Federal Communications Commission DA 21-1319 DA 21-1319 Released: October 21, 2021 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU APPROVES THIRD GROUP OF FUNDING AWARDEES IN ROUND 2 OF COVID-19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM 71 Health Care Providers Receive Critical Support for Telehealth and Connected Care Services WC Docket No. 20-89 Today, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) approves the third group of funding commitments under Round 2 of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Telehealth Program (Program) and commits $40.46 million in funding to 71 health care providers across the Nation. See FCC Announces Awards For Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notices, DA 21-1052 and 21-1221 (WCB 2021). 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. A full list of the funding awardees receiving funding commitments today is included in Appendix A of this Public Notice. To date, 205 awardees have received funding commitments totaling $123,562,376. The Bureau will continue to 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 Eligible Funding Amount Adelante Healthcare $868,857 Alleghany Memorial Hospital $92,041 Archie Hendricks Sr. Skilled Nursing Facility $688,084 The Asian Human Services Family Health Center $400,725 Baptist Health Medical Center $999,277 Berkshire Health Systems $1,000,000 CareSouth Carolina $242,334 The Center for Family and Child Enrichment $78,204 CenterPlace Health $91,179 Chestnut Health Systems $271,866 Collier Health Services $506,652 Community Health Centers of Pinellas $962,184 Community Health Center of Richmond $335,995 The C.W. Williams Community Health Center $312,399 Denver Health $529,250 DuBois Regional Medical Center $530,800 El Paso County Hospital District $763,050 Empower U Community Health Center $301,554 Erie Family Health Center, Inc. $409,678 Evergreen Health $160,806 Family Christian Health Center $124,667 Family First Health Corporation $620,510 Family Health Centers $212,164 First Nations Community HealthSource $655,395 Forsyth Memorial Hospital $1,000,000 FoundCare, Inc. $942,083 Golden Valley Health Centers $509,048 Great Lakes Bay Health Centers $963,947 Gundersen Health System $999,909 Hampton Roads Community Health Center $195,666 HealthPoint $839,091 The Holyoke Medical Center $795,090 Holzer Health System $667,723 Indiana University Health $908,061 The University of Kansas Health System $659,146 Kaleida Health $968,131 Kodiak Island Health Care Foundation $86,033 La Casa de Salud $419,875 Lawndale Christian Health Center $172,354 Loretto Hospital $823,600 Marion County Public Health Department $299,799 Marlette Regional Hospital $382,730 Mercy Health $793,788 Mercy Hospitals $776,620 Michigan Primary Care Association $990,000 The Minnie Hamilton Health System $457,568 Mohawk Valley Health System $697,382 Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital $749,385 Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center $761,314 Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home $283,254 The North Miami Center $213,834 Novant Health $574,413 Okeene Municipal Hospital $221,821 Oonalaska Wellness Center $79,892 Palmetto Care Connections $782,575 Pillars Community Health $598,504 Prairie Ridge Health, Inc. $50,470 Regions Hospital $1,000,000 Robeson Health Care Corporation $495,633 Saint Joseph’s Hospital $927,213 Skagit Regional Health $38,515 St. Barnabas Hospital $998,624 St. Bernard’s Healthcare $547,270 St. John’s Episcopal Hospital $372,744 Swope Health Services $843,387 Union Community Health Center $999,075 UnityPoint Health $1,000,000 University Hospital of Brooklyn $945,421 The University of Virginia Health System $388,574 Wellstar Health System $1,000,000 Wheeler Clinic $91,612 2