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

March 29, 2021 Sid Kandan

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