Digital Health for Rural Communities Grant is sponsored by Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The Digital Health for Rural Communities Grant is a grant from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that funds telecommunications and broadband services necessary for health care delivery in rural communities.

The Rural Health Care Program, provides funding to eligible health care providers for telecommunications and broadband services necessary for the provision of health care.

Eligible health care providers include: (1) post-secondary educational institutions offering health care instruction, teaching hospitals, and medical schools; (2) community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants; (3) local health departments or agencies; (4) community mental health centers; (5) not-for-profit hospitals; (6) rural health clinics; (7) skilled nursing facilities (as defined in section 395i–3(a) of title 42 and (8) consortium of health care providers consisting of one or more entities falling into the first seven categories.

In addition, eligible health care providers must be non-profit or public. The goal of the program is to improve the quality of health care available to patients in rural communities by ensuring that eligible health care providers have access to telecommunications and broadband services.

As of funding year 2017 (which ran from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018), funding for the Rural Health Care Program is capped at $571 million annually, adjusted for inflation. The Rural Health Care Program is currently made up of two programs: the Healthcare Connect Fund Program and the Telecommunications Program.

The Healthcare Connect Fund Program, established in 2012, provides support for high-capacity broadband connectivity to eligible health care providers and encourages the formation of state and regional broadband health care provider networks.

Under the Rural Health Care Program, eligible rural health care providers, and those eligible non-rural health care providers that are members of a consortium that has more than 50 percent rural health care provider sites, receive a 65 percent flat discount on an array of communications services. These services include internet access, dark fiber, business data, traditional digital service line (DSL), and private carriage services.

The Telecommunications Program, established in 1997, subsidizes the difference between urban and rural rates for telecommunications services. Under the Telecommunications Program, eligible rural health care providers can obtain rates on telecommunications services in rural areas that are reasonably comparable to rates charged for similar services in corresponding urban areas.

### **Rural Health Care Program Funding Cap** When the Commission established the Rural Health Care Program in 1997, it capped program funding at $400 million per funding year. Beginning in funding year 2016, health care provider funding requests for high-speed broadband began to outpace that funding cap.

On June 25, 2018, the Commission released the Rural Health Care Program Funding Cap Order, which adopted measures to promote health care delivery and telemedicine in rural area by providing a sufficient and more predictable source of universal service funding.

Specifically, the Commission adopted rules that: (1) increased the annual Rural Health Care Program funding cap to $571 million and applied it to Funding Year 2017; (2) annually adjusted the Rural Health Care Program funding cap to reflect inflation, beginning with funding year 2018 (which runs from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019); and (3)established a process to carry-forward unused funds from past funding years for use in future funding years.

**Typhoon Sinlaku Order****:** WCB Waives Certain Lifeline, E-Rate, Rural Health Care (RHC), and Contributions Rules and Deadlines to Assist Participants and Service Providers, Including Universal Service Fund (USF) Contributors, Located in the Areas Affected by Typhoon Sinlaku.

**April USF Appeals****Public Notice****:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2026 Public Notice****:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2026.

**RHC Funding Request Review Procedures Approval Letter:** WCB notifies USAC that WCB approves the Rural Health Care Program Funding Year 2026 Funding Request Review Procedures, subject to further modifications and/or instruction from the Commission.

**March USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**ENA Healthcare Services, LLC Order:** WCB grants a waiver of the FCC Form 467 certification requirement to ENA for purposes of resolving certain funding requests when the health care provider was unable or unwilling to certify and submit the form.

**February USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**January USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Typhoon Sinlaku Order****:** WCB Waives Certain Lifeline, E-Rate, Rural Health Care (RHC), and Contributions Rules and Deadlines to Assist Participants and Service Providers, Including Universal Service Fund (USF) Contributors, Located in the Areas Affected by Typhoon Sinlaku.

**April USF Appeals****Public Notice****:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2026 Public Notice****:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2026.

**RHC Funding Request Review Procedures Approval Letter:** WCB notifies USAC that WCB approves the Rural Health Care Program Funding Year 2026 Funding Request Review Procedures, subject to further modifications and/or instruction from the Commission.

**March USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**ENA Healthcare Services, LLC Order:** WCB grants a waiver of the FCC Form 467 certification requirement to ENA for purposes of resolving certain funding requests when the health care provider was unable or unwilling to certify and submit the form.

