$200M FCC Telehealth Program - Application Highlight | March 29, 2021


Last week, we wrote about our excitement for the upcoming round of the FCC Telehealth program

This week, we wanted to dig into Round 1 winners’ applications and analyze how those applications would be classified against the metrics we proposed to the FCC earlier this year. Stel’s additional discussions with the FCC and can be found here.

Before diving into the breakdown, the beginning recaps Round 1’s rules and Stel’s recommendations for Round 2.

FCC Program Round 1 Rules:

The FCC’s $200 million Telehealth Program and $100 million Connected Care Pilot Program was adopted to fund the purchase of telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices for eligible health care providers.

“For purposes of this Report and Order, we broadly define “connected care services” as a subset of telehealth that uses broadband Internet access service-enabled technologies to deliver remote medical, diagnostic, patient-centered, and treatment-related services directly to patients outside of traditional brick and mortar medical facilities—including specifically to patients at their mobile location or residence. Examples of connected care services delivered to patients at their residence or mobile location rather than a health care provider’s physical location include, but are not limited to, remote patient monitoring, patient health education, store and forward services, and synchronous video” pg. 10

“Eligible health care providers should not include the cost of ineligible items in their funding application.” #27 on FCC FAQ

(Below: list of Eligible and Ineligible items from the FCC FAQS)

Ineligible

  • Unconnected Vitals Devices - Devices patients use and manually enter / report results to professionals

  • Unconnected supplies - testing strips, lancets, disposable covers, and personal protective equipment, etc.

  • Consumer Devices - Smartwatches and fitness trackers.

  • Unconnected accessories - e.g., cases, mouse pads, cable clips, laptop bags, tablet stands, and charging stations, back-up batteries, redundant power cords, surge protectors, etc.

  • Non-Telehealth Items - e.g., office furniture and supplies, security systems, and incidental expenses, etc.

  • Technical support, maintenance, warranties, and protection plans

  • Personnel costs - e.g., IT staff, project managers, medical professionals, etc.

  • Staff Training Costs

  • Administrative Expenses - Consultant fees, payroll, customer service, records management, and doctor’s costs, etc.

  • Marketing Costs

  • Development / Implementation of platforms, websites, or systems.

  • Construction: e.g., fiber/ethernet/cable network constructions, facility alterations, and temporary site location structures, etc.

  • Solutions purchased before March 13 or after December 31, 2020

  • More than six months of recurring fees

Eligible Services And Devices

  • Connected Vitals Devices (Bluetooth / Wifi Blood Pressure Monitors, Scales, etc…)

  • Connected Equipment (Tablets, smart phones, connected vitals devices) to receive connected care services at home

  • Telemedicine Kiosks / carts

  • Telecommunications and Internet Connectivity

  • Information Services (remote patient monitoring platforms and services, patient reported outcome platforms, store and forward services, async transfer of patient images and data, platforms and services for synchronous video)

  • Recurring Fees (six months for eligible services)




Stel’s Round 2 Recommendations:

In order to further Federal priorities in curing the Digital Divide, expanding Connected Care, and promoting Interoperability while also preventing fraud/waste/abuse, Stel recommends that applicants detail how their solutions impact the following:

Patient Care and the Digital Divide: 

  • Efficacy of program or number of patients that can be treated per dollar of investment (ex. cost of devices and services per patient)

  • Impact on Digital Divide and Vulnerable Patient Populations:

    • Required Patient Infrastructure (Wifi, smartphones, e-mails, etc…)

    • Patient burden and risk of harm (required tech/security literacy)

    • Patient’s out of pocket costs

Organization’s Capability and Connected Health Initiatives:

  • Track-record of previous investments into connected care and telehealth programs

  • Impact on Interoperability, EHR integration, or on other agency initiatives

  • Fraud/waste/abuse - listing out investments into eligible vs. ineligible items


Round 1 Application Review:

Data collected from FCC applications. Full list of awardees here.

