Rural Health Care Outreach Conference Call Minutes
February 13, 2003

The filing window for Funding Year 2003 (July 1, 2003 – June 30, 2004) Form 465 will open on March 26. RHCD will begin accepting and posting both paper and electronically certified forms on that date. Applicants are urged to file as early as possible after the filing window opens in order to complete the 28-day competitive bidding period prior to the beginning of the funding year and to ensure support for the full year.

RHCD has improved the Funding Year 2003 Form 466 to reduce the administrative burden on service providers and applicants. This new form combines the information obtained on the Form 466 and Form 468, allowing RHCD to eliminate Form 468. Among other administrative changes, RHCD will post urban rates on its website for urban/rural comparison calculations, and plans to ask applicants to document their rural rate. Bills, rate quotes on telephone company letterhead and/or contracts would be sufficient documentation. Please check the RHCD website for updates on the availability of the new Form 466.

The FCC’s response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is anticipated in the third quarter of 2003. RHCD will report any further developments as they become available.

Applicants are urged to submit their Funding Year 2001 Form 467s as soon as possible in order to receive their funding. RHCD is near completion of all FY 2001 funding commitments, and would like to complete all transactions for that year. RHCD asks service providers to close out their outstanding Support Schedules and invoices for Funding Year 2001 as well. Service providers are reminded that they must credit the health care provider with the appropriate amount of support before invoicing RHCD.

RHCD asks applicants to provide notification of termination of service for which they are receiving support. This helps ensure that RHCD can provide health care providers with the appropriate amount of funding.

Questions?
Call our toll free number 1-800-229-5476 8am-8pm (EST) Monday-Friday.