Linking Patients to Broadband Access
Link Health leverages the health sector to connect patients to the Affordable Connectivity Program and close the digital divide in healthcare.
COVID-19 Accelerated A Massive shift to telehealth.
The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in widespread acceptance of telehealth and other digital innovations in medicine and dramatically increased the use of telehealth as an intervention to reach patients. A recent HHS study shows a 63-fold increase in Medicare telehealth utilization and 32-fold increase in behavioral health care through telehealth triggered by the pandemic.
Access To Broadband Internet Is A Social Determinant Of Health.
Despite widespread internet usage in the United States, 15–24% of Americans lack broadband internet connection, a foundational requirement for telehealth and the bevy of other services that underpin the social determinants of health. In fact, access to broadband internet has been considered a “super” social determinant of health (SDoH).
The Affordable Connectivity Program Expands Broadband Access But Needs Help from healthcare.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law created the Affordable Connectivity Program which provides a subsidy of up to $30/month for lower-income households ($75/month for households on tribal lands) on participating internet service plans and a one-time $100 subsidy for a connected device. 51.6 million households are eligible for the ACP, yet only 25% have enrolled. 38 million more households are potentially missing out on money to pay their internet bill. Importantly, only 13% of patients with Medicaid have signed up for the ACP.
Our Approach
Learn more about how we leverage healthcare providers and healthcare settings to connect patients to the ACP.
Link Health leverages three key features to get patients access to Broadband internet.
The first healthcare based program connecting patients to the Affordable Connectivity Program.
1. ACP Benefit
The Affordable Connectivity program offers over 52 million households a subsidy of up to $75/month on any internet service plan offered by a participating provider. It also provides a one-time $100 subsidy for a connected device.
2. Healthcare Sites
Through our partnerships with over 700+ hospitals, clinics, and community health centers we leverage the time non-urgent patients are waiting in healthcare sites nationally to sign them up for the ACP.
3. GOTV Framework
We leverage traditional GOTV tactics like canvassing, phonebanking, and textbanking to also reach patients in the communities they live to sign them up for the ACP.
Link Health creates free posters, handouts, and discharge paperwork that can be leveraged by hospitals and clinics to invite patients to enroll themselves in the Affordable Connectivity Program while they wait.
Our News
Read more about our impact and our stories below.
Hospitals Can Help Patients ‘Get Connected’
MedPage Today | Winter 2022
Leveraging Healthcare Settings to Link Patients with the Affordable Connectivity Program
AHIMA Foundation | Fall 2022
White House OPE Health Equity Forum on Broadband Accessibility and Telehealth
White House Office of Public Engagement Event | Spring 2022
Our Team
Reach out to meet with our team to learn more about how we are mobilizing the healthcare community for the ACP.
Leveraging the health sector to connect patients to the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Link Health is a project of A Healthier Democracy
© 2022 A Healthier Democracy.
We are a nonpartisan organization. We do not support or oppose any political party or candidate.