Full vendor breakdown can be found in previous blog post.

The intention of this post is to highlight the natural alignment applicants expressed to our proposed Round 2 metrics. The following is a breakdown of Round 1 applications with goals in curing the digital divide, expanding Connected Care, and promoting Interoperability while also preventing fraud/waste/abuse.

These applications were prepared during the height of the pandemic and under the pressures of submitting applications under a time-sensitive rolling process in Round 1. Please note that these applications may not represent the final outcomes of funding decisions. Actual payments may differ as the FCC reported not all Round 1 funding had been disbursed. As a result, to maintain context on the application review process and not on specific applicants, links to applications are below, but the name of the applicant will be withheld from the post itself. We intend to do a further analysis once program reports or invoice data becomes available.

If you are interested in contributing to this research please contact sid@stel.life.

(Updated 04-8-21: $800,000 awardees complete)

84- Total Awardee Applications reviewed below

39 - Awardees supporting patients struggling from the digital divide

27 - Awardees supporting privileged patients (with required tech infrastructure - wifi/smartphones)

18 - Awardees with no mention of devices or services for patients at home


Awardees supporting populations struggling from the digital divide:

Awardee announced 4/29 - $1M Awarded, Requested $3,600,000

  • Remote monitoring kits

  • Breakdown not in application

Awardee announced 5/20 - $1M Awarded, Requested $2,327,662 (Supplemental Information)

  • Remote monitoring kits

Awardee announced 5/28 - $1M Awarded, Requested $4,394,481 (Supplemental Information)

  • Remote monitoring kits

Awardee announced 6/10 - $1M Awarded, Requested $2,357,500 (Supplemental Information)

  • $420k for phones and data plans for 5000 high risk patients with limited connectivity

Awardee announced 6/17 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1,078,000 (APP2, APP3)

  • Tablet and Peripherals provided

Awardee announced 6/24 - $1M Awarded, Requested $2,251,381.23 (Supplemental Information)

  • Remote monitoring kits

Awardee announced 7/1 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1M

  • Smartphones and data services

Awardee announced 6/10 - $999,700 Awarded, Requested $999,770

  • Smartphone and data services 

Awardee announced 6/17 - $998,250 Awarded, Requested $998,250

  • Tablets and connected vitals devices 

Awardee announced 5/1 - $994,950 Awarded, Requested $1M

  • Phones for patients 

Awardee announced 7/1 - $976,679 Awarded, Requested $1M

  • Remote patient monitoring kits 

Awardee announced 6/24 - $973,055 Awarded, Requested $998,917

  • Tablets and phones for patients 

Awardee announced 6/24 - $967,304 Awarded, Requested $971,554 

  • Remote patient monitoring kits 

Awardee announced 5/20 - $967,304 Awarded, Requested $994,212 

  • Network enabled devices 

Awardee announced 6/24 - $966,026 Awarded, Requested $1,016,189

  • Tablets for patients 

Awardee announced 4/21 - $958,270 Awarded, Requested $999,547.00

  • Internet hotspots and wireless devices

Awardee announced 5/6 - $954,990 Awarded, Requested $983,215

  • Internet hotspots and wireless devices

Awardee announced 6/10 - $948,576 Awarded, Requested $986,400

  • Cellular hub and wireless vitals devices 

Awardee announced  6/6 - $939,627 Awarded, Requested $995,688

  • Phones and data plans for patients 

Awardee announced 6/3 - $930,098 Awarded, Requested $999,825

  • Cell phones and data plans for patients 

Awardee announced 5/28 - $929,834 Awarded, Requested $1,000,458

  • Remote patient monitoring kits

Awardee announced 5/20 - $928,183 Awarded, Requested $999,841

  • Cell phones and data plans for patients 

Awardee announced 6/24 - $927,146 Awarded, Requested $1,000,000 

  • Devices to patients for telehealth

Awardee announced 6/24 - $926,266 Awarded, Requested $991,177

  • Phones with data plans for patients

Awardee announced 6/24 - $923,487 Awarded, Requested $778,828 

  • Broadband enabled tablet

  • Vital sign monitoring devices  

Awardee announced 6/17 - $922,688 Awarded, Requested $661,300

  • Smartphones

  • Bluetooth vitals devices

Awardee announced 6/3 - $917,255 Awarded, Requested $998,730

  • Tablets for patients 

Awardee announced 6/24 - $915,862 Awarded, Requested $957,447 (Supplemental Information)

