DA 22-805

Released:  July 29, 2022

WC Docket No. 20-89

By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) extends two deadlines for Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program (COVID-19 Program).  First, in response to recent requests from awardees, we extend the deadline for funding recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services from July 31, 2022, to October 31, 2022.[1]  We also necessarily extend the deadline for submitting invoices for reimbursement by three months.[2]

              In order to build off the success of Round 1 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, Congress, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, appropriated $249.95 million to the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) for Round 2 of the Program.[3]  The Commission issued funding awards for 446 applications between August 26, 2021, and January 26, 2022, awarding more than $256 million in funding.[4] 

Round 2 funding recipients were given a July 31, 2022, deadline to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services (purchase/implementation deadline).[5]  To date, the Bureau has received multiple requests to extend this deadline.  Participants requesting more time have cited a variety of reasons, including supply-chain delays and discontinuities, staff absences due to COVID, and challenges with state government purchasing regulations.[6]  In addition, during Round 1, the initial deadline for purchasing and implementation of services was extended similarly.[7]  For these reasons, the Bureau extends the purchase and implementation deadline to October 31, 2022.  Next, the Round 2 rules permit program participants to be reimbursed for twelve months of recurring services, so shifting the purchase and implementation deadline by three months may also affect the time participants have to start, incur, and be reimbursed for the full year of services.  In light of the fact that the invoicing deadline could be impacted by the change to the purchase and implementation deadline, we also adjust the invoicing deadline and extend it by three months.  Finally, while the Bureau extends the purchase/implementation deadline, we encourage COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services as soon as practicable.

Additional Information.  For assistance, all program participants are encouraged to email Round2TelehlthInvoicSupp@fcc.gov.  For special situations or to resolve ambiguous issues, please contact Clinton Highfill, Attorney-Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, clinton.highfill@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0091.  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are posted at the Commission’s website for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, www.fcc.gov/covid19telehealth.

-FCC-

[1] The new purchasing/implementation deadline supersedes the previous announcement in Wireline Competition Bureau Announces A Purchase and Implementation Deadline of July 31, 2022 For Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 22-260 (WCB Mar. 11, 2022) (Round 2 Purchase Deadline Public Notice).

[2] The new invoicing deadline supersedes the previous announcement in Wireline Competition Bureau and Office of Managing Director Set July 31, 2023 Invoicing Deadline for COVID-19 Telehealth Program Round 2 and Provide Post-Program Guidance,WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 22-582 (WCB May 25, 2022).

[3] Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No:  116-260, Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access Service, § 903 “FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program” (2020), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/133/text (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021).

[4] See Wireline Competition Bureau Approves Sixth and Final Group of Funding Awards in Round 2 of COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 22-88 (WCB Jan. 26, 2022).

[5] Round 2 Purchase Deadline Public Notice at *1.

[6] See E-mail from Jim Towler, Office of the CIO, Novant Health, to Clinton Highfill, Attorney-Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau (July 26, 2022) (explaining that recent COVID cases have created staffing constraints and also challenges scheduling vendors); E-mail from Kevin Welch, CEO, Kau Hospital and Rural Clinic, to Clinton Highfill (July 21, 2022) (explaining that COVID-19 cases have increased down time for vital technical staff); E-mail from Christina Higa, Co-Director, Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center, to Clinton Highfill (July 20, 2022) (explaining that vendors need more lead time to obtain clearances required to transact business with a State of Hawaii entity).

[7] Wireline Competition Bureau Extends the COVID-19 Telehealth Program September 30, 2020 Purchase and Implementation Deadline, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 20-1139 (WCB Sept. 28, 2020).

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Sixteen new projects have been selected to receive the funding in the last round of the program established in 2020 to support the advancement of connected care.

By Anuja Vaidya

March 23, 2022 – The Federal Communications Commission has selected 16 new Connected Care Pilot Program projects to receive $29.7 million in funding.

This is the fourth and final set of approved projects under the Connected Care Pilot Program, which was launched in 2020 to help cover costs of broadband connectivity, network equipment, and information services for projects that provide telehealth and connected care services. The program was set up to provide up to $100 million over three years to selected applicants.

The FCC announced its first group of program awardees in January 2021 and, along with the most recent round, is set to fund 107 projects serving patients in 40 states and Washington, D.C.

“Telemedicine has moved into the mainstream. It is now an essential part of healthcare in rural communities, urban communities, and everything in between,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. “These pandemic days have proven it.”

The final round includes projects that aim to address several health conditions, such as high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, mental health conditions, opioid dependency, and COVID-19.

