At its August Open Meeting, the FCC adopted a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) that seeks comment on launching a “Connected Care Pilot Program,” an experimental Universal Service Fund initiative to support the delivery of broadband-enabled telehealth services to low-income families and veterans. The NOI requests input on:
- The goals of, and statutory authority for, the pilot program.
- The design of the pilot program, including the budget; the application process and types of telehealth pilot projects that should be funded; eligibility criteria for participating health care providers, broadband service providers, and low-income consumers; the broadband services and other communications services and equipment that should be supported; the amount of support and how it should be disbursed; and the duration of the program.
- How to measure the effectiveness of pilot projects in achieving the goals of the program.
