Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that Alfond Center for Health in Augusta has received a total of $603,315 to expand telehealth services. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth Program.

“Telehealth services have been a lifeline to patients and providers during the pandemic, ensuring that individuals can continue to receive quality health care from the safety and convenience of their own homes,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “We welcome this funding, which will permanently expand telehealth services at Alfond Center for Health, allowing Mainers to continue to take advantage of remote health care amid this public health emergency and beyond.”

This funding will equip providers at Alfond Center for Health with all-in-one workstations capable of video conferencing and remote patient monitoring devices to perform virtual visits and reduce exposure. 

Senators Collins and King have repeatedly called for the expansion of access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic to be made permanent.  In May, the Senators co-sponsored the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021, bipartisan legislation would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to safely connect with their doctors.