FCC creates new Healthcare Connect Fund
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it is creating the Healthcare Connect Fund to reform and modernize its universal service program for health care. According to the FCC, the Healthcare Connect Fund will help expand access of rural health care providers to high-bandwidth connections they need for telemedicine by encouraging collaboration between smaller health care providers and urban medical centers and supporting the purchases of broadband services and upgrades to higher speed services. Participants will have to contribute 35% of the costs but will be afforded access to lower rates through group buying. The FCC announced that in addition, a new Pilot Program will be established to test expanding broadband healthcare networks to skilled nursing facilities. The National Rural Health Association applauds the FCC for creating this initiative to bring broadband to rural America and modernize existing Universal Service Health Care support. NRHA supports policy development and actions which will remove barriers such as public support for necessary broadband services, Federal and state licensing, credentialing and reimbursement restrictions that impede increasing use of telemedicine, telehealth and distance learning services.