WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), released the following statement applauding the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for awarding funding totaling $995,087 to Nevada Health Centers in Las Vegas as part of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen the importance of access to quality, affordable medical care in Nevada,” said Senator Rosen. “Unfortunately, many Nevadans, and particularly those in rural areas, lack access to in-person medical care in their communities. Telehealth programs are greatly benefitting Nevada, and this funding will allow Nevada Health Centers to continue investing in and expanding their telehealth programs, increasing access to health care for Nevadans.”
BACKGROUND: Nevada Health Centers is a Community Health Center providing health care services throughout the state. Nevada has been awarded $995,087 to secure telehealth carts, peripherals, and virtual conferencing equipment, as well as provider training required to facilitate secure health care to patients in urban, rural, and frontier communities.
In June, Rosen led a bipartisan group of senators in introducing the Rural and Frontier Telehealth Expansion Act. This bipartisan legislation would increase Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding for telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth, by five percentage points in frontier states or states with limited access to broadband if those states cover telehealth services under Medicaid.
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