End of Pandemic Era Internet Subsidies Threatens Access to Telehealth in Rural and Underserved Areas
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal initiative that enabled low-income Americans to access the internet, has officially ended. On Friday, the U.S. government announced the final closure of the program, which had been administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and benefited nearly 60 million people. Despite the program's widespread popularity and its success in aiding around one in five households across the country, calls for additional funding by consumer advocates and Democratic lawmakers went unheeded by Republican leaders in Congress.
The ACP, which lasted for 2.5 years, provided eligible households with a monthly credit of up to $30 on their internet bills, with higher amounts of up to $75 for those on tribal lands. It gained bipartisan support and was particularly beneficial during the pandemic, serving tens of millions of seniors, veterans and residents in both rural and urban areas. However, the program began to falter in May when participants received only partial benefits, anticipating the program's imminent collapse. Democratic lawmakers and President Joe Biden have publicly criticized Republican leaders for their inaction, which has led to the program's termination.
In response to the program's end, President Biden has called for Congress to pass new legislation to extend the ACP. He also announced that several internet service providers, including AT&T, Comcast, Cox, Charter’s Spectrum and Verizon, have committed to offering low-income internet plans independently. These providers are expected to cover about 10 million of the 23 million households that previously depended on the ACP.
Initially, Congress budgeted $14 billion for the ACP; President Biden requested an additional $6 billion to continue it. There was also a bipartisan proposal to renew the ACP with $7 billion in additional funding. Despite these efforts, no solution was reached before the deadline. Without the ACP, many low-income families are expected to face increased internet costs, leading to a potential downgrading or discontinuation of their internet services. This, in turn, will have an adverse impact on rural, urban, and tribal reservations’ access to telehealth services, including teledentistry.
