FCC Connected Care Pilot Widely Supported; Some Seek Reseller, Urban Inclusion
Stakeholders backed possible FCC creation of a "connected care everywhere" pilot program, diverging on some details such as the proposed focus on facilities-based projects and rural areas. Some telecom entities urged the agency to include resellers; some healthcare parties sought inclusion of projects in urban areas; and other pushed for consideration of their particular industry or patient interests. About 70 substantive comments were posted through Tuesday in docket 18-213 in response to a notice of inquiry adopted Aug. 2 (see Notebook at end of 1808020034).
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
CTIA said the benefits "will only grow" as consumers are increasingly connected and 5G wireless spurs more broadband-enabled telehealth applications. It said the pilot shouldn't overlap with other telehealth funding programs and should include "non-facilities-based providers who currently serve many of the communities that the commission seeks to reach," including low-income, people with disabilities and veterans. The National Lifeline Association and others urged allowing resellers to participate. The FCC proposal would exclude many carries with relevant experience in the existing USF rural health care program, said National Grange.
Commissioner Brendan Carr said in July the facilities-based proposal is intended to advance broadband access in areas lacking service, not just improve healthcare outcomes and savings (see 1807180040). But AT&T urged a focus on lowering connectivity costs for telehealth services, not deploying broadband. It said the telehealth pilot doesn't have the resources or the need to fund broadband deployment, given its proposed budget of $100 million over two to three years and other, "larger-budgeted and longer-term" Connect America Fund programs for fixed and mobile service. Verizon backed moving forward with the program to promote connected care while using its other tools to accelerate broadband deployment.
The pilot should be open to "all participating broadband providers, rather than limiting participation" to eligible telecom carriers only as proposed by the agency, said NCTA, but Gila River Telecommunications backed funding partnerships with ETCs. "Leverage to the greatest extent possible the investments that local, facilities-based providers" made and avoid overbuilding, suggested the American Cable Association. USTelecom called for a "tight focus on achieving narrow and well defined goals," including addressing barriers beyond rural broadband availability. NTCA said areas with "suitable broadband deployment" should be targeted. Prioritize adoption of broadband that enables connected care, not deployment, said Hughes Network Services. SES Americom and O3b Networks touted satellite broadband telehealth.
Target the "medically underserved" not just broadband underserved, recommended the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition: "low income, homeless and disabled communities may also suffer from the lack of high-quality medical care, no matter where they are located." The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation said tribal applications should be prioritized.
Dozens of healthcare entities endorsed the pilot. The American Hospital Association urged "clear goals" and administrative simplicity. The American Physical Therapy Association "strongly" encouraged a telehealth focus on rural communities. ACT|The App Association’s Connected Health Initiative said rural areas are particularly "plagued with both chronic disease ... and a lack of accessible healthcare facilities." The American Association of Nurse Practitioners and others urged a broader effort. "Urban areas oftentimes have stronger broadband infrastructure than rural areas, but low-income residents of urban areas cannot utilize it due to the rising costs of cellular data plans," said the Alliance for Connected Care. Others urged targeting particular patient groups such as women, children, people needing palliative care and others with diseases like diabetes.