Unused Funds to Fully Satisfy Demand for Rural Health Care Program Funding for Funding Year 2026

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau announced the amount of unused funds for the Rural Health Care Program that have been carried forward for funding year 2026. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) projects that, as of April 30, 2026, $226.42 million in unused funds is available for use in future funding years beginning in funding year 2026. The Bureau, in consultation with the FCC's Office of the Managing Director, directs USAC to carry forward up to $226.42 million in unused funds from prior funding years to the extent necessary to satisfy funding year 2026 RHC Program demand. The RHC Program funding cap for funding year 2026 is $744,161,841.  The internal cap on multi-year commitments and upfront payments under the Healthcare Connect Fund Program is $187,898,742. These funding year 2026 caps represent a 2.8% inflation-adjusted increase to the RHC Program funding cap and the internal cap on multi-year commitments and upfront payments from funding year 2025. The estimated total RHC Program demand for funding year 2026 is $911.25 million, of which approximately $166.75 million represents demand for multi-year commitments and upfront payments in the Healthcare Connect Fund.