that it had 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 Commission has adopted new rules for this new program, created the application process, opened the application window, and approved the first set of funding requests. The FCC began accepting applications on Monday, April 13. It is continuing to evaluate applications and will distribute additional funding on a rolling basis. 

“Telehealth has emerged as a critical service for health care providers and patients alike during the coronavirus pandemic,” said FCC Chairman Pai. “It promotes social distancing, protects the safety of health care professionals and patients, and frees up space in health care facilities for those who now need it most. I am confident that the funding we approved today will allow the selected health care providers to expand their telehealth efforts, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have in their communities in New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. I also want to thank Commission staff who are working hard to review the large number of applications we have already received and were able to process the first set of approvals in only three days. Going forward, we will continue processing funding requests as quickly as we can in order to promote worthy telehealth projects across the country during this national emergency.” 

Maryland Revises Rules For Originating Access Charges

The Public Service Commission of Maryland (PSC) has revised its rules governing originating intrastate access charges.  The new rules cap originating access charges at the federal level and require carriers to: (1) eliminate or zero rate any intrastate rate element that does not exist in the interstate jurisdiction; (2) decrease any intrastate rate element that is higher than its corresponding interstate rate element to equal the interstate rate; and (3) increase any intrastate rate element that is lower than its corresponding interstate rate element to equal the interstate rate.  The new rule also caps per-query rates for use of an 8YY database at the rate of the largest ILEC in Maryland.

Inteserra Briefing Services subscribers see Briefing dated 4/17/20.

THE REGULATORY MIX WILL BE ON HIATUS APRIL 20, 2020 -  JULY 1, 2020

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.