  • Tablets for patients 

  • Remote patient monitoring kits

Awardee announced 5/28 - $909,560 Awarded, Requested $914,420

  • Remote monitoring devices 

Awardee announced 7/8 - $883,702 Awarded, Requested $999,973

  • Cellular tablets

  • Bluetooth vitals devices 

Awardee announced 7/1 - $882,255 Awarded, Requested $1,000,000

  • Tablets and smartphones

  • Connected vitals devices 

Awardee announced 5/13 - $879,520 Awarded, Requested $1,272,967

  • Remote patient monitoring kits

Awardee announced 6/17 - $873,982 Awarded, Requested $1,000,000 

  • Remote patient monitoring kits

Awardee announced 5/20 - $873,202 Awarded, Requested $999,957

  • Cellular tablets

Awardee announced 5/6 - $862,950 Awarded, Requested $$999,750

  • Preloaded connectivity devices

Awardee announced 5/28 - $857,750 Awarded, Requested $777,250

  • Cellular phones and tablets

Awardee announced 6/24 - $836,243 Awarded, Requested $1,206,708

  • Cellular phones and tablets

Awardee announced 6/17 - $827,637 Awarded, $1,070,930 Requested

  • Remote patient monitoring kits

Awardee announced 6/10 - $817,248 Awarded, $835,892 Requested

  • Cellular phones and tablets

Awardees Supporting populations with SmartPhones:

Awardee announced 4/16 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1,000,000 (Supplemental Information)

  • Connected Vitals Devices provided - additional breakdown in supplemental Information 

Awardee announced 5/20 - $1M Awarded, Requested $575,545
(Only application we could find from FCC Search, Please let us know if there’s an updated application, and we’ll update link)

  • Connected Vitals Devices to be deployed on Patient’s existing smartphone

Awardee announced 5/20 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1,100,000

  • Bluetooth Vitals Devices Mentioned

  • Staff Equipment

Awardee announced 5/28 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1,289,300.05

  • Connected Vitals Devices and Smart phone application broken down in application

  • Staff equipment also broken down in application 

Awardee announced 6/3 - $1M Awarded, Requested $866,542.51 (APP2, APP3)

  • Bluetooth Vitals Devices

  • Apps 2 and 3 highlight funding for patient apps and hospital equipment

Awardee announced 6/10 - $1M Awarded, Requested $2,174,530.38

  • Bluetooth PulseOx Devices mentioned, but not broken down

  • App/Video Software for patients and providers mentioned, but not broken down

  • In-Patient Cameras and tools mentioned, but not broken down

  • Staff Equipment mentioned, but not broken down 

Awardee announced 6/17 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1,000,000

  • Patient smartphone apps

  • Staff Equipment

Awardee announced 6/17 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1,000,000

  • Smart Vitals Devices

  • Staff Equipment

Awardee announced 7/1 - $1M Awarded, Requested $870,000

  • Smartphone App with EHR connection

  • Service + maintenance included in breakdown in application

Awardee announced 7/8 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1M

  • Mentions equipment provided from another application

  • Training and staff equipment mentioned

  • Full breakdown in non-public application

Awardee announced 7/8 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1M (Supplemental Information)

