On May 7, the American Hospital Association (AHA) sent a letter to a bipartisan group of senators urging Congress to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program. This program is critical for providing benefits towards high-speed internet access, which is vital for patients to utilize services such as telehealth, hospital at home, patient portals, electronic patient records, virtual scheduling, and remote patient monitoring.
Without legislative action, the benefits offered by the Affordable Connectivity Program are set to decrease from $30 per month to $14 this month and will completely expire in June. This would be detrimental to individuals’ health and well-being, especially during these challenging times.
The AHA’s letter underscores the importance of maintaining these benefits to support continued access to essential healthcare services through digital platforms. The organization emphasizes that patients rely on high-speed internet access to receive care remotely and manage their health information electronically. Without it, they may be unable to utilize telehealth services or access critical medical records.
The Affordable Connectivity Program plays a significant role in ensuring that all households have equal access to high-speed internet service. It is crucial for Congress to extend this program beyond its current expiration date to ensure that patients continue to receive the care they need through digital platforms.
