Universal Service Support for Rural Healthcare

Universal Service Support for Rural Health Care Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth Conference – March 26, 2010 Rural Health Care Division Universal Service Administrative Company Washington, D.C.

Eligible Public and Non-profit Rural Health Care Providers
Post-secondary educational institutions offering health care instruction, teaching hospitals, or medical schools
Community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants
Local health departments or agencies
Community mental health centers
Not-for-profit hospitals
Rural health clinics
Consortia of one or more of the above entities
Part-time HCPs (of above types)
Emergency rooms of for-profit hospitals

Eligible telecommunications providers (ETPs) may provide discounted telecommunications (Urban/Rural difference support) or 25% discount on Internet access.
Internet Service Providers (ISPs), cable companies, or others, may only provide discounted Internet access.
Support is for monthly recurring cost and standard installation charges.
Support cannot include equipment, internal wiring or network buildout.
Services must be for the provision of health care.
Service Provider Eligibility

Funding Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Form 465 's Posted 2945 3449 3353 3564 3563 3520 Post-secondary ed institution 34 34 32 32 23 23 Community health center 333 360 389 352 389 274 Local health department/agency 359 596 513 404 383 395 Community mental health center 265 267 270 312 304 276 Not-for-profit hospital 973 1,106 1,047 1,122 1,102 1096 Rural health clinic 970 1,033 1,092 1,335 1,360 1,454 Consortium of the above 3 40 3 Emergency dept for-profit hosp 6 12 7 7 2 2 Part-time eligible entity 2 1

FCC FORM 466

FCC FORM 466-A

HCPs FY 1998 Total Of HCPNum by ZIP Code Sites per Zip Code

HCPs FY 2007 Sites per Zip Code

All Fund Years Combined Total Of HCPNum by ZIP Code Total Commitments for All Fund Years

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 26, 2006 FCC ADOPTS PILOT PROGRAM UNDER RURAL HEALTH CARE MECHANISM Pilot will Enhance Access Health Care Providers’ Access to Advanced Telecommunications and Information Services Washington, D.C. – Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted an Order that establishes a pilot program to help public and non-profit health care providers build state and region-wide broadband networks dedicated to the provision of health care services, and connect those networks to [a] dedicated nationwide backbone…

Overview of Pilot Program
Support for state or regional broadband networks and to connect to I2, NLR, or public Internet for health care.
Support is 85% (15% match required).
Urban HCPs eligible, but network must connect more than deminimis number of rural HCPs.
HCP eligibility same as Primary program, but non-eligibles may join networks if they pay fair share.
Projects submit quarterly reports to show progress and compliance with FCC rules.
Quarterly reports also help FCC evaluate possible changed to the Primary Program

Overview of Pilot Program
81 applications filed, 69 selected by FCC 11/07, with combined $417.8M budget over 3 years (2007-2009).
With mergers, there are now 62 projects.
One year no cost extension for all projects for 2010.
Selected projects represent:
42 States
3 territories
6,000 HCPs

Locations Posted for Bids

Replace 25% Internet Access support with Broadband Fund
Create Broadband Infrastructure Fund to build networks.
Support long-term care, admin, data ctr and similar facilities.
HCPs to meet performance measures like meaningful use.
Periodically publish a Health Care Broadband Status Report.
Congress should consider supporting for-profit institutions serving vulnerable populations.
The FCC will soon issue Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) to detail and seek public comment on implementing these items. USAC will highlight NPRMs on its website.
National Broadband Plan Recommends FCC Revamp RHC Program

QUESTIONS? William England, Ph.D., J.D. Vice-President, Rural Health Care Division, USAC Ph 202-776-0200 [email_address]

Universal Service Support for Rural Healthcare

by Lloyd Sirmons on Mar 14, 2011

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Universal Service Support for Rural Healthcare — Presentation Transcript