04.14.20

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Telehealth Funding Available to Health Care Providers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Wireline Competition Bureau is now accepting applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. The program will provide $200 million in funding, which was appropriated by Congress as part of the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to help health care providers deliver services to patients at their homes or mobile locations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As the need for telehealth services increases dramatically during this pandemic, never before has reliable high-speed internet been so integral to the health of our communities,” Durbin said. “I’m pleased that Congress was able to come together to provide this funding in the CARES Act, and I urge Illinois health care facilities to take advantage of this funding opportunity.”

“Dependable high-speed internet is now more important than ever during this public health crisis,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud to join Senator Durbin in announcing this infusion of federal funding to help our state’s health providers continue to serve their communities through telehealth in this time of need.”

Applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program are available here: www.fcc.gov/covid19telehealth.

The Wireline Competition Bureau will accept applications on a rolling basis and will select participants until all COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding has been committed or the current pandemic has ended.

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