Allegheny Health Network Clinicians Raise Awareness of Emergency Broadband Benefit, Tie to Improved Telehealth Access

PITTSBURGH – Allegheny Health Network (AHN) clinicians are working to build greater consumer awareness about the Emergency Broadband Benefit, a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that promises to improve access to telehealth services.  The temporary benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, with a goal of reducing the broadband gap for more than 21 million Americans who lack access to high-speed internet[i].

Reliable access to telehealth services has taken on increased urgency throughout the COVID pandemic as infection control restrictions have at times limited in-person appointments with clinicians.  The benefits of telehealth, however, transcend the pandemic, offering patients who live in remote areas or who have mobility or transportation limitations the ability to more efficiently and effectively engage with health care providers.  With advanced technologies and video visit capabilities, clinicians can replicate more closely what happens in the clinic or office setting, such as virtual examinations, checking heart rate and blood pressure, and collecting other important health information.

 “At Allegheny Health Network, we are always looking for ways to address social determinants of health and improve access to care,” said Amy Crawford-Faucher, MD, medical director for telemedicine at AHN and vice chair of AHN’s Primary Care Institute. “This unique emergency broadband benefit could open the door to better health care access and a better overall quality of life for many of our patients, by enabling them to take advantage of better connectivity to the community resources they may need, including high quality telemedicine services.”

The $3.2B Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a discount of up to a $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands.  The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.

A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below: 

• Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid or the FCC’s Lifeline program;
• Approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, in the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year;
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
• Experienced a substantial loss of income through job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

Emergency Broadband Benefit enrollment is now open. Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail-in application.  Additional information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit is available at  www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit, or by calling 833-511-0311 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. any day of the week.

[i] Brookings analysis of American Community Survey data 

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