**February USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**January USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**RHC Application Funding Deadline Waivers Order on Reconsideration:** WCB grants two petitions for reconsideration, waiving the funding year 2025 application filing deadline in the Rural Healthcare (RHC) Program for certain health care providers. **RHC Telecom Program Rural Rates Method 3 Waiver Order:** WCB extends waiver of Rural Health Care Program Method 3 rural rate determination for funding year 2026.

**August USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Peoples Communications Request for Review Order:** WCB grants a request for review filed by Peoples Communications, Inc. to reverse a USAC decision to recover RHC Program support, and dismisses as moot a related waiver request submitted by University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.

**July USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company..

**June USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**RHC Funding Year 2025 Demand Can Be Fully Satisfied with Unused Funds Public Notice:** WCB announces the amount of unused funds for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program that have been carried forward for funding year 2025.

**May USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**April USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**March USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Rural Health Care Program FY 2025 Filing Window Order:** WCB waives the Commission's rules and extends the close of the funding year 2025 application filing window for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program until June 2, 2025. **E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2025 Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps For Funding Year 2025.

**February USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**December USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Fort Drum Requests for Review Order:** WCB grants in part and denies in part three pairs of appeals filed by the Fort Drum on behalf of two of its regional health care initiatives regarding the Commission's rules for the RHC Program for evergreen contracts and site eligibility.

**November USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**October USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**New Invoicing Form for RHC Telecom Program Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Release of New Invoicing Form for the Rural Health Care Telecommunications Program.

**USF Broadband Program Rules in Response to Milton Order:** WCB waives Lifeline, E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), Rural Health Care (RHC), and High Cost rules and deadlines to assist participants and service providers located in areas affected by Hurricane Milton.

**FCC Waives USF, Broadband Program Rules in Response to Helene Order:** WCB waives Lifeline, E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), Rural Health Care (RHC), and High Cost rules and deadlines to assist participants and service providers located in areas affected by Hurricane Helene.

**October USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**August USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Rural Health Care Program Invoice Deadline Waiver Requests Order:** WCB denies requests for waiver of the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program invoice filing deadline for all participants in the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program for funding year 2022.

**June USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Availability of Unused Funds to Fully Satisfy Demand for RHC Program Funding for FY 2024 Public Notice:** WCB announces the amount of unused funds for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program that have been carried forward for funding year 2024. WCB announces the amount of unused funds for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program that have been carried forward for funding year 2024.

**Rurality Designation Update Order:** The Wireline Competition Bureau updates the list of rural areas used to determine eligibility in the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program to reflect results of the 2020 decennial United States census.

**June USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**May USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**RHC Funding Request Review Procedures Approval Letter:** WCB notifies USAC that WCB approves the Rural Health Care Program Funding Year 2024 Funding Request Review Procedures, subject to further modifications and/or instruction from the Commission. **RHC Application Filing Deadline Order:** WCB addresses four requests from petitioners seeking waivers of the deadline to submit requests for funding under the Rural Healthcare (RHC).

**April USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**E-Rate & RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for FY24 Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces E-Rate And RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps For Funding Year 2024. **Rural Health Care Program Filing Extension Order:** WCB waives, sua sponte, section 54. 621(a)(1) of the Commission's rules and extends the close of the funding year 2024 application filing window for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program until May 1, 2024.

**March USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**February USF Appeals Public Notice** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**January USF Appeals Public Notice:**Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Iliuliuk Family and Health Services (IFHS) Waiver of FY 2022 Filing Deadline Order:** WCB grants a petition for waiver submitted by Iliuliuk Family and Health Services (IFHS) of the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program application filing deadline for funding year 2022. **Further Improvements to Rural Health Care Program Report and Order:** FCC Adopts Rules For Further Improvements to Rural Health Care Program.

**December USF Appeals Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**October USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Broadband Program Rules in Response to Idalia Order:** WCB waives certain E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund, Rural Health Care, Lifeline, Affordable Connectivity Program, and High-Cost rules to assist participants and service providers located in areas affected by Hurricane Idalia.

