Recent FCC Broadband Access & Digital Health Efforts

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently released updates regarding efforts to expand broadband access and address digital discrimination and disparities. In particular, the FCC announced $18 billion in funding to 368 companies as part of the Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (Enhanced A-CAM) program, which seeks to incentivize companies to improve access and quality of broadband services in rural areas. To receive funding, companies have to agree to provide broadband at specific speeds (at least 100/20 Mbps) to more than 700,000 locations. Companies also must improve existing services across the country and meet other deployment milestones consistent with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program (for more information on the BEAD program and other digital health equity engagement resources see CCHP’s August In Focus). The FCC Authorization Report for the Enhanced A-CAM program funding allocation includes additional information, including a link to the initial list of locations included for broadband deployment – the location requirements should be finalized by the end of 2025. This information will serve to ensure coordination with other programs and prevent duplicative funding.
 
The FCC continues to address the issue of digital discrimination in relation to broadband. CCHP’s recent Net Neutrality In Focus showcased the FCC’s efforts at its October meeting to bring back net neutrality rules to ensure internet service providers (ISPs) treat all internet traffic equally. In addition, as mentioned in CCHP’s November Newsletter, the FCC has been working on digital discrimination rules to better ensure equal access to broadband regardless of income, race, ethnicity, color, religion, and national origin. These digital discrimination rules were adopted at the FCC’s November meeting. Additionally, last year, the FCC created the Task Force to Prevent Digital Discrimination to further examine and seek input on addressing digital discrimination issues ahead of adopting the new rules. The rules define “digital discrimination of access” as “Policies or practices, not justified by genuine issues of technical or economic feasibility, that (1) differentially impact consumers’ access to broadband internet access service based on their income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion or national origin, or (2) are intended to have such differential impact.” 
 
The FCC has also tried to examine broadband access for specific healthcare specialty areas that are of particular concern. For example, last month, the FCC issued a notice of inquiry (NOI) to better implement the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act through its Mapping Broadband Health in America platform by including maternal health data. With the inclusion of maternal health data as of the platform’s June 2023 updates, the map can now be used to assess the relationship between broadband access and maternal health outcomes. With the NOI, the FCC is seeking additional input from the public on how to further enhance the platform to map and improve maternal health based on information from stakeholders related to current use and effectiveness of broadband-enable health technologies in maternal care. For instance, using that public feedback to determine if other variables and functionalities should be added to the platform.

The NOI speaks to how the FCC has previously referred to resources showing the potential of telehealth and connected care devices to improve health outcomes as well. In particular, this NOI states: “Newly released data show that over 80% of maternal deaths could be prevented, and recent research shows that virtual care, like telehealth, can help.” The NOI also cites numerous studies that point to technology’s ability to address disparities and improve maternity care (see the NOI for all the research included). An example of how the map can be used is provided in the NOI as well, referencing a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation to provide telehealth technologies to health facilities that do not have on-site obstetric services in an effort to prevent maternal deaths and ensure maternal care access. Therefore, in identifying areas of poor maternal health access/outcomes and poor broadband access, the map can allow those areas to then be targeted, informing policymakers as well as allocation of broadband and telehealth resources where they are most needed. In addition, the FCC and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently hosted a roundtable on the Connected Future of Maternity Care to further inform these efforts and how broadband-enabled solutions like telehealth can improve maternal care.
 
Together, each of these FCC efforts have the potential to improve broadband access not just across the country, but in the particular places that need it most, hopefully leading to improved access to care via telehealth for the most vulnerable patient populations. For more information on the recent FCC efforts, see the FCC’s News & Events website.