FCC Connected Health Devices and Services

Criteria: Eligibility, Cost Effectiveness, and Impact

Eligible Devices and Services

Supporting materials to prove eligibility must be submitted. Examples can be found: www.stel.life/order

“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)

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, store and forward, async patient data, synchronous video)
  • Recurring Fees (12 months for eligible services)

Ineligible

  • Personnel and Administrative Expenses - e.g., IT staff, project managers, medical professionals, consultant fees, training, customer service, marketing, etc.
  • Technical support, maintenance, warranties, and protection plans, development / implementation of platforms, websites, or systems.
  • Unconnected devices and supplies - Devices patients use and manually enter / report results to professionals, testing strips, lancets, disposable covers, and personal protective equipment, etc.
  • Unconnected accessories - e.g., cases, mouse pads, cable clips, laptop bags, tablet stands, charging stations, back-up batteries, power cords, surge protectors, etc.
  • Consumer Devices and Non-Telehealth Items - e.g., Smartwatches and fitness trackers, office furniture and supplies, security systems, and incidental expenses, etc.
  • Construction: e.g., fiber/ethernet/cable network constructions, facility alterations, and temporary site location structures, etc.

Cost Effectiveness

“we are committed to ensuring the integrity and fiscal responsibility of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program funds and will guard against waste, fraud, and abuse. We thus strongly encourage applicants to purchase cost-effective eligible services and devices” FCC Report & Order pg.18

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Impact (Post Program Report)

Example from Round 1 - 300k vitals transmitted into EHR from population without smartphones, wifi, broadband, or tech-literacy

Patient Access + Digital Divide Accessibility

Does the solution promote adoption from vulnerable patient populations? Or does it only benefit patients with existing infrastructure, access to the latest smartphones/tablets, and knowledge with technology?

  • Best: Digital Divide Accessible - provides patients with devices, services. (Preferred: addresses language and tech barriers)
  • Only for patients with wifi and the latest smartphones - provides patients with devices or services for their existing device.
  • Not ideal: Does not provide patients access to devices or services for monitoring at home.

Provider + Program Scalability

Does the solution exhibit scalable adoption and promote other federal priorities?

  • Ideal: Promotes ONC Interoperability Requirements (Patient Generated Health Data in EHR)
  • Ideal: Provides infrastructure for better future care despite lack of reimbursements (ex. FQHC’s are not eligible for RPM CPT codes, but could offer RPM services because of program)
  • Not ideal: Does not support other federal priorities and will not be continued post-pandemic
  • Bad: Risks patient PHI and data security or promotes fraud/waste/abuse

Popular Solutions from Round 1 (alphabetical order)

NON-TABLET AND CELLULAR (NON-BROADBAND DEPENDENT) SOLUTIONS:

TABLET AND BROADBAND DEPENDENT SOLUTIONS:

VITALS DEVICE ONLY (FOR PATIENTS WITH COMPATIBLE SMARTPHONES + TECH LITERACY):