July 08, 2020

Manchin Applauds FCC Approval Of Charleston Area Medical Center Telehealth Program Application

Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval of Charleston Area Medical Center’s application for $781,964 to procure remote monitoring devices, remote patient monitoring platform, network upgrades, and a telehealth platform to improve the outpatient telehealth platform as well as develop a telehealth service to assist rural West Virginia hospitals and patients by giving specialists a method to connect to other hospitals to provide treatment via telemedicine. As a member of the Financial Services & General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees the FCC’s budget, Senator Manchin helped support $200 million in funding for the telehealth pilot program through the CARES Act.  

“All across West Virginia our healthcare providers, first responders, and West Virginians have adjusted to a new way of receiving and giving care due to the COVID-19 pandemic including expanded telehealth services,” Senator Manchin said. “On June 19th, I wrote to the FCC to advocate for the Charleston Area Medical Center application for funding to provide West Virginians with telehealth services, and today the FCC approved their application. This is great news for Charleston area residents and will provide West Virginians and our healthcare providers with the systems they need to receive and give the care they deserve. I will keep advocating for funding that helps our providers, first responders, and front line workers respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and care for their fellow West Virginians as this crisis continues.”