Announcements
October 14, 2026
RHC Program News
View the October 2026 Newsletter.
October 8, 2026
RHC Connect System Maintenance: October 9, 2026
USAC will be performing system maintenance in RHC Connect on Friday, October 9, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. During this time, users may be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. Once maintenance is complete, users will not experience any changes to RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
October 5, 2026
USAC System Maintenance on October 10
USAC will perform system maintenance on Saturday, October 10, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
During the maintenance, USAC systems may be unavailable for an extended period. Users will not see system changes following the maintenance.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
October 2, 2026
Don’t Miss Your RHC Program Invoice Filing Deadline!
The deadline for applicants and service providers in the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) and the Telecommunications (Telecom) Programs to submit the FCC Form 463 (HCF Program Invoicing Form) and the FCC Form 469 (Telecom Program Invoicing Form) is 120 days after June 30, 2026, the service delivery deadline for Funding Year (FY) 2025. The invoice filing deadline for FY2025 Telecom Program commitments and single year FY2025 HCF Program commitments is October 28, 2026. The invoice filing deadline for prior year multi-year commitments, for the HCF Program, may also be October 28, 2026.
Applicants and service providers may request and receive a one-time 120-day extension to the invoice filing deadline. The one-time extension must be requested on or prior to October 28, 2026. Applicants and service providers must submit invoice filing deadline extension requests for both programs in RHC Connect.
For more information, please use the following online resources:
- For the HCF Program: Invoice USAC  and Welcome to RHC Connect – FCC Form 463 webpages.
- For the Telecom Program:  Invoice USAC and Welcome to RHC Connect – FCC Form 469 webpages.
- For service providers: Invoice USAC webpage.
Unsure of your invoice filing deadline?
The invoice filing deadline is included in the funding commitment letter (FCL), which USAC sends via email after processing the FCC Form 462 (Funding Request Form for HCF) or FCC Form 466 (Funding Request Form for Telecom). Use the RHC Invoice Filing Deadline Tool to look up your invoice filing deadline.
October 1, 2026
Begin Draft FY2027 Funding Requests on October 1!
In preparation for Funding Year (FY) 2027, applicants can draft funding requests in RHC Connect beginning on October 1. The FY2027 filing window opens on December 1, 2026 and closes on April 1, 2027. Draft forms will remain in RHC Connect and can be submitted on December 1.
Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program and Telecommunication (Telecom) Program participants will use RHC Connect to submit their FCC Forms 462 and FCC Forms 466 (Funding Request Forms) for FY2027.
To learn more, please visit the following webpages:
- Telecom Program – Welcome to RHC Connect – FCC Form 462
- Telecom Program – Welcome to RHC Connect – FCC Form 466
September 25, 2026
New! Program Recovery Payments System
Beginning today, all users will be directed to USAC’s One Portal dashboard when they click the blue Sign In button on usac.org and log in using their existing credentials. From One Portal, users can log into the USAC systems they have access to, including the new Program Recovery Payments system for returning funding to USAC.
RHC program participants who receive a COMAD or RIDF must return funding using the Program Recovery Payments system, available on One Portal. For more information about returning funding or how to navigate the system, visit the Return Program Funding webpage. For additional assistance, contact the RHC Customer Service Center (CSC) at (800) 453-1546 Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
September 11, 2026
RHC Connect System Maintenance: September 13, 2026
USAC will be performing system maintenance in RHC Connect on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. ET. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. Once maintenance is complete, users will not experience any changes to RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
September 9, 2026
RHC Program News
View the September 2026 Newsletter.
September 4, 2026
RHC Connect Outage Due to System Maintenance: September 7, 2026
RHC Connect will be unavailable on Monday, September 7, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET due to system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
August 31, 2026
FY2025 Annual Report Due September 30!
All Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) participants receiving Rural Health Care (RHC) program funding are required to submit an annual report to USAC by September 30 following the funding year (FY) in which funding was provided. Per FCC Order 19-78, both individual and consortia applicants must submit the report to USAC. Applicants should submit their annual reports in RHC Connect prior to the September 30, 2026, deadline. Please do not email the RHC Customer Service Center.Â
For more information, visit the Submit Annual Report webpage and use the RHC Connect Annual Report User Guide as a resource.
This information will supplement information collected in Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program forms and includes information allowing the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to assess progress towards the performance goals: 1) To increase broadband access for healthcare providers, particularly those serving rural areas, and 2) Maximize program cost-effectiveness.
August 10, 2026
USAC Postpones Transition to SAM.gov Banking Information
USAC will postpone the transition to SAM.gov banking information to perform additional testing and validation for a smooth stakeholder transition. Once a new transition date is determined, USAC will share that information.
August invoices will continue to be paid using USAC’s current process and the banking information included on the FCC Form 498. USAC will provide update in early September.
