Rural Health Care Support Mechanism

Description

On July 15, 2010, the Federal Communications Commission introduced a new health care connectivity program that would expand investment in broadband for medically underserved communities across the country. The program would give patients in rural areas access to state-of-the-art diagnostic tools typically available only in the largest and most sophisticated medical centers.

Comments on the proposed rules are due on or before September 8, 2010, and reply comments are due on or before September 23, 2010.

This program would invest up to $400 million annually to enable doctors, nurses, hospitals and clinics to deliver, through communications technology, world-class health care to patients, no matter where they live. It is one of four programs in the Universal Service Fund administered by the FCC. Without increasing the projected size of the overall fund, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted today would bring affordable broadband connectivity to more than 2,000 rural hospitals and clinics. It builds on the lessons learned in the successful Rural Health Care Pilot Program -- launched in 2007 and set to expire next year -- and is consistent with the recommendations in the FCC's National Broadband Plan.

Proposals include:

• Partner with public and nonprofit health care providers to invest millions in new regional and statewide broadband networks in parts of the country where it is unavailable or insufficient. The new program would help build cost-effective broadband networks -- connecting doctors, hospitals and clinics -- designed to meet today's health care needs.
• Making broadband connectivity more affordable by sharing half of the monthly recurring network costs with hospitals, clinics and other health care providers. This enhanced support for broadband connectivity will benefit patients served by thousands of public and non-profit rural health care providers.
• Delivering connectivity where it is needed most today, including at skilled nursing facilities and renal dialysis centers, along with off-site administrative offices and data centers that perform support functions critical to health care networks.

Issues

I. HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM
A. Program Process
B. Provisions Applicable to Initial Application for Funding
C. Provisions Applicable After Initial Application

II. HEALTH BROADBAND SERVICES PROGRAM
A. Eligible Services
B. Level of Support
C. Competitive Bidding

III. ELIGIBLE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
A. Administrative Offices
B. Data Centers
C. Skilled Nursing Facilities
D. Renal Dialysis Centers and Facilities

IV. ANNUAL CAPS AND PRIORITIZATION RULES

V. OFFSET RULE

VI PROTECTING AGAINST WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE

VII. DATA GATHERING AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES
A. “Meaningful Use” Criteria
B. Other Performance Measures
C. Data Gathering and Analysis

Comment due date: 09/23/2010