FCC Reports on Rural Participation in the Healthcare Connect Fund Program

In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission reports on rural participation in consortia seeking support from the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program of the rural health care universal service support mechanism.

In the Healthcare Connect Fund Order, the FCC required a consortium participating in the HCF program to include more than 50 percent eligible rural health care provider sites and stated that it expected rural participation in HCF consortia would be greater than 50 percent. The FCC directed the Bureau to monitor and report to the FCC on rural participation in the HCF program by September 15, 2015. Pursuant to the FCC’s directive, the Bureau reports that, as of August 31, 2015, there are 76 consortia participating in the HCF Program and rural participation in these consortia stands at 79.90 percent.