Prepare for the Coming Transition
All service providers should still promptly complete the SAM.gov registration process and add their active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to their FCC Form 498. Note: the SAM.gov registration process can take up to six weeks to complete.
After the transition, any service provider who does not have a completed SAM.gov registration and an active UEI on their FCC Form 498 will be able to submit USF program invoices but will not receive remittance until they complete the SAM.gov and UEI processes. For more information, visit USAC’s SAM.gov UEI Requirement webpage.
August 7, 2026
FY2027 Urban and Rural Rates – Telecommunications (Telecom) Program
On August 7, 2026, the FCC released an order, FCC 26-54. This order waives the FCC’s rules to permit the use of previously approved rural rates from funding years (FYs) 2024 through 2026 for FY2027 that would otherwise require approval of a cost-based justification using Method 3.
For more information on rural rates and the waiver, please review FCC 26-54 and USAC’s FY2027 Urban and Rural Rate Information tip sheet.
August 6, 2026
RHC Program News
View the August 2026 Newsletter.
July 31, 2026
RHC Disbursements Will Be Issued August 11th
Please be advised that USAC will be issuing the first August disbursement to RHC participants on August 11th, instead of the expected disbursement date of August 6th. We apologize for the delay. USAC is undergoing a system transition and upgrade in early August, during which we will be unable to disburse funds. The full transition will be completed on August 10th, and RHC participants will receive their disbursements on August 11th. We do not anticipate any changes to the August 20th disbursement date.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the RHC Customer Service Center at RHC-Assist@usac.org.
July 23, 2026
RHC Connect Updates
RHC is committed to continually improving the stakeholder experience in RHC Connect. Please visit  the RHC Connect Updates webpage to see the details of system enhancements that will be deployed July 24, 2026. Please send comments and feedback to the RHC outreach team at RHC-Outreach@usac.org.
July 17, 2026
RHC Connect System Maintenance: July 19, 2026
USAC will be performing system maintenance in RHC Connect on Sunday, July 19, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. ET. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. Once maintenance is complete, users will not experience any changes to RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
July 15, 2026
RHC Program News
View the July 2026 Newsletter.
July 8, 2026
FCC Waives Certain RHC Program Rules in Response to Super Typhoon Bavi
On July 8, 2026, the FCC released order DA 26-685 waiving the following Rural Health Care Program (RHC) rules for participants and service providers located in areas affected by Super Typhoon Bavi:
- Deadline for Appeals and Requests for Waiver – The FCC waives the 60-day deadlines for requests for review or waiver of decisions by USAC or the FCC and provides an additional 60 days to file appeals and waivers. This waiver is in effect for all deadlines of appeals and waiver requests from July 2, 2026, through December 5, 2026.
- Information Requests – The FCC waives the 14-day deadline for applicants in the affected areas to respond to Information Requests from USAC related to funding requests, appeals and waivers, invoices, audits, and other documentation submitted by program participants. This waiver will apply to all Information Requests issued on or after July 2, 2026, regardless of the related funding year. The new deadline for responding to Information requests is December 8, 2026.
- Documentation Retention and Production – Due to possible lost records, the FCC waives the rule that applicants and service providers must retain all documents for at least five years after the last day of the supported services in a given funding year. If lost records are later requested by USAC or the FCC, program participants will not be penalized, but applicants and service providers will be held responsible for obtaining such records, where available, from a third party. Program participants that are affected also must certify that the records were destroyed in the typhoon. Current rules apply to all records that were not destroyed.
- Invoice Filing Deadline – The FCC waives the invoicing deadline for FY2025 funding requests and grants the automatic 120-day extension. Thus, for single-year funding commitments that previously had a deadline of October 28, 2026, the new deadline will be February 25, 2027.
July 1, 2026
Submit Your FY2027 Request for Services Forms!
Beginning on July 1, 2026, applicants can start the competitive bidding process for Funding Year (FY) 2027. For the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) program, the FCC Form 461 (Request for Services Form) and for the Telecommunications (Telecom) Program the FCC Form 465 (Request for Services Form) may be submitted in RHC Connect along with any other competitive bidding documents such as a Request for Proposal (RFP). For more information, visit the Prepare for Competitive Bidding and Request Services webpage for the HCF Program and the Prepare for Competitive Bidding and Request Services webpage for the Telecom Program.
For more information and important dates for FY2027 visit the Funding Year Overview webpage.
Please join the Rural Health Care (RHC) outreach team for the Request for Services webinars:
June 30, 2026
Last Day to Submit Post-Commitment Change Requests!
The service delivery deadline for all single year Funding Year (FY) 2025 commitments is today, June 30, 2026. The service delivery deadline is included in the funding commitment letter (FCL), which USAC sends via email after processing the FCC Form 462 for the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program and the FCC Form 466 for the Telecommunications (Telecom) Program. Per FCC Order 19-78, applicants must submit the following post-commitment change requests on or before the service delivery deadline of the affected Funding Request Number (FRN).
