FCC, HHS, Agriculture Creating Rural Telehealth Task Force

The FCC, Department of Health and Human Services and Agriculture Department will collaborate on rural health issues through the Rural Telehealth Initiative, the commission said Tuesday, announcing a memorandum of understanding among the agencies. The FCC said the work will include addressing service provider challenges and promoting broadband services and technology in rural areas. It follows President Donald Trump's telehealth executive order last month (see 2008040068). "Better access to telehealth in rural America means better health for some of our most vulnerable and greater resilience at times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Better telehealth access is key to increasing rural prosperity, "especially now that the coronavirus has presented new challenges to rural healthcare," said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. The FCC said the three agencies will establish a Rural Telehealth Initiative Task Force, with representatives from each, to meet regularly to consider recommendations or guidelines and to exchange expertise, scientific and technical information, data and publications. Chairman Ajit Pai's rural broadband adviser, Preston Wise, will be the FCC's liaison, said the memorandum. NTCA applauded the task force, saying it looks forward to working with it.