1. Rural Health Care Program
Program Overview
Georgia Partnership for Telehealth
March 16, 2012

2. USAC, the Universal Service Fund (USF), and the FCC
The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)
administers the Universal Service Fund (USF) on behalf of
and under the auspices of the FCC
High Cost Low Income Rural Health Schools and
($4 billion) ($1.3 billion) Care Libraries
($80 million) ($2.25 billion)
www.usac.org/rhc 2

3. Rural Health Care
Current Program
www.usac.org/rhc 3

4. The RHC Program
Overview
• Pilot Program (closed to new applicants) supports
85% of the cost of broadband networks.
• Primary Program provides discounts for
telecommunications services and Internet access for
rural health care providers (HCPs)
www.usac.org/rhc 4

5. The RHC Program
Primary Program Basics
• For telecommunications services, RHC funds the
difference between the urban and rural rates
• For Internet access, RHC funds a straight 25% discount
off the rural rate
www.usac.org/rhc 5

6. The RHC Program
What does the RHC program fund?
• Connectivity to:
• Telephone service
• Internet access
• Telecommunications services
• Wireless services
Must be used for the provision of health care
www.usac.org/rhc 6

7. Eligibility
Partial List of Eligible Services
• Ethernet • Redundant circuits
• T1 • DS3
• Fiber • Internet
• Satellite service • Telephone
• MPLS • DSL
Additional eligible services are listed on the RHC website
www.usac.org/rhc 7

8. Eligibility
Three criteria to be deemed eligible
1. Eligible location (rural)
2. Eligible status (non-profit or public)
3. Eligible organization type
www.usac.org/rhc 8

9. Eligibility
1. Eligible Location
• Determined by FCC definition of rural
2. Eligible Status
• Non-profit
OR
• Public
www.usac.org/rhc 9

10. Eligibility
3. Eligible Organization Type
• Not-for-profit hospitals • Community health centers or
• Rural health clinics health centers providing health
• Community mental health care to migrants
centers • Dedicated emergency
• Local health departments or departments of rural for-profit
agencies hospitals
• Post-secondary educational • Consortia of HCPs consisting of
institutions offering health care rural not-for-profit hospitals
instruction, teaching • Part-time eligible entities
hospitals, and medical schools located in facilities that are
ineligible
www.usac.org/rhc 10

11. Eligible Health Care Providers by Type
Rural Emergency
Dept:
Health < 1%
Clinic: 46% Post secondary
inst: 1%
Community
health center:
8%
Local health
dept or
agency: 9%
Not-for- Community
profit mental health
center: 7%
hospital:
29%
www.usac.org/rhc 11

12. The RHC Program
Four Steps for Health Care Providers:
1. Health Care Provider’s eligibility is determined
2. HCP requests services, and Service Providers (SPs) provide
bids for the HCP to evaluate (1st Form: 465)
3. Once HCP has selected services/service providers, HCP
notifies RHC of selection (2nd Form: 466/466-A)
4. Once approved for support, HCP notifies RHC that services
have been received (3rd Form: 467)
www.usac.org/rhc 12

13. First Step: Eligibility
Three criteria to be deemed eligible
1. Eligible location (rural)
2. Eligible status (non-profit or public)
3. Eligible organization type
www.usac.org/rhc 13

14. Second Step: Form 465
What is the Form 465?
Description of Services Requested and Certification Form
• First form filed by the HCP to initiate program
participation
• Certifies that the HCP meets eligibility requirements
• Used to request bids from service providers for eligible
services
www.usac.org/rhc 14

15. Second Step: Form 465
Competitive Bidding
• HCPs must not enter into a contract or service
agreement until the Allowable Contract Selection
Date (ACSD), or the 29th day after the 465 is posted
• HCPs must select the most cost effective bid
www.usac.org/rhc 15

16. Second Step: Form 465
Competitive Bidding
• USAC encourages the use of an (optional) scoring
tool/scoring matrix
– HCPs should choose the selection criteria most
important to them. Some examples include but are not
limited to:
 Technical support
 Previous experience with service provider
 Cost for service
 Rapid response
 Service provider to provide a single point of contact
www.usac.org/rhc 16