HCF Program:
- Site and Service Substitutions
- Service Delivery Deadline extension requests (for non-recurring costs)
Post-commitment change requests for the HCF Program must be submitted in RHC Connect. For more information, please visit the Post-Commitment Actions webpage on the USAC website. A step-by-step user guide is available on that webpage to assist you with your submission.
Telecom Program:
For more information, please visit the Post-Commitment Actions and the Service Substitution webpage on the USAC website. A step-by-step user guide is available on that webpage to assist you with your submission.
June 29, 2026
Connected Care Pilot Program (CCPP) – Last Day to Submit Invoices and Final Report!
Per CCPP rules, the deadline to submit final invoices and required reports is today, June 29, 2026. Invoices and all required reports for CCPP are submitted in My Portal. The FCC Form 463 is the invoicing form for CCPP. For assistance with the FCC Form 463, please visit the Step 5: invoice USAC webpage on the USAC website. Required reports are also submitted in My Portal. For assistance with submitting all required reports, please visit the Step 6: Required Reports webpage.
June 22, 2026
Connected Care Pilot Program (CCPP) – One Week Left to Submit Invoices and Final Report!
Per CCPP rules, the deadline to submit final invoices and required reports is June 29, 2026. Invoices and all required reports for CCPP are submitted in My Portal. The FCC Form 463 is the invoicing form for CCPP. For assistance with the FCC Form 463, please visit the Step 5: invoice USAC webpage on the USAC website. Required reports are also submitted in My Portal. For assistance with submitting all required reports, please visit the Step 6: Required Reports webpage.
June 18, 2026
RHC Connect System Maintenance: June 21, 2026
USAC will be performing system maintenance in RHC Connect on Sunday, June 21, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. ET. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. Once maintenance is complete, users will not experience any changes to RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
June 16, 2026
RHC Program News
View the June 2026 Newsletter.
June 8, 2026
FCC Announces Availability of Unused Funds to Fully Fund Rural Health Care (RHC) Program Demand for FY2026
On June 8, 2026, the FCC Wireline Competition Bureau directed USAC to carry forward up to $226.42 million in unused funds from prior funding years to satisfy the funding year (FY) 2026 demand for the RHC program. Because of this, all eligible RHC program funding requests filed during the FY2026 application filing window can now be fully funded without prioritization. Please read the Public Notice for more information.
May 22, 2026
RHC Connect System Maintenance: May 24, 2026
USAC will be performing system maintenance in RHC Connect on Sunday, May 24, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. ET. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. Once maintenance is complete, users will not experience any changes to RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
May 13, 2026
RHC Program News
View the May 2026 Newsletter.
April 24, 2026
FCC Waives Certain RHC Program Rules in Response to Typhoon Sinlaku
On April 23, 2026, the FCC released order DA 26-396 waiving the following Rural Health Care Program (RHC) rules for participants and service providers located in areas affected by Typhoon Sinlaku:
- Deadline for Appeals and Requests for Waiver – The FCC waives the 60-day deadlines for requests for review or waiver of decisions by USAC or the FCC and provides an additional 60 days to file appeals and waivers. This waiver is in effect for all deadlines of appeals and waiver requests from April 12, 2026, through September 21, 2026.
- Information Requests – The FCC waives the 14-day deadline for applicants in the affected areas to respond to Information Requests from USAC related to funding requests, appeals and waivers, invoices, audits, and other documentation submitted by program participants. This waiver will apply to all Information Requests issued on or after April 12, 2026, regardless of the related funding year. The new deadline for responding to Information requests is September 21, 2026.
- Documentation Retention and Production – Due to possible lost records, the FCC waives the rule that applicants and service providers must retain all documents for at least five years after the last day of the supported services in a given funding year. If lost records are later requested by USAC or the FCC, program participants will not be penalized, but applicants and service providers will be held responsible for obtaining such records, where available, from a third party. Program participants that are affected also must certify that the records were destroyed in the typhoon. Current rules apply to all records that were not destroyed.
- Invoice Filing Deadline – The FCC waives the invoicing deadline for FY2025 funding requests and grants the automatic 120-day extension. Thus, for single-year funding commitments that previously had a deadline of October 28, 2026, the new deadline will be February 25, 2027.
April 24, 2026
RHC Connect Outage Due to System Maintenance: April 26, 2026
RHC Connect will be unavailable on Sunday, April 26, 2026, from 7 p.m. until midnight ET due to system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
April 20, 2026
RHC Program News
View the April 2026 newsletter.
April 17, 2026
RHC Connect Outage Due to System Upgrade: April 17, 2026
RHC Connect may be unavailable on Friday, April 17, 2026, from 7:00 p.m.- midnight ET due to a scheduled system upgrade. During this time, users may be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
For more information, visit the RHC Connect Updates webpage.