Cybertelecom Federal Internet Law & Policy An Educational Project

Universal Service : Telemedicine

"What is the Rural Health Care pilot program?

The pilot program is an enhanced funding initiative intended to help public and non-profit health care providers construct state- and region-wide broadband networks to provide telehealth and telemedicine services throughout the nation. The program will fund up to 85% of the costs of constructing those networks, as well as the costs of advanced telecommunications and information services that will ride over these networks. If selected, up to 85% of the cost of connecting to Internet2, a dedicated nationwide backbone, may also be funded by the pilot program. Connection to Internet2 is not required, but may be requested by the applicants." - FCC Rural Health Care Pilot Program

Press Release Nov 19, 2007: FCC Launches Initiative To Increase Access To Health Care In Rural America Through Broadband Telehealth Services

Washington, D.C. - To significantly increase access to acute, primary and preventive health care in rural America, the Federal Communications Commission today dedicated over $417 million for the construction of 69 statewide or regional broadband telehealth networks in 42 states and three U.S. territories under the Rural Health Care Pilot Program (RHCPP). . . .

The Commission's RHCPP will support the connection of more than 6,000 public and non-profit health care providers nationwide to broadband telehealth networks. The health care facilities participating in the Pilot Program include: hospitals, clinics, universities and research centers, behavioral health sites, correctional facility clinics, and community health centers.

Telehealth and telemedicine services provide patients in rural areas with access to critically needed medical specialists in a variety of practices, including cardiology, pediatrics, and radiology, in some instances without leaving their homes or communities. Intensive care doctors and nurses can monitor critically-ill patients around the clock and video conferencing allows specialists and mental health professionals to care for patients in different rural locations, often hundreds of miles away.

The networks will deliver services efficiently, reduce costs and travel time for consumers, decrease medical errors, and enable health care providers to share critical information. Rapid and coordinated responses to public health emergencies, such as bioterrorism attacks, pandemics or disease-related outbreaks, will be expedited through coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other public health officials during public health emergencies.

In addition, participants are required to implement, where feasible, health information technology standards as set forth by HHS. This will help advance the President's goal of creating a national system to support patients' electronic health records.

Participants are eligible for universal service funding to support up to 85 percent of the costs associated with the design, engineering and construction of their broadband health care networks. The Pilot Program's requirements complement HHS' nationwide information technology initiatives that support the creation of a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure to improve the quality of health care. These networks may connect to the public Internet or to one of the nation's dedicated Internet backbones: Internet2 or National LambdaRail.

In order to ensure quality and efficiency, all projects must be competitively bid, and are subject to quarterly reviews, and stringent oversight and audits.

Docket No.: 02-60 

Wireline Competition Bureau Staff Contact(s): Thomas Buckley, 202-418-0725; Jennifer Prime, (202) 418-2403 .

• 11/19/07
  FCC Launches Initiative to Increase Access to Health Care in Rural America Through Broadband Telehealth.
  News Release: Word | Acrobat
  Selected Participants: Word | Acrobat
  Order: Word | Acrobat
  Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
  Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
  Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
  Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
  McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

• FCC Adopts Pilot Program Under Rural Health Care Mechanism., FCC 9/29/2006
• FCC RFC National Lambda Rails Petition for Reconsideration :: Docket 02-60 :: Comments Due Nov 21, 2006 :: Replies Due Nov. 28
  • Fcc Expands Eligibility To Include National Lambdarail's Backbone In Rural Health Care Pilot, FCC 2/9/2007
  • FCC RFC National LambdaRail's Petition for Reconsideration Rural Health Care, FCC 11/21/2006
  • On October 30, 2006, National LambdaRail, Inc. (NLR) filed a petition for reconsideration or, in the alternative, clarification of the Commission’s Order establishing a rural health care pilot program to encourage the provision of telehealth and telemedicine services throughout the nation. Under the pilot program, selected applicants will receive up to 85 percent of the costs of building state and regional broadband networks and connecting those networks to Internet2, a dedicated nationwide backbone, as well as the costs of the advanced telecommunications and information services that will ride over those networks. In its Petition, NLR asks the Commission to reconsider or clarify its Order “by finding that … the pilot program will also provide funding to support the cost of connecting state and regional networks to NLR.” Through this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau invites interested parties to comment on the Petition.
• The Commission seeks comment on the proposed modifications to its rules and other changes governing the rural health care universal service support mechanism.  Includes consideration of support for Internet access. Comments due 45 days, replies 75 days after publication in fed reg.  WC DKT 02- 60  FCC 02- 122  | Program Info |
• FCC NPRM: (85 comments as of Sept 2003)
  Questions:
  * Allow urban rate comparison anywhere in the State?
  * Support Nursing Homes or Long Term Care Facilities?
  * Support Internet Access?
  * Should the MAD (maximum allowable distance which was that health care provider's location to the nearest city of 50,000)  be extended- eliminated?
  * Streamline the Application process?
  * Eliminate 28 day posting (frequently only one service provider in market; not competitive)?
  * Should ancillary areas go anywhere that they want to?
• Released: July 15, 1998. COMMON CARRIER BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON ADMINISTRATION OF FEDERAL UNIVERSAL SERVICE SUPPORT MECHANISMS. (DA No. 98-1336). Dkt No.: 97-21, 96-45. Internet URL: Public Notice Text|Adobe
• COMMENTS DUE AUG 5,
• REPLIES DUE AUG. 12
• "On July 1, 1998, SLC, RHCC and USAC filed a Report and Proposed Plan of Reorganization (Plan) for revising the administrative structure of the federal universal service support mechanisms. RHCC filed a Separate Statement of the Rural Health Care Corporation and Request for Three Changes in the Plan (RHCC Statement), proposing certain modifications to the Plan. An executive summary of the Plan is attached hereto. In this Public Notice, we seek comment from interested parties on issues raised by the Plan and the RHCC Statement. We also seek comment on other issues regarding the administration of the federal universal service support mechanisms, including processes for Commission review of actions by USAC, RHCC and SLC, divestiture of USAC from the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), and compensation limitations."

Links

• FCC Rural Health Care Pilot Program

News

• Fcc Expands Eligibility To Include National Lambdarail's Backbone In Rural Health Care Pilot, FCC 2/9/2007
• FCC Announces Pilot Program to Build Broadband Telehealth Networks, ATSP 10/17/2006
• High-Speed Internet2 Link Revolutionizes Global Medical Education, Newswise 9/29/2006
• Internet2 Backs Advanced Infrastructure for Health Care, GRIDToday 9/29/2006
• FCC expands rural telemedicine program, Topix 1/14/2005
• FCC Expands Availability of Funding for Rural Telemedicine Services., FCC 12/21/2004