17. Third Step: Forms 466/466-A
What are the Forms 466 and 466-A?
Funding Request and Certification Form
• Second form(s) filed in the application process
• Identifies the HCP’s selected service(s), rates, carrier(s), and
date of carrier selection
• The HCP must submit one form for each service
• Funds cannot be committed until RHC receives a completed
form and required supporting documentation
www.usac.org/rhc 17

18. Third Step: Forms 466/466-A
FORM 466: FORM 466-A: Internet Service
Funding Request and Certification Funding Request and Certification
• Used for telecommunications
• Used for Internet services
services
• Funds difference between rural
• Funds 25% of rural rate
rate and urban rate
• Blocks 1-3 are the same on both forms
• Both require rural rate documentation
• Both require contract and bids to be submitted
(if applicable)
www.usac.org/rhc 18

19. Third Step: Forms 466/466-A
Required Documentation
• Copy of a bill, contract, service offer, or letter from the
service provider within the current funding year showing
the rural rate entered on the form
• Copy of contract signed by both parties (if applicable) after
the Allowable Contract Selection Date (ACSD)
• Copy of bids (if applicable) and decision criteria
• Urban rate information (if you indicate on your Form 466
that you are not using a posted RHC rate)
www.usac.org/rhc 19

20. Fourth Step: Form 467
What is the Form 467?
Connection Certification
• Third and final form required in the application process
• Used to confirm the following:
– When service was provided (service start date)
– When/if service was disconnected (service end date)
– If service was never turned on
• The HCP will NOT receive support until the Form 467 is
submitted
www.usac.org/rhc 20

21. RHC Primary Program
June 30, 2013
• Last day of Funding Year
• Deadline to submit Form(s) 466/466-A
July 1, 2012
June 2, 2012 • First day of Funding Year
Last day to post Form 465 to receive a • First day funding can be committed
full year of funding. Support is pro-rated
if Form 465 is posted after this date
April 16, 2012
Prior to the beginning of the
funding year, filing window
opened so that HCPs can
submit a Form 465
www.usac.org/rhc 21

22. Timeline
• Window opening:
– Earliest date that the Form 465 can be posted for
upcoming Funding Year
– Typically occurs March – April (4/16/12 for FY
2012)
– Remember to allow time in addition to 28 days to
review bids, sign a contract, and get services prior
to July 1st
• Full year of funding:
– Form 465 must be posted at least 28 calendar days
prior to the start of the upcoming Funding Year
(June 2nd)
www.usac.org/rhc 22

23. www.usac.org/rhc 23

24. Training and Website
• Welcome Packet and Handouts
• Ongoing exhibits and training for current program at
conferences such as American Telemedicine
Association, NRHA, American Public Health
Association, etc.
• Webinars on the RHC site:
– Competitive Bidding and Evergreen Contracts
– The Role of the Service Provider
• RHC website is undergoing complete overhaul
www.usac.org/rhc 24

25. www.usac.org/rhc 25 25

26. Changes to the RHC Program
• Additional training – live and online – is in development
• Complete website overhaul nearing completion!
• New system for application submission and processing
to launch for FY 2012
www.usac.org/rhc 26

27. Changes to the RHC Program
New application system
• Single login for access to your HCP
• Increased security
• Access to passwords
• Forms management
• Document upload
• Automated alerts
• Faster processing
• More help
www.usac.org/rhc 27

28. Important Dates
Funding Year 2012
Live Training for Applicants (DC) April 5, 2012
My Portal Registration April 9 – 15, 2012
FY 2012 Window Open April 16, 2012
Live Training for Applicants (ATA April 28, 2012
Conference – San Jose, CA)
2012 Funding Year Begins July 1, 2012
2012 Funding Year Closes June 30, 2013

29. Next Steps
Two Training Sessions
• April 5 at USAC in Washington, DC, and April 28 at the American
Telemedicine Association (ATA) Annual Conference in San Jose, CA
Web-based Training
• Posted on the RHC website prior to the window opening to include:
• Registering and logging into the My Portal
• Navigating My Portal
• Posting an FCC Form 465 in My Portal
• What Consultants Need to know
• Direct questions about the My Portal to rhc-outreach@usac.org
• Updates, tips, and more information will be shared with applicants via
email, the RHC Circuit newsletter, and additional conference calls

30. Ongoing Training
• Customer Support Center
• 1-800-229-5476
• RHC-Admin@usac.org
• Conference Calls
• 2nd Thursday of each month for applicants and
service providers
www.usac.org/rhc 30