Grange: FCC telehealth vote ‘a welcome and important step forward’ for rural communities

On Thursday, August 2, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established a Notice of Inquiry proceeding for a “Connected Care Pilot Program.” The Commission’s goal with this vote is to promote telehealth access for low-income consumers and veterans, particularly those who live in rural areas. In response, Betsy Huber, President of the National Grange, issued the following statement:

Today’s FCC vote is a welcome and important step forward to improve rural communities’ healthcare access, especially low-income residents in our nation’s small towns. As healthcare technologies increasingly harness the Internet’s power to provide better and more affordable treatment, the FCC is right to promote these life-saving services. Innovative options will particularly benefit those caught by the healthcare consolidation that plagues many rural communities and stopped by practical barriers, like long travel and time off work, that keep many rural folks from specialist visits and follow-up treatments.

The FCC also deserves plaudits for the Notice’s twin focus on supporting user-friendly health services and on establishing clear-cut results. There are boundless possibilities for new telehealth services in treating heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and other problems. But as [Chairman Ajit Pai/Commissioner Brendan Carr] correctly noted today, progress only happens if telehealth is both accessible and easy for patients to use.

The millions of Americans who live on farms and in small towns deserve the same access to quality services, that are easy and affordable to use, as Americans in other areas. Today’s FCC action will help promote better healthcare and ensure those people have better access to the healthcare they need.”