Rural Health Care
About Rural Health Care:
- Overview of the Program
- Overview of the Process
- Monthly Conference Calls
- Site Visits
- Understanding Audits
- Filing Appeals
- Rural Health Care Pilot Program
Rural Health Care Tools:
Rural Health Care Outreach Conference Calls
Conference Call Agenda June 8
Rural Health Care Program staff reminded callers that June 30, 2005 was the last day to submit FCC Forms 466 and 466-A for Fund Year 2005, which ended June 30, 2005. RHC staff said they expected to receive a large number of these Forms in the last weeks of June.
RHC staff also reminded applicants that if they do not have an “Evergreen Contract, as verified by USAC, they must post FCC Form 465 (Description of Services Requested & Certification) and wait 28 days (the posting or competitive bidding period) before entering into a contract with a service provider. Applicants who are not sure if they have an Evergreen Contract should read the description at Glossary Terms or may contact RHCD at 1-800-229-5476.
RHC program staff discussed the competitive bidding process with callers. The Competitive bidding period begins when Form 465 is posted on the USAC website, for service providers to contact health care providers (HCPs) to discuss service needs and to submit proposals for those needs. HCPs must not sign a contract or enter into an agreement for services before the end of the 28-day posting period -- they must wait until day 29. HCPs that enter into an agreement before completing the 28-day posting requirement are in violation of FCC competitive bidding rules and may be denied support. RHC staff reiterated that applicants must consider all bids received and that “lowest cost” must be the most heavily weighted factor in their choice.
RHC staff and callers also discussed the program’s Maximum Allowable Distance (MAD) limitation. The MAD is the maximum circuit distance for which support can be provided, and is the distance from the HCP’s location to the farthest point on the jurisdictional boundary of the largest city in the HCP’s state. The MAD is determined by RHC staff when Form 465 is posted initially on the USAC website and appears under Line 14 on the posted Form. RHC staff noted that support will be less than the actual urban/rural difference if a circuit exceeds the MAD, because the cost of service beyond the MAD cannot be supported.