Federal Communications Commission DA 21-1052 DA 21-1052 Released: August 26, 2021 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU APPROVES FIRST GROUP OF FUNDING AWARDEES IN ROUND 2 OF COVID-19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM Health Care Providers in Every State, Territory, and the District of Columbia to Receive Critical Support for Telehealth and Connected Care Services WC Docket No. 20-89 Today, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) approves the first group of funding commitments under Round 2 of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Telehealth Program (Program) and commits $41,980,345 in funding to 62 health care providers in every state, territory, and the District of Columbia. The funding commitments made today will provide critical support to health care providers on the front lines in the fight against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) established the Program in April 2020 pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Promoting Telehealth for Low-Income Consumers; COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket Nos. 18-213, 20-89, Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 3366 (2020) (First COVID-19 Report and Order); Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Pub. L. No 116-136, 134 Stat. 281 (2020) (CARES Act). to provide $200 million in emergency funding to health care providers for telehealth and connected care services in response to COVID-19. From April 16, 2020, through July 8, 2020, the Commission fully obligated the $200 million by issuing awards on a rolling basis to 539 applications. Press Release, FCC, FCC Approves Final Set of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications (July 8, 2020), https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-approves-final-set-covid-19-telehealth-program-applications. To build on the Program’s success, Congress appropriated an additional $249.95 million to fund the second round of the Program as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No: 116-260, Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access Service, § 903 “FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program” (2020), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/133/text (Consolidated Appropriations Act). On March 30, 2021, the Commission released the Second COVID-19 Report and Order, COVID-19 Telehealth Program; Promoting Telehealth for Low-Income Consumers, WC Docket Nos. 20-89 and 18-213, Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, 36 FCC Rcd 7141 (2021) (Second COVID-19 Report and Order). which initiated Round 2 of the Program by adopting additional requirements and processes to implement Congressional direction and improve Program administration. Applications for Round 2 were accepted from April 29, 2021, through May 6, 2021. Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Application Filing Window for Round 2 of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Will Open April 29, 2021, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, 36 FCC Rcd 7321 (WCB 2021). As the Commission established in the Second COVID-19 Report and Order, funding for Round 2 of the Program is to be awarded in two phases. Second COVID-19 Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 7171-73, paras. 61-69. In the initial commitment phase, at least $150 million will be awarded based in part on geographic considerations and on the objective evaluation metrics outlined in the Second COVID-19 Report and Order. Second COVID-19 Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 7157, para. 38. This Public Notice announces funding commitments for health care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia to ensure nationwide distribution of funding. This Public Notice also announces a second funding commitment to an applicant in the states and territories that did not have an applicant receive Round 1 funding as directed by the Commission in the Second COVID-19 Report and Order. Second COVID-19 Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 7165-66, para. 48. The Second COVID-19 Report and Order directed USAC, with Bureau oversight, to commit funding to the two highest-scoring applications in states and territories where a lead applicant did not receive Round 1 funding. Id. at 7165-66, para. 48 & n.178. However, only one application with a lead health care provider in the Northern Mariana Islands was submitted. A full list of the funding awardees is included in Appendix A of this Public Notice. The Bureau will next commit funding to the highest-scoring applications, in descending order, until at least $150 million has been committed, Id. at 7172, para. 64. Once $150 million in funding has been committed, any applications with the same score as the last application to receive a funding commitment will also receive a funding commitment. Id. and it will then issue a Public Notice announcing the complete list of those awardees, the amount of their awards, and the remaining funding available for the final commitment window. Id. at 7172, para. 64. That Public Notice will also provide guidance, as directed by the Commission, on how the applicants that did not receive funding during the initial commitment phase may supplement their applications with additional information. Id. at 7172, para. 65. For further information regarding this Public Notice, please contact Connor Ferraro, Attorney Advisor, Wireline Competition Bureau, Connor.Ferraro@fcc.gov or (202) 418-1322. For more information about Round 2, refer to USAC’s website at www.usac.org/about/covid-19-telehealth-program. For inquiries and support related to Round 2 invoicing, please contact Round2TelehlthInvoicSupp@FCC.gov. -FCC-APPENDIX A Lead Health Care Provider or Applicant Lead Health Care Provider State Eligible Funding Amount Mobile County Health Department AL $803,979 SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium AK $804,092 Norton Sound Health Corporation AK $416,250 LBJ Tropical Medical Center AS $334,519 Tafuna Family Health Center AS $187,297 Tuba City Regional Health Care AZ $266,946 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences AR $982,589 Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging CA $862,906 Peak Vista Community Health Centers CO $999,565 Community Health Center, Inc. CT $999,023 La Red Health Center DE $287,765 Elaine Ellis Center of Health DC $332,124 MCR Health, Inc. FL $1,000,000 Georgia Primary Care Association GA $998,514 Guam Memorial Hospital Authority GU $722,000 Queen's Medical Center HI $924,603 University of Hawaii Maternal Telehealth Network for Maternal Fetal Medicine HI $899,106 St. Luke's Health System ID $699,815 Mercy Health System IL $1,000,000 HealthLinc Valparaiso IN $362,696 Shenandoah Medical Center IA $946,100 Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc. KS $366,167 Dayspring Health KY $455,420 Baton Rouge General Medical Center - Bluebonnet Campus LA $377,439 Alfond Center for Health ME $603,315 University of Maryland, Baltimore MD $977,066 St. Luke's Hospital MA $1,000,000 Sparrow Health System MI $586,375 Essentia Health MN $981,204 Magnolia Regional Health Center MS $471,885 SSM Health MO $914,400 Bighorn Valley Health Center, Inc. MT $930,000 University of Montana College of Health MT $679,441 Nebraska Urban Indian Health Medical Center NE $190,875 Nevada Health Centers NV $995,087 Harbor Care Health and Wellness Center NH $801,768 Neighborhood Health Services Corporation NJ $491,308 Presbyterian Medical Services NM $357,725 United Health Services Hospitals NY $562,116 Cape Fear Valley Health System NC $998,357 McKenzie County Healthcare Systems, Inc. ND $194,267 Commonwealth Health Center MP $522,752 Mercy Health OH $812,876 INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center OK $998,854 La Clinica del Valle Family Health Center OR $123,792 Allegheny Health Network PA $999,910 Med Centro Healthcare System PR $909,391 Centro de Salud Integral en Naranjito PR $869,990 East Bay Family Health Center RI $164,950 St. Francis Hospital SC $853,062 Sanford Health SD $967,438 Mountain States Health Alliance TN $994,354 El Centro de Corazón, Magnolia Health Center TX $999,880 Gunnison Valley Hospital UT $275,850 University of Vermont Medical Center VT $606,997 Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital VA $933,385 Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center VI $345,566 Virgin Islands Healthcare Foundation VI $416,002 NEW Health Programs Association WA $485,047 Cabin Creek Health Systems WV $304,521 Bellin Memorial Hospital, Inc. WI $682,016 American Telemedicine Connect Consortium WY $949,592 2