Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Who Can Apply

Health care providers (HCPs) must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for funding:

• Nonprofit and public eligible HCPs that fall within the categories of HCPs in section 254(h)(7)(B) of the 1996 Telecommunications Act:
  • Post-secondary educational institutions offering health care instruction, teaching hospitals, and medical schools;
  • Community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants;
  • Local health departments or agencies;
  • Community mental health centers;
  • Not-for-profit hospitals;
  • Rural health clinics;
  • Skilled nursing facilities; or
  • Consortia of HCPs consisting of one or more entities falling into the first seven categories.
• Both rural and non-rural health clinics are eligible to receive funding

Who Cannot Apply

• The following are ineligible to receive funding:
  • Private providers
  • For-profit providers
  • Vendors of eligible services and/or devices

Requirements

In order to apply to the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, you will need to:

1. Request an eligibility determination from USAC by filing an FCC Form 460
2. Obtain an FCC Registration Number (FRN) and an FCC Commission Registration System (CORES) ID
3. Register with the federal System for Awards Management (SAM)

Eligibility Determination

• The Lead HCP for each application must request an eligibility determination from USAC by filing an FCC Form 460.
  • The applicant will certify that the other sites for which it is seeking funding for on its application are eligible for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program.
• HCPs who have an active Form 460 eligibility determination approved by USAC do not need to file another FCC Form 460.
• File the FCC Form 460 through My Portal on USAC’s website.
• USAC will assign the health care provider an HCP number that must be included in funding application.

Note: You may still begin and file an application while the eligibility determination is pending.

Eligible Medical Services

Applicants must include detailed information about services/connected devices for which they are applying for funding, and will need to submit supporting documentation for their requests; eligible services include:

Telecommunications Services and Broadband Connectivity Services:

Voice services and Internet connectivity services for health care providers or their patients. Recurring expenses are eligible for up to 12 months of funding.

Information Services:

Internet connectivity services for HCPs or their patients; remote patient monitoring platforms and services; patient reported outcome platforms; store and forward services, such as asynchronous transfer of patient images and data for interpretation by a physician; platforms and services to provide synchronous video consultation. Recurring expenses are eligible for up to 12 months of funding.

Connected Devices:

Tablets, smart phones, or connected devices to receive connected care services at home (e.g., broadband enabled blood pressure monitors; pulse-ox; etc.) for patient or HCP use; telemedicine kiosks/carts for HCP site.

Reimbursements

Eligible Reimbursements

Existing Services and/or Connected Devices

• Eligible HCPs may apply to receive funding through the COVID-19 Telehealth pProgram for eligible services and connected devices purchased on or after March 13, 2020.
• Invoices that include costs for existing services that were not purchased in response to COVID-19 must be removed from your request retroactive services are ineligible for funding.
• If existing services were upgraded on or after March 13, 2020 to respond to COVID-19, the costs of the upgrade may be included.

Ineligible Services and/or Connected Devices

Below are examples of items ineligible for COVID-19 Telehealth Program support:

• Administrative costs, e.g., personnel expenses, consultant fees, payroll, training, customer service, project management, records management, and doctor’s costs, etc.
• Back-up power equipment, e.g., back-up batteries, redundant power cords, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), and surge protectors, etc.
• Separate costs for non-connected items, e.g., cases, mouse pads, cable clips, laptop bags, tablet stands, and charging stations, etc.
• Non-connected medical devices or supplies, e.g., non-connected digital thermometers, testing strips, lancets, disposable covers, and personal protective equipment, etc.
• Smart watches and fitness trackers.
• Non-telehealth items, e.g., office furniture and supplies, security systems, incidental expenses, etc.
• Construction costs, e.g., fiber, ethernet, cable network build out, facility alterations, and temporary site location structures, etc.
• Technical support, maintenance costs, warranties, support services, and protection plans.