Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Announces Tenth Set of Approved COVID-19 Telehealth Program  Applications, Washington Adopts New Universal Service Rules for Broadband Support

FCC Announces Tenth Set of Approved COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications

The FCC announced the approval of an additional 67 funding applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program.  Health care providers in both urban and rural areas of the country will use the newly approved $20.18 million in funding to provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic.  To date, the FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program, which was authorized by the CARES Act, has approved funding for 305 health care providers in 42 states plus Washington, D.C. for a total of $104.98 million in funding.

“Since the adoption of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, the FCC has acted quickly to review applications and approve funding so that more patients can be treated safely at home,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “We have already awarded funds to health care providers across our country, from Maine to the Navajo Nation, Washington to Florida, and Minnesota to Mississippi. And we are already seeing the program’s positive impact on the health and wellness of our communities. To give just one example, the program is enabling the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to remotely monitor children who have received organ transplants and are thus immunocompromised. Additionally, the program is focused on mental as well as physical health. More than 100 mental and behavioral health care providers have been awarded funding to ensure that their patients receive the treatment and support they need during the pandemic. We will continue processing applications as quickly as we can in order to promote worthy telehealth projects across the country.”

Washington Adopts New Universal Service Rules for Broadband Support

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) has adopted proposed changes to its Universal Service rules to include support for broadband services.  The rules allow both wireline and wireless communications providers who are eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) for high cost support purposes to seek support from the state program for broadband services.  The rules also allow “other communications providers” to seek support from the state program so long as they are also ETCs for purposes of receiving high cost support.  To be eligible for funding, providers must have a broadband plan meeting certain requirements set by the UTC.  The rules also address how eligibility will be determined, how the support amount will be calculated and ongoing reporting requirements for broadband buildouts.  The rules will become effective on June 27, 2020.  Inteserra Briefing Service Subscribers see Briefing dated 6/11/20.

____________________________

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.