  • Supplemental includes Peripherals

Awardee announced 7/1 - $985,312 Awarded, Requested $1M 

  • iPads

  • Wireless vitals devices 

Awardee announced 4/21 - $983,772 Awarded, Requested $1,004,611 

  • App based telehealth solution 

Awardee announced 6/10 - $977,720 Awarded, Requested $1M

  • Wireless vitals devices 

  • Tablets for providers 

Awardee announced 7/1 - $945,590 Awarded, Requested $971,092

  • Bluetooth vitals devices 

Awardee announced 6/24 - $940,693 Awarded, Requested $999,992 

  • Bluetooth vitals devices 

Awardee announced 7/1 - $937,755 Awarded, Requested $987,855

  • Wireless vitals devices for patients 

Awardee announced 7/1 - $920,019 Awarded, Requested $1M

  • Wireless vitals devices

Awardee announced 6/17 - $907,383 Awarded, Requested $949,315

  • Wireless Bluetooth devices 

Awardee announced 5/28 - $902,290 Awarded, Requested $1,000,162

  • Mobile app based solution

Awardee announced 7/1 - $891,276 Awarded, Requested $987,226 

  • Connected vitals devices

Awardee announced 5/20 - $884,116 Awarded, Requested $938,165

  • Connected vitals devices 

Awardee announced 7/8 - $842,637 Awarded, Requested UNKNOWN 

  • Connected vitals devices

Awardee announced 5/28 - $821,882 Awarded, Requested $1,000,000

  • Bluetooth devices

Awardee announced 7/1 - $820,493 Awarded, $999,092 Requested

  • Laptops, webcams, and self-monitoring blood pressure machines for patients

Awardee announced 4/29 - $807,090 Awarded, $993,394.00 Requested

  • Vitals devices

Awardee announced 6/17 - $804,641 Awarded, $979,127 Requested

  • Vitals devices


    Awardees with no mention of devices or services for patients at home:

Awardee announced 5/28 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1,659,744

  • Staff Equipment and Triaging Services

Awardee announced 6/24 - $1M Awarded, Requested $2,801,926

  • Staff Equipment (Tablets, Phones, Accessories)

Awardee announced 7/1 - $1M Awarded, Requested $1M

  • “The devices, kept onsite at our hospital and ambulatory care locations, enable telephonic and video communication between patients and providers, as well as among providers. They are used for direct patient care. The devices also allow patients and providers to communicate with patients’ family members; however, this is not their intended purpose.”

Awardee announced 7/1 - $997,720 Awarded, Requested $1,027,563 

  • Staff Equipment (Laptops and Video Licenses)

Awardee announced 7/1 - $996,119 Awarded, Requested $999,842.00

  • Laptops for providers 

Awardee announced 6/17 - $995,000 Awarded, Requested $1M

  • Inpatient Telemedicine Carts

Awardee announced 5/13 - $990,716 Awarded, Requested (Blank)

  • Inpatient Devices

Awardee announced 7/1 - $986,261 Awarded, Requested $1M

  • Inpatient Devices and Software 

Awardee announced 6/21 - $978,935 Awarded, Requested $999,355 

  • Telehealth carts 

  • Tablets for mobile clinicians 

Awardee announced 7/1 - $944,766 Awarded, Requested $997,271

  • Staff equipment 

Awardee announced 5/20 - $938,960 Awarded, Requested $934,147

  • Inpatient equipment

  • eICU 

Awardee announced 7/1 - $923,989 Awarded, Requested $933,177

  • Laptops and equipment for providers 

Awardee announced 6/17 - $914,049 Awarded, Requested $332,578

  • Staff equipment 

  • Chat line 

Awardee announced 6/3 - $881,958 Awarded, Requested $946,220

  • Inpatient telemedicine cart

  • Improvement to wireless network

Awardee announced 6/10 - $872,363 Awarded, Requested $940,189

  • Inpatient equipment

Awardee announced 7/1 - $870,925 Awarded, Requested $1,205,773

  • Staff equipment

Awardee announced 6/24 - $803,588 Awarded, Requested $1,000,000

  • Inpatient equipment

Awardee announced 6/24 - $803,268 Awarded, Requested $999,153

  • Inpatient equipment

Sid Kandan