August 2003

The Rural Health Care Customer Service Support Center will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2003 (8/26/03)

The Rural Health Care Customer Service Support Center will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2003 in observance of Labor Day. The Customer Service Center will resume normal operations on Tuesday, September 2, 2003 at 8:00 a.m., ET.

RHCD Announces Packet Deadline for Funding Year 2002 (8/18/03)

Applicants to the Rural Health Care Support Mechanism for Funding Year 2002 (July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2003) must submit their Form 466/468 "packets" to RHCD by October 8, 2003. The Form 466/468 packet informs RHCD that the health care provider has entered into an agreement for service with a telecommunications carrier, and provides information that allows RHCD to calculate the amount of support the health care provider may receive. Applicants that have filed a Form 465 with RHCD for Funding Year 2002 must submit a completed packet that is postmarked by October 8. Packets postmarked after that date will be denied.

The completed FCC Form 466/468 packet must include the following:

1. FCC Form 466 (Services Ordered and Certification Form), completed by the health care provider;
2. FCC Form 468 (Telecommunications Service Providers Support Form), completed by the telecommunications carrier;
3. contract document or tariff designation, provided by either the health care provider or telecommunications carrier; and
4. if the health care provider is seeking support based on an urban/rural rate comparison, documentation must be included to show the rate for the selected service(s) in the nearest city of 50,000 or more within the state.

Form 466 and 468 and their instructions are available on RHCD's website at. Anyone with questions or in need of assistance with their forms should contact RHCD's Customer Service Support Center at 1-800-229-5476.

New FY 2003 Form 466 FAQ Available (8/7/2003)

RHCD has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Form 466 for Funding Year 2003. Please visit the FAQ for tips on completing the new form.

Archived Announcements

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