The Rural Health Care program provides funding to eligible health care providers for telecommunications services, including broadband, necessary for the provision of health care. The goal of the program is to improve the quality of health care available to patients in rural communities by ensuring that eligible health care providers have access to affordable telecommunications services.

The program provides discounts on the purchase of telecommunications services by eligible rural health care providers. Paid for by the Universal Service Fund, these discounts result in rates for service that are nearly the same as those in urban areas, where telecommunications rates typically are lower. Funding is capped at $400 million annually.

To provide broadband networks in rural areas where service is lacking, the Commission launched the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, which provides funding for up to 85 percent of the costs associated with: (1) the construction of a state or regional broadband network and the advanced telecommunications and information services provided over that network; (2) connecting to Internet 2 or National LambdaRail (NLR); and (3) connecting to the public Internet.

HEADLINES

• Order (WC Docket No. 02-60). North Carolina TeleHealth Network, Albemarle Health, Western Carolina University, and University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a merger request from four participants in the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, NCTN, Albemarle, WCB and UHS, to merge their respective Pilot Program projects and designate NCTN as the successor to Albemarle, WCU, and UHS. DA 09-1696 (7/31/09) Word | PDF
  
  
• Public Notice (WC Docket No. 02-60). The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by TeleQuality Communications, seeking a waiver of section 54.611 of the Commission’s rules, which requires that USAC reimburse any monies due a carrier from the universal service rural health care support mechanism only after an offset is credited against that carrier’s universal service support obligations. TeleQuality also requests that the Commission grant an expedited stay of USAC’s decision, allowing TeleQuality to continue to receive bi-monthly rural health care support disbursements pending the Commission’s review of the instant waiver request. Comments are due June 19, 2009 and reply comments are due June 26, 2009. DA 09-1252 (6/5/09). Word | PDF
  
  
• Public Notice (WC Docket No. 06-122). WCB seeks comment on requests for review filed by Verizon and Hospital Network Management, seeing reversal of USAC’s decision to seek recovery from Verizon of universal service rural health care funds relating to services it performed for HNM. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009. DA 09-1265 (6/5/09) Word | PDF
  
  
• Public Notice (WC Docket No. 02-60). Rural Health Care Pilot Program North Carolina Merger: WCB seeks comment on a request to merge four participants in the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program: the North Carolina TeleHealth Network (NCTN); Albemarle Health (Albemarle); Western Carolina University (WCU); and University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina (UHS). Comments are due June 19, 2009 and reply comments are due June 26, 2009. DA 09-1246 (6/5/09) Word | PDF
  
  
• Public Notice (WC Docket No. 02-60). Rural Health Care Pilot Program Pennsylvania Merger: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request to merge two participants in the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program, Juniata Valley Network and Pennsylvania Mountains Healthcare Resource Development. Comments are due May 20, 2009 and reply comments are due May 27, 2009. DA 09-1018 (5/6/09) Word | PDF
  
  
• Order (WC Docket No. 02-60). Rural Health Care Pilot Program Texas Projects Merger: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request from two participants in the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, the Texas Healthcare Network (THN) and the Texas Health Information Network Collaborative (THINC), to merge their respective Pilot Program projects and designate THINC as the successor to THN’s Pilot Program project. DA 09-838 (4/16/09) Word | PDF
  
  
• Public Notice (WC Docket No. 02-60). Texas Healthcare Network and Texas Health Information Network Collaborative: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request to merge two participants in the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program, Texas Healthcare Network (THN) and Texas Health Information Network Collaborative (THINC). Comments are due by March 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by March 24, 2009. DA 09-578 (3/13/09) Word | PDF