April 25, 1996


NOMINATIONS ACCEPTED FOR 
THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND HEALTH CARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
TO ASSIST IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT

	Chairman Reed Hundt announced on Friday, April 12 the Commission's intention to form a Telecommunications and Health Care Advisory Committee to the FCC to assist with implementation of the universal service and advanced telecommunications services provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and to examine telecommunications rules and regulations that impede or would enhance the development of health care applications involving telecommunications. Chairman Hundt made the announcement at the first meeting of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service.

	"Telecommunications will play an increasingly important role in the development and delivery of health care in America," Chairman Hundt remarked. "We need to make sure that there are no barriers that would prevent progress in improving the health of rural and urban Americans. The Telemedicine Advisory Committee will play a valuable role in helping the Commission fulfill the promises of the new law." He added, "The expertise of the health care community, combined with the knowledge and skill of the telecommunications industry, in both the public and private sectors, is essential to this aim and will help the Commission even beyond implementation of the Act."

	The Committee would be comprised of experts from the fields of health care, medicine, and telecommunications, from both the public and private sectors.  The Committee would review existing telecommunications efforts that impact health care; identify telecommunications regulatory, legal, and policy barriers to the development of the use of telecommunications in the area of health care; and provide advice on telecommunications regulatory policies and laws to further the development of the use of telecommunications in health care, both nationally and internationally.   	

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	The Committee would provide a report to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service which would assist the Joint Board in making recommendations to the Commission concerning implementation of the universal service provisions of the Telecommunications Act.

TIME LINE:

The FCC is awaiting GSA approval of the Advisory Committee.  

Assuming approval, the Commission will be accepting nominations to the Committee through May 15, 1996 (see below).  The Committee will be limited to 30 or fewer members.  

The Committee is tentatively scheduled to meet three times: June 10, July 1, and September 3, 1996.  Each meeting will be followed by subcommittee meetings.  The Committee plans to release its report on September 6, 1996, at which point it will be disbanded.  
HOW TO NOMINATE COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

The FCC is seeking a balance of experts from the fields of health care, medicine, and telecommunications, from both the public and private sectors.  Anyone may be nominated to the Committee. 

As the Committee will have limited operating funds, members will be expected to contribute to its administrative support and to pay their own travel expenses.
 
If you would like to submit a nomination to the Committee, please send to the address below the nominee's name and information about how the nominee can be reached.  Please describe briefly the nominee's knowledge and expertise and how it would contribute to the Committee.  Nominations will be accepted through May 15, 1996. 

		Lygeia Ricciardi 
		Telecommunications and Health Care Advisory Committee
		Office of Plans and Policy
		Federal Communications Commission
		1919 M Street NW
		Washington, DC 20554

					- FCC -

	News Media contact: Patricia A. Chew at (202) 418-0500.
	Office of Plans and Policy contact: Lygeia Ricciardi at (202) 418-2672.