Telehealth Survival: The Urgent Need for Congress to Extend the Affordable Connectivity Program
On May 7, the American Hospital Association (AHA) sent a letter to a group of bipartisan senators urging Congress to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program. This program offers benefits towards high-speed internet access, which is crucial for patients to use services such as telehealth, hospital at home, patient portals, electronic patient records, virtual scheduling and remote patient monitoring.
Without legislative action, the benefits provided by the Affordable Connectivity Program are set to decrease from $30 per month to $14 this month and will completely expire in June. The AHA emphasized in its letter that it is essential for Congress to extend this program to ensure that patients have continued access to essential healthcare services through telehealth and other digital platforms.
The AHA’s letter also highlighted the importance of maintaining these benefits for the health and well-being of individuals, especially during these challenging times. Telehealth has become increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic as it allows patients to receive care from their healthcare providers remotely. However, without reliable internet access, telehealth services are not feasible.
The Affordable Connectivity Program provides eligible households with discounts towards internet service, which can go up to $75 per month for households located in qualifying tribal lands. Without these discounts, many families may not be able to afford high-speed internet access and may miss out on crucial healthcare services.
In conclusion, it is imperative that Congress extends the Affordable Connectivity Program to ensure that patients have continued access to essential healthcare services through telehealth and other digital platforms. The AHA’s letter underscores the importance of maintaining these benefits for the health and well-being of individuals, especially during these challenging times.
