News Archive

WCB approves the third group of funding commitments under Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program and commits $40.46 million in funding to 71 health care providers across the Nation

More than 70 healthcare organizations will receive federal funds for new connected health projects through the Federal Communications Commission’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program.

The FCC this week announced a second round of approved applications for the program, which was relaunched this year after a successful run in 2020. The latest round of 72 awards accounts for more than $41 million in funding,&nbsp following nearly $42 million in awards announced in August for 62 healthcare organizations.

A Pacific Northwest payer is expanding its telehealth platform in hopes that its 3 million members will get the health and wellness checkups they’ve skipped during the pandemic.

Regence has unveiled Virtual Primary Care, aimed at self-funded members in Washington, Oregon, Utah and Idaho. The platform, managed by telehealth provider MDLIVE, allows members to connect online with a primary care provider for virtual visits.

The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board has released a manual of Telehealth/Telepsychiatry Training and Technical Assistance Related to COVID-19. This guide will be circulated among tribal health directors and delegates. 

The American Board of Telehealth (ABT) and the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) are partnering to expand access to telehealth education and training. The American Board of Telehealth offers high-quality, evidence-based education in the practice of telehealth to ensure best practices for implementing and using telemedicine across the care continuum.

The Biden Administration is awarding nearly $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funding through the HRSA to about 1,300 health centers across the country for capital improvements, including telehealth expansion.