Senate Democrats Press FCC for Increased RHCP Funding
Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell of Washington and more than a dozen other Democrats urged the FCC Friday to increase funding to the Rural Health Care Program and improve its…
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operations, citing the COVID-19 pandemic. "Cash-strapped health care providers are looking to the RHC Program for help to defray these costs, but you have so far not taken steps that would allow health care providers to receive additional support through the program,” the senators said in a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “We urge you to address these issues as soon as possible.” Pai "has made telehealth a priority under his watch, taking actions like increasing funding for [RHCP] for the first time in its history and launching the COVID-19 Telehealth Program in a matter of weeks," a spokesperson emailed. "The FCC's record of decisive, bipartisan action to benefit consumers stands in stark contrast to the signatories of this letter." It's "disappointing that Congressional Democrats continue to prioritize partisan politics over legislative action that would give the FCC the funds it needs to extend its record of success," the spokesperson said.