**August USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**2024 Tribal Library Pilot Program Launch Public Notice:** Announcing an upcoming webinar to launch and provide additional information about the E-Rate program Funding Year 2024 Tribal Library Pilot Program **Broadband Program Rules for Hawaii Wildfires Order:** The Wireline Competition Bureau waives certain Universal Service Fund, Affordable Connectivity Program, and Emergency Connectivity Program rules to assist program participants and providers located in areas affected by the Hawaii Wildfires.

**July USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Relief in Areas Affected by Typhoon Mawar Order:** The Wireline Competition Bureau waives certain Universal Service Fund, Affordable Connectivity Program, and numbering rules to assist program participants and providers located in areas affected by Typhoon Mawar.

**June USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:**Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**May USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:**Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company. **Tanana Chiefs Conference Waiver Request Order:** FCC Resolves Tanana Chiefs Conference Waiver Request of Rural Health Care Program Rules.

**RHC Funding Year 2023 Demand Can Be Fully Satisfied with Unused Funds Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces the Availability of Unused Funds to Fully Satisfy Demand for Rural Health Care Program Funding for Funding Year 2023.

**April USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**RHC FY2023 Funding Request Review Procedures Approval Letter:** WCB approves the Rural Health Care Program Funding Year 2023 Funding Request Review Procedures, subject to further modifications and/or instruction from the Commission.

**March USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Comment Dates for RHC Second Further NPRM:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Comment And Reply Comment Dates For Rural Health Care Second Further Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking. **Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Waiver of Invoice Deadline Order:** WCB grants a request for waiver filed by the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Wireless, LLC (NTUAW), of section 54.

627(a), the invoice filing deadline rule under the Rural Health Care Program's Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program. **Rural Health Care Program FY 2023 Filing Window Order:** WCB waives the Commission's rules and extends the close of the funding year 2023 application filing window for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program until May 1, 2023.

**E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2023 Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces E-Rate And RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps For Funding Year 2023.

**UVA Telehealth Center, Lumos Waiver of HCF Invoice Deadline Order:** WCB addresses a pair of requests filed by the University of Virginia Health System Center for Telehealth (UVA Telehealth Center) and Lumos Networks Inc. (Lumos) seeking waiver of section 54. 627(a) of the Commission's rules.

**January USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Digital Health in Rural America Order on Reconsideration and 2nd Report and Order and 2nd Further Notice Of Proosed Rulemaking:** The Federal Communications Commission has approved a number of proposals for the Rural Health Care Program to make it easier for health care providers to receive support.

**December USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Comment on Petition from Avel eCare Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on a Petition for Clarification or, in the Alternative, Limited Waiver Filed By Avel E-Care, LLC.

**Rural Rates Request for Review or Waiver Order:** WCB addresses a request for review or, in the alternative, request for waiver of the Commission's Rural Health Care (RHC) Telecommunications (Telecom) Program rules filed by Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC).

**October USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Broadband Program Rules in Response to Hurricane Ian Order:** WCB waives certain E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund, Rural Health Care, COVID-19 Telehealth, Lifeline, Affordable Connectivity Program, and High-Cost rules to assist participants and service providers located in areas affected by Hurricane Ian.

**September USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Broadband Program Rules in Response to Hurricane Fiona Order:** WCB waives certain E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund, Rural Health Care, COVID-19 Telehealth, Lifeline, and Affordable Connectivity Program rules to assist participants and service providers located in areas affected by Hurricane Fiona.

**August USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company. **WCB Seeks USAC Board of Directors Nominations Public Notice:** WCB seeks nominations for six board member positions on USAC's Board of Directors.

**Future of the Universal Service Fund Report:** The Commission adopts this Report on the Future of the Universal Service Fund (Report) as required by Section 60104(c) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

**July USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**RHC Funding Year 2022 Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces the Availability of Unused Funds to Fully Satisfy Demand for Rural Health Care Program Funding for Funding Year 2022.

**May USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Nationwide Waiver of RHC Telecom Program Rates Database Order:** WCB extends nationwide waiver of Rural Health Care Program rural rates database through funding year 2023.

**Elite Program Specialists Order:** WCB grants Elite Program Specialists, LLC's request for waiver of the Commission's Rural Health Care Program rules to permit certain Louisiana providers to file late applications for funding year 2021 in light of special circumstances.

**April USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company. **Telecom Program Rural Rates