Aug. 7, 2018
Dive
Brief:
- The Federal Communications
Commission is asking for public comments on a pilot program that
would expand delivery of broadband-enabled telehealth services to
low-income households. The commission, in a Notice of Inquiry, said it
expects to set aside $100 million from the federal Universal Service Fund
(USF) to pay for the project. Comments will be accepted from Sept. 10 to
Oct. 10.
- FCC said many low-income
consumers, especially in rural areas, lack access to affordable or
adequate broadband. The Connected Care Pilot Program could be structured to
permit up to 20 healthcare providers, serving primarily low-income
populations, to partner with a facilities-based broadband provider and
apply for a maximum $5 million in funding.
- The commission seeks comment on
the proposed structure as well as a list of specifics including program
budget, types of telehealth projects to select, eligibility criteria, and
which broadband and other communications services and equipment should be
supported.
Dive
Insight:
Efforts
to better manage chronic disease, improve access to specialists, reach patients
in remote areas and reduce healthcare costs are among the forces driving
interest in the promise of telemedicine. For patients, the convenience of video
conferencing with a primary care doctor for minor ailments saves time away from
work and school.
Thanks
to greater availability of high-speed
connectivity, telehealth services such as remote patient monitoring
are now being used to address health challenges including diabetes management,
pediatric heart disease, opioid dependency, stroke treatment, mental health
treatment, high-risk pregnancies and cancer care, FCC said.
A
recent study from Avizia,
a telehealth technology provider, found that among health systems offering
telemedicine, 72% said stroke care was their top use. Utilization was also high
for behavioral health (41%) and intensive care (20%).
How
widespread digital healthcare delivery becomes remains to be seen. Among
the barriers to adoption include
the lack of reimbursement,
cost to invest in the technology, data security concerns and consumer skepticism or lack of
awareness.
The
Connected Care Pilot Program builds on other FCC initiatives promoting
broadband connectivity between healthcare facilities across the country. The
commission's Rural Health Care Program gives providers discounted
telecommunications and broadband internet access services and has supported the
deployment of broadband to create networks connecting facilities.
But
FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly cautioned that the USF must not be used as
the "tax collector" for telemedicine. "Having just
substantially increased the Rural Health Care Program cap, we must carefully
consider the impact of additional spending on the consumers and businesses who
would pay extra on their phone bills to support it," O'Rielly said in a
statement accompanying the Notice of Inquiry.
The
shift to value-based healthcare is accelerating telehealth expansion by
creating incentives for new care delivery models that seek to increase access,
improve outcomes and reduce costs. FCC cited one estimate that widespread use
of remote patient technology and virtual doctor visits could save the American
healthcare system $305 billion annually.
In
2017, Congress passed a bill that extends telehealth access to Medicare
recipients with chronic conditions and creates incentives for beneficiaries to
receive telehealth services through accountable care organizations. Called
the Creating High-Quality Results and
Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic Care Act, the legislation
takes effect Jan. 1, 2020.
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