“On a personal level, I’m especially pleased that efforts to address maternal health and high-risk pregnancy are the focus of several of our awardees,” Rosenworcel said. “We are the only industrialized nation with a rising level of maternal mortality. That’s unacceptable in every way…My goodness, we need to do better. So, I’m glad that in several locations, including Virginia, Hawaii, Delaware, Alaska, and South Carolina, we have been able to use this program to support connected care for pregnancy monitoring and maternal health.”

Several organizations are seeking more than $1 million in new funds, including Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport, Louisiana, which is seeking $9.4 million, Palmetto State Providers Network, a consortium with 34 sites in South Carolina, which is asking for $7.1 million, and New England Telehealth Consortium, with 11 locations in New Hampshire and Maine, which is seeking $2.5 million.

Though this is the last round of awards through the Connected Care Pilot Program, the FCC will continue its efforts by studying the award recipients in the program, the connections they used, and how they helped facilitate care, Rosenworcel said. Next year, the agency plans to produce a report on initial lessons learned through the connected care and COVID-19 telehealth programs.

The COVID-19 Telehealth Program, initially launched as a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020, aims to help providers offer connected care services to patients in their homes or at mobile locations in response to the public health emergency. The FCC relaunched the program in March 2021, and recently completed its sixth and final phase of funding through the program, providing $48 million to 100 healthcare providers.

The FCC is also supporting broadband deployments through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to boost access to internet connectivity, which will expand access to virtual care. The agency recently approved more than $640 million in new funds for broadband carriers in 26 states.

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Program Will Support Connected Care Services Across Country, Focus on Low-Income and Veteran Patients

  —

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2022—Today, the Federal Communications Commission announced its fourth and final set of approved Connected Care Pilot Program projects.  These 16 projects were approved for a total of $29,752,601 in funding.  With the newly selected projects, the Connected Care Pilot Program is set to fund 107 projects serving patients in 40 states plus Washington, D.C. 

Today’s action also sets a uniform deadline for all participants to file their initial funding request by September 16, 2022.

Telehealth has assumed an increasingly critical role in health care delivery, enabling patients to access health care services without needing to visit a health care provider’s medical office. Among other benefits, connected care services, delivered via a broadband internet access connection directly to the patient’s home or mobile location, also can help contain and treat health conditions during public health emergencies, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Pilot Program will make available funds from the Universal Service Fund over a three-year period for selected pilot projects to help defray the costs of providing certain telehealth services for eligible health care providers, with a particular emphasis on providing connected care services to low-income and veteran patients. 

The additional projects selected today will address a number of critical health conditions such as high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, mental health conditions, opioid dependency, COVID-19, and chronic conditions.  Funding these projects will help bring connected care services to rural and other underserved areas nationwide and will also help the Commission learn more about how Universal Service Fund support can enable providers to use connected care to help improve health outcomes.

• Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.  Boston Medical Center seeks $446,250 in Connected Care support to provide video visits or consults, remote treatment, and remote patient monitoring to low-income patients who are suffering from chronic/long-term conditions and mental health conditions.  Boston Medical Center would serve approximately 1,500 patients, 85% of whom would be low-income.  Boston Medical Center was selected because of its potential impact on this low-income patient population.
   
• Boston’s Community Medical Group, Inc., Boston, MA.  Boston’s Community Medical Group, Inc., seeks $918,000 in Connected Care support to deploy a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform to serve its 22,000 low-income patients across Massachusetts with primary care and wrap-around services.  Patients to be served are eligible for both Medicare and state Medicaid-supported services, with many having a physical or behavioral disability, a severe mental illness, or substance-use disorder.  Boston’s Community Medical Group’s proposal was chosen because of its potential impact on rural and medically underserved areas and its focus on high-need, low-income populations.  
  
  
• Children’s Hospital of Denver, Aurora, CO.  Children’s Hospital of Denver would use $824,096 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and treatment services to low-income patients under 21 years of age suffering from medically complex conditions.  Children’s Hospital would serve an estimated 200 patients in Wyoming and Colorado, 100% of whom are low-income.  Children’s Hospital of Denver was selected because of its potential impact on low-income children with medically complex conditions in Colorado and surrounding rural areas.
  
  
• Christiana Care Health Services, Newark, DE.  Christiana Care Health Services’ Pilot project would use $3,253,627 in Connected Care support to provide prenatal remote patient monitoring and telehealth visits to primarily low-income patients.  Christiana Care Health Services’ Pilot project would serve an estimated 5,000 patients in Delaware, 80% of whom would be low-income.  Christiana Care Health Services was selected because of its focus on maternal health for low-income patients. 
  
