547 June 26, 2020 Mr. Ajit Pai Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Pai: We write in support of the application submitted by Brown Medicine for funding through the Federal Communications Commission s COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Brown Medicine provides care for a large elderly and chronically ill population. Being able to engage virtually with its patients will guarantee that the practice s high-risk populations are still able to access quality care in a timely fashion. These patients need to be able to interact with their providers using virtual tools as their medical conditions put them at an increased risk for complications. In addition, while Rhode Island is working to reopen, this population is still encouraged to remain at home and social distance whenever possible. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown Medicine has experienced an increased number of cancelations and rescheduling of appointments. As mentioned, they treat many patients with chronic illness and co-morbidities and have asked those patients to remain at home rather than coming into the office. This decrease in volume has led to negative fiscal impacts. Brown Medicine has been working hard to ensure that they can still provide care to their patients, and they are hopeful to resume normal operations. However, their impact trajectory will be dependent on the lifecycle of the COVID-19 virus. This grant funding would allow them to be better equipped with the proper resources to continue to provide exceptional care for their patients. We support Brown Medicine s proposal and request your consideration of this application within all applicable rules and regulations. If we can be of assistance to you in this matter, please do not hesitate to contact our offices. Sincerely, James R. Langevin David N. Cicilline Member of Congress Member of Congress