In a letter submitted on May 7, the American Hospital Association (AHA) called upon Congress to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program. This program provides benefits towards high-speed internet access, which is crucial for patients to utilize services such as telehealth, hospital at home, patient portals, electronic patient records, virtual scheduling, and remote patient monitoring.
The AHA’s letter emphasized the importance of maintaining these benefits in order to support the health and well-being of individuals, especially during these challenging times. Currently run by the Federal Communications Commission, the Affordable Connectivity Program offers eligible households $30 discounts per month towards internet service. For households located in qualifying tribal lands, the benefits can go up to $75 per month. However, without legislative action, these benefits are set to decrease to $14 this month and will completely expire in June.
The letter urged Congress to take immediate action to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program so that patients have continued access to essential healthcare services through telehealth and other digital platforms. The AHA believes that these benefits are critical for ensuring that patients receive quality care and have access to the resources they need to manage their health.
