In 2016, the United Nations declared that the ability to access the internet was an essential human right.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), launched by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in late 2021, helps ensure households can afford the broadband and devices they need for healthcare, school and work. A household is eligible if at least one individual living in the home is enrolled in an existing federal subsidy program such as Medicaid, WIC and others

While 48 million households qualify for the ACP, fewer than 16 million enrolled in its first year. Many who could benefit from the program’s provision of no-cost internet and discounted devices are falling through the cracks.

A large percentage of people remain unaware of the ACP including clinical and business leaders in healthcare organizations bearing risk for Medicaid populations.

The FCC and others are encouraging new approaches to bolster enrollment in the $14.2 billion ACP. Such efforts could include targeted focus via specific industries. In healthcare, for example, the ACP offers great promise to help bridge gaps in the digital divide, improve outcomes and reduce costs.

This white paper:

• highlights key concepts related to health disparities and the challenges they pose to society, to specific populations and to healthcare organizations
  
  
• describes a first-of-its-kind digital engagement model developed by an innovative digital health platform provider and a forward-thinking internet service provider (ISP)
  
  
• explains how healthcare organizations can use this model to increase ACP enrollment while simultaneously deploying digital engagement technology that uniquely advances specific to each organization’s health equity and population health objectives; and
  
  

• provides examples of organizations embracing this model.
  
  

Download this paper now to learn more.