Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s Response to Members of Congress Regarding COVID-19 Telehealth Program

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to House lawmakers' letter concerning the second funding round of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. The lawmakers had requested that the funding beprioritized in rural areas. In her response, Chairwoman Rosenworcel detailed the metrics the FCC used to evaluate second round applications for the program. The FCC considered "whether applicants were located in the areas hardest-hit by the pandemic, and in lowest-income areas, Tribal communities, or previously unfunded states and territories." In addition, the agency "adopted application metrics that took into consideration whether a health care provider was located in a rural area, or if it qualified as a critical access hospital, which are frequently the only health care institutions in rural areas. All applications were scored using the same objective criteria by relying on publicly available data." Funding was initially awarded to a health care provider in each US state, Washington (DC) and every territory. "Between August 2021 and January 2022," said Rosenworcel, "the Commission staff announced the approval of funding commitments, ultimately issuing 447 commitments totaling over $256 million for Round 2 of the Program."