FCC Issues Order Raising USF Rural Health Care Cap; O'Rielly Pushes Overall USF Budget
The FCC issued an order raising by 43 percent a USF Rural Health Care Program cap to $571 million to account for 20 years of inflation and address a funding shortfall in the face of rising demand. With the unanimous…
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order released Monday in docket 17-310, "the FCC takes swift and long-overdue action to address this critical funding crisis," said Chairman Ajit Pai. He and Commissioner Brendan Carr said other steps would provide longer-term certainty. The agency ordered the budget cap be adjusted annually for inflation, with a process to carry forward unused funds from past funding years for future use. The order is "a first step in a much-needed process to revamp the program to ensure that it is operated in a predictable, sustainable, and accountable manner," said Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, who said "there is much more to do." He also said the order "highlights the need for an overall cap" on USF. He said the FCC should work with other agencies "to determine how our rather narrow telemedicine program works within the larger health care system." He said the FCC doesn't get credit for RHC Program benefits to other agencies. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said: "While injecting more funding into the program is the right call, we need to acknowledge our actions here are no more than a short-term band-aid. If we want this program to truly thrive, it is going to require more long-term care and attention." Pai's draft order (see 1806060057) received votes of all colleagues recently (see 1806140017 and 1806190063).