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Rural Health Information Hub

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Rural Health
News by Topic: Technology for health and human services

Oct 22, 2021 - Announces funding of up to $1.15 billion through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's ReConnect Program to expand broadband availability in rural areas through loans and grants. Addresses ReConnect Program eligibility and additional investments in rural distance learning and telemedicine projects.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Oct 20, 2021 - Announces $554 million in funding to support broadband deployment to over 180,000 locations in 19 states. Describes the bidding and notification process and lists states where broadband deployment was funded.
Source: Federal Communications Commission
Oct 19, 2021 - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comments on a proposed information collection that addresses the requirement that certain carriers with high-cost reporting obligations must file information about the locations to which they have deployed broadband service meeting applicable public interest requirements. This information will be used to monitor the deployment progress of reporting carriers and to verify the reporting carriers' claims of service at the reported locations. Comments are due by November 18, 2021.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 18, 2021 - Notice from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking comment on a new computer matching program between the Federal Communications Commission Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Children and Family Services, to verify the eligibility of applicants and subscribers to Lifeline and the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP). The EBBP was created specifically to assist American families' access to broadband during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comments are due by November 17, 2021.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 14, 2021 - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comment on the following information collections: 1) Independent Rural Health Clinic Cost Report; 2) Bid Pricing Tool (BPT) for Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP); and 3) Implementation of Medicare and Medicaid Programs;—Promoting Interoperability Programs (Stage 3) (CMS-10552). Comments are due by December 13, 2021.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 8, 2021 - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will hold a virtual public meeting of the Communications Equity and Diversity Council (CEDC) on November 3, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. -1:30 p.m. Eastern. The CEDC makes recommendations to the FCC on advancing equity in the provision of and access to digital communication services and products. The agenda will include introducing the CEDC members and establish working groups that will assist the CEDC in carrying out its work.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 8, 2021 - Notice from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking comment on a new computer matching program between the Federal Communications Commission and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to verify the eligibility of applicants and subscribers to Lifeline and the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP). The EBBP was created specifically to assist American families' access to broadband during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comments are due by November 8, 2021.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 8, 2021 - Notice from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking comment on a new computer matching program between the Federal Communications Commission and Connecticut Department of Social Services to verify the eligibility of applicants and subscribers to Lifeline and the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP). The EBBP was created specifically to assist American families' access to broadband during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comments are due by November 8, 2021.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 5, 2021 - Describes the development of a telehealth intensive care unit (ICU) that treats critical COVID-19 patients at Whitfield Regional Hospital, a small Alabama rural hospital facing closure. Discusses the financial and staffing challenges facing Whitfield and other rural Alabama hospitals and the process of developing telehealth capacity, as well as future plans to develop a full tele-ICU to connect rural patients to physicians in the state's metro hospitals.
Source: STAT
Sep 30, 2021 - Discusses barriers to telehealth expansion in rural areas, including broadband infrastructure, patient volume, technology needs, and state licensing. Notes that telehealth companies have expanded more readily in urban and suburban areas, highlighting market challenges that will require partnerships between companies and rural facilities.
Source: STAT