Sara Raza

The recent growth in the use of telehealth has facilitated new and expanded access to care for patients, while also raising questions for healthcare providers about laws and regulations regarding payment, use, and delivery of services. This issue brief is the third in a series that aims to address broadband barriers in healthcare, with the first brief exploring why broadband is a ‘super’ social determinant of health and the second brief assessing funding opportunities to improve access to care via broadband-enabled technologies.

Funding for federal programs supporting broadband infrastructure and digital inclusion has tightened over the last year. With the Affordable Connectivity Program winding down in April 2024, the termination of Digital Equity Act grants in May 2025, and changes to the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the digital divide could widen, leaving millions disconnected from essential services that rely on internet access, including healthcare.

Connectivity is a clear social determinant of health. High-speed internet access, called broadband, impacts whether people can access care via telehealth, how patients connect with providers online, whether they can use tools like remote patient monitoring, and how they manage chronic conditions.