March 2004

The application window for Funding Year 2004( 7/1/04 – 6/30/05) is now open! (03/26/04)

There are some changes for this funding year that are important to highlight.

1. Twenty-five per cent (25%) of the monthly charge for Internet access, web addresses and/or web hosting are now supported. To apply for this support please check the appropriate box on Line 30 in your FY 2004 Form 465 and submit the new form 466-A. Please read the instructions for both forms and example (466-A EZ) provided. If you have questions, please contact RHCD customer service line.1-800-229-5476.

2. Also new for FY 2004 is a change in applicant eligibility. A revised list of eligible entities is provided.

3. For telecommunication carriers and Internet service providers (collectively know as “Service Providers”) there is an updated PDF entitled, “Procedures for Service Providers.” Please refer to this document for helpful information.

Internet Service is now eligible for FY 2004 (03/26/04)

As a result of recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action, health care participants may be eligible to receive a 25% discount on their monthly Internet service charges. These services are limited to the monthly Internet net access charge, monthly charges for web hosting and web addresses. Eligibility for this discount is open to all rural non profit HCP’s in addition Emergency Departments of for profit rural hospitals are eligible. A complete list of eligible services for both Internet and telecommunications services is provided.

Dedicated Emergency Departments of for-profit hospitals located in rural areas are now eligible (03/26/04)

You must be a not-for-profit health care provider located in a rural area in order to be eligible for these reduced rates. Emergency departments of for profit hospitals in rural areas may also receive these benefits. Over the past six years, several thousand rural health care providers have taken advantage of this program and you may be eligible to take advantage of the same benefits plus monthly Internet service support. A complete list of eligible entities is provided. If you have questions, please call RHCD at 1-800-229-5476. Our hours of operation are 8AM to 8PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

HCPs operating part-time are eligible (03/26/04)

HCP’s who operates part-time in an ineligible entity such as a school or community center are now eligible for pro-rated support based on the percentage of time they operate is such a facility. If you have questions, please call RHCD at 1-800-229-5476. Our hours of operation are 8AM to 8PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. A complete list of eligible entities is provided.

Welcome Internet Service Providers to the support mechanism administered by the Rural Health Care Division of USAC (03/26/04)

By now you should have received a letter notifying you of program changes which include the support of Internet services. As a result of recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action, some of your health care customers may be eligible to receive a 25% discount on their monthly Internet service charges. Eligibility for this discount is open to not-for-profit rural health care providers and to Emergency Departments of for profit rural hospitals. More information will be posted as this program gets underway. Please review the application process and if you have questions please call please call RHCD at 1-800-229-5476. Our hours of operation are 8AM to 8PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

Maximum allowable distance (MAD) will increase for many HCPs for FY2004 (03/26/04)

MAD is now measured to largest city in the state rather than nearest large city. For many HCP’s this will increase their MAD. Beginning with Funding Year 2004 (July 1, 2004-June 30, 2005), the FCC has determined that the MAD is the distance from the HCP’s location to the farthest point on the jurisdictional boundary of the largest city in the HCP’s state. Previous to FY 2004, the MAD was calculated from the HCP’s location to the nearest large city of population 50,000 or more in the HCP’s state. The Maximum Allowable Distance and largest city were determined for the HCP by RHCD when Form 465 was posted on the RHCD website, and are shown below Lines 17-18 of the posted Form 465.

Health Care Providers can now compare rural rates to urban rates in any large city in the HCP’s state (03/26/04)

This Urban Rate Search will help applicants complete Line 40 on Form 466 for Funding Year 2004. Those who are requesting telecommunications support using an urban/rural rate comparison may refer to this database to obtain an urban rate. If the type of service or large city you require are not listed, please call RHCD's Customer Service Support Center at 1-800-229-5476 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.

Archived Announcements

Below are links to past announcements posted on this web site. Access previous announcements by clicking on a month listed below.