  
• Community Guidance Center – Indiana Location C19, Indiana, PA.  Community Guidance Center would use $154,530 in Connected Care support to provide teletherapy services to low-income and veteran patients in western Pennsylvania.  This Pilot project will focus on providing mental health, substance abuse, and intellectual disability treatment services to 150 patients.  Community Guidance Center’s Pilot project was selected because of its focus on expanding access to mental health services to low-income patients residing in rural areas.
  
  
• Community Health Center, Inc. (CHCI), Middletown, CT.  Community Health Center, Inc., is a consortium with 30 different sites across Connecticut.  CHCI seeks $1,093,398 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and video consults to low-income and veteran patients with complex, chronic conditions such as hypertension, mental health disorders, obesity, opioid dependency, and HIV, often compounded by adverse social determinants of health such as homelessness.  CHCI would treat an estimated 15,000 patients, more than 80% of whom would be low-income and approximately 5% of whom would be veterans.  Community Health Center, Inc. was selected because of its potential impact on low-income and veteran patients across multiple communities.
   
• Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (Yukon Flats Health Center), Fort Yukon, AK.  Through its Pilot project, Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (Yukon Flats Health Center) seeks $1,124,486 in Connected Care support to provide patient-based, internet-connected remote monitoring, other monitoring, video visits, imaging diagnostics, remote treatment, and other services for veterans and low-income patients with chronic conditions, high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, infectious diseases like COVID-19, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency.  This Pilot project would reach an estimated 5,588 patients, 95% of whom would be low-income and 5% of whom would be veterans.  This project was chosen because of  its potential impact on low-income and veteran patients in a rural region in Alaska.
  
  
• Golden Valley Health Centers, Merced, CA.  Golden Valley Health Centers’ Pilot project would use $725,195 in Connected Care support to provide patient-based internet-connected remote monitoring, other monitoring, video visits or consults, and imaging diagnostics primarily to low-income patients suffering from chronic or long-term conditions, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency.  Golden Valley Health Centers’ Pilot project would provide connected care services to 70,000 patients in California, nearly all of them low-income.  Golden Valley Health Centers was selected because it would serve a large number of low-income patients.
  
  
• Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc., Brandywine, MD.  Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc., seeks $406,249 in Connected Care support to provide patient-based, internet-connected, remote monitoring, video visits, and remote treatment for veterans and low-income patients whose needs include chronic or long-term conditions, high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, infectious diseases like COVID-19, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency.  Greater Baden Medical Services’ Pilot project would reach an estimated 5,400 patients across Maryland, 35% of whom would be low-income and 20% of whom may be veterans.  Greater Baden Medical Services was selected because of its potential impact on the low-income and veteran populations that it serves. 
  
  
• MUSC Medical Center, Charleston, SC.  MUSC Medical Center’s Pilot project seeks $246,347 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and video visits to treat patients for maternal health, chronic conditions, mental health issues, opioid dependency, and infectious diseases.  MUSC Medical Center’s pilot project would reach an estimated 3,500 patients, 25% of whom would be low-income patients.  MUSC Medical Center was selected because of its focus on expanding connected care services, with a specific focus on maternal health and chronic conditions. 
  
  
• New England Telehealth Consortium, Inc., a consortium with a site in North Conway, NH, and 10 sites in Maine.  New England Telehealth Consortium seeks $2,560,098 in Connected Care funding to connect patients directly into its existing consortium network for purposes of receiving connected care services.  The Pilot project would serve 1,872 patients, 20% of whom would be low-income patients and 11% of whom would be veterans.  New England Telehealth Consortium was selected because of its potential impact on these patient groups and its commitment to address maternal health, chronic and long-term conditions, infectious diseases, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency. 
  
  
• Northern Nevada HOPES, Reno, NV.  Northern Nevada HOPES’ Pilot project seeks $331,884 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring services and virtual visits to low-income patients suffering from HIV/AIDS, diabetes, opioid dependency, heart disease, and hypertension.  Northern Nevada HOPES’ Pilot project would serve an estimated 180 patients, nearly all of whom would be low-income.  Northern Nevada HOPES was selected because of its focus on providing broadband to patients residing in transitional housing intended to relieve homelessness. 
  
  
• Palmetto State Providers Network, a consortium with 34 sites in South Carolina.  Palmetto State Providers Network’s Pilot project would use $7,192,893 in Connected Care support to provide remote monitoring and video consults to primarily low-income patients suffering from chronic conditions and infectious diseases.  Palmetto State Providers Network’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 18,000 patients at six locations, of whom 80% are low-income.  Palmetto State Providers Network was selected because of its provision of broadband to a large number of low-income patients.
  
  
• Tower Health – Reading Hospital, West Reading, PA.  Tower Health – Reading Hospital’s Pilot project seeks $396,457 in Connected Care support to provide patient broadband and connected care services for low-income residents of transitional housing.  Tower Health – Reading Hospital’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 169 patients, nearly all whom would be low-income and 15% of whom would be veterans.  Tower Health’s project was selected because of its provision of broadband to low-income and veteran patients and potential impact on these populations.
  
  
• University Hospital, Newark, NJ.  University Hospital seeks $627,300 for telehealth platforms, including an integrated telehealth platform, to facilitate virtual visits and remote patient monitoring to treat patients with chronic and long-term conditions, as well as COVID-19.  University Hospital would serve 80,000 patients in Newark, approximately 29.7% of whom are low-income or veteran patients.  University Hospital was selected because it has significant telehealth experience and is the only state-owned acute healthcare facility in Newark New Jersey’s Central Ward, with a service area that includes medically underserved areas. 
  
  
• Willis-Knighton Health System, Shreveport, LA.  Willis-Knighton Health System seeks $9,451,791 in Pilot Program funding for patient broadband and to expand remote patient monitoring and video visits and consults to treat patients for chronic conditions (including diabetes, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, mental health conditions, opioid dependency and infectious diseases.  Willis Knighton Health System’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 12,554 patients, approximately 57% of whom would be low-income or veterans, in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, including rural and medically underserved areas.  Willis Knighton Health System’s Pilot project was selected because of its focus on expanding access to connected care services and addressing broadband connectivity barriers for low-income and veteran patients, including in rural and underserved areas.

To learn more about the FCC’s Connected Care Pilot Program, visit https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/telecommunications-access-policy-division/connected-care-pilot-program.

Action by the Commission March 16, 2022 by Public Notice (FCC 22-23).  Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington approving.  Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr and Starks issuing separate statements.

WC Docket No. 18-213

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COVID-19 Telehealth Program

Federal Communications Commission   DA 22-260

DA 22-260
Released: March 11, 2022

WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES A PURCHASE AND IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINE OF JULY 31, 2022 FOR ROUND 2 OF THE
COVID-19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM

WC Docket No. 20-89

By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) sets July 31, 2022, as the deadline for Round 2 COVID-19 Telehealth Program (COVID-19 Program) funding recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services. A purchase and implementation deadline is necessary for efficient Program administration, as it ensures that Program funds are used in a timely fashion, and it will allow for a subsequent invoicing deadline, which will be announced at a later date.
In order to build off of the success of Round 1 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, Congress, as part of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, appropriated $249.95 million to the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) for Round 2 of the Program. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No: 116-260, Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access Service, § 903 “FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program” (2020), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/133/text (Consolidated Appropriations Act).
The Commission issued funding awards for 447 applications between August 26, 2021 and January 26, 2022, awarding over $256 million in funding. See Wireline Competition Bureau Approves Sixth and Final Group of Funding Awards in Round 2 of COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, DA 22-88 (WCB Jan. 26, 2022).

During Round 1 of the Program, the final funding commitments were issued on July 8, 2020, Federal Communications Commission, Press Release, FCC Approves Final Set of Covid-19 Telehealth Program
Applications (July 8, 2020), https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-365417A1.pdf.
and the purchase and implementation deadline was initially set as September 30, 2020. Before the September 30, 2020 deadline, the Bureau received numerous requests for an extension of that deadline and eventually set the final purchase and implementation deadline for December 31, 2020. See Wireline Competition Bureau Extends the COVID-19 Telehealth Program September 30, 2020 Purchase and Implementation Deadline, WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 10580 (WCB 2020).
As a result, during Round 1 all awardees had, at a minimum, just under six months from the notice of their awards to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services. We believe that a similar time frame should apply for Round 2 of the Program, as evidenced by the numerous extension requests we received from Round 1 awardees. Accordingly, we set a deadline of July 31, 2022 to ensure that all Round 2 awardees will have sufficient time to utilize Program funds to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services. While the Bureau sets the purchase/implementation deadline of July 31, 2022, we encourage COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible services lists as soon as practicable.
Additional Information. For further information regarding this Public Notice, please contact Nathan Eagan, Attorney-Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Nathan.Eagan@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0991.
-FCC-

2

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DA 21-1052

Released:  August 26, 2021

Wireline Competition Bureau Approves first group of Funding Awardees in ROUND 2 OF COVID-19 tELEHEALTH PROGRAM

Health Care Providers in Every State, Territory, and the District of Columbia to Receive Critical Support for Telehealth and Connected Care Services

WC Docket No. 20-89

Today, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) approves the first group of funding commitments under Round 2 of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Telehealth Program (Program) and commits $41,980,345 in funding to 62 health care providers in every state, territory, and the District of Columbia.  The funding commitments made today will provide critical support to health care providers on the front lines in the fight against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) established the Program in April 2020 pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act[1] to provide $200 million in emergency funding to health care providers for telehealth and connected care services in response to COVID-19.[2]  To build on the Program’s success, Congress appropriated an additional $249.95 million to fund the second round of the Program as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.[3]  On March 30, 2021, the Commission released the Second COVID-19 Report and Order,[4] which initiated Round 2 of the Program by adopting additional requirements and processes to implement Congressional direction and improve Program administration.  Applications for Round 2 were accepted from April 29, 2021, through May 6, 2021.[5]   

As the Commission established in the Second COVID-19 Report and Order, funding for Round 2 of the Program is to be awarded in two phases.[6]  In the initial commitment phase, at least $150 million will be awarded based in part on geographic considerations and on the objective evaluation metrics outlined in the Second COVID-19 Report and Order.[7]  This Public Notice announces funding commitments for health care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia to ensure nationwide distribution of funding.  This Public Notice also announces a second funding commitment to an applicant in the states and territories that did not have an applicant receive Round 1 funding as directed by the Commission in the Second COVID-19 Report and Order.[8]  A full list of the funding awardees is included in Appendix A of this Public Notice. 

The Bureau will next commit funding to the highest-scoring applications, in descending order, until at least $150 million has been committed,[9] and it will then issue a Public Notice announcing the complete list of those awardees, the amount of their awards, and the remaining funding available for the final commitment window.[10]  That Public Notice will also provide guidance, as directed by the Commission, on how the applicants that did not receive funding during the initial commitment phase may supplement their applications with additional information.[11]

For further information regarding this Public Notice, please contact Connor Ferraro, Attorney Advisor, Wireline Competition Bureau, Connor.Ferraro@fcc.gov or (202) 418-1322.  For more information about Round 2, refer to USAC’s website at www.usac.org/about/covid-19-telehealth-program.

For inquiries and support related to Round 2 invoicing, please contact Round2TelehlthInvoicSupp@FCC.gov.

-FCC-
APPENDIX A

[1] Promoting Telehealth for Low-Income Consumers; COVID-19 Telehealth Program, WC Docket Nos. 18-213, 20-89, Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 3366 (2020) (First COVID-19 Report and Order); Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Pub. L. No 116-136, 134 Stat. 281 (2020) (CARES Act).

[2] From April 16, 2020, through July 8, 2020, the Commission fully obligated the $200 million by issuing awards on a rolling basis to 539 applications.  Press Release, FCC, FCC Approves Final Set of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications (July 8, 2020), https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-approves-final-set-covid-19-telehealth-program-applications.

[3] Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No:  116-260, Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access Service, § 903 “FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program” (2020), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/133/text (Consolidated Appropriations Act).

[4] COVID-19 Telehealth Program; Promoting Telehealth for Low-Income Consumers, WC Docket Nos. 20-89 and 18-213, Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, 36 FCC Rcd 7141 (2021) (Second COVID-19 Report and Order).

[5] Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Application Filing Window for Round 2 of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Will Open April 29, 2021,WC Docket No. 20-89, Public Notice, 36 FCC Rcd 7321 (WCB 2021).

[6] Second COVID-19 Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 7171-73, paras. 61-69.

[7] Second COVID-19 Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 7157, para. 38.

[8] Second COVID-19 Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 7165-66, para. 48.  The Second COVID-19 Report and Order directed USAC, with Bureau oversight, to commit funding to the two highest-scoring applications in states and territories where a lead applicant did not receive Round 1 funding.  Id. at 7165-66, para. 48 & n.178.  However, only one application with a lead health care provider in the Northern Mariana Islands was submitted.

[9] Id. at 7172, para. 64.  Once $150 million in funding has been committed, any applications with the same score as the last application to receive a funding commitment will also receive a funding commitment.  Id.

[10] Id. at 7172, para. 64. 

[11] Id. at 7172, para. 65. 

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