As noted in the past, AHCA is in full support
of the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015 (S.1916/ H.R. 4111). This legislation had proposed to amend the 1996 Telecommunications
Act to permit eligible not for profit and public skilled nursing facilities
(SNFs) in rural areas to apply for support from the Universal Service Fund’s
Rural Health Care Program (RHCP). The RHCP provides funding for eligible
health care providers to expand and mitigate the high cost of broadband to
facilitate and deliver healthcare services in rural areas and communities.
S. 1916/H.R. 4111 simply specify that SNFs be
included in the definition of health care providers that are eligible to
receive RHCP support. By Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
interpretation, SNFs were not eligible to receive these funds as, we believe,
the Telecommunications Act of 1996 intended. The Rural Health Care
Connectivity Act of 2015, which was included in the Toxic Substances Control
Act conference report, passed in the full Senate on June 7th.
The conference report was recently signed into
law by the President. AHCA applauds the Congressional leaders in both
chambers who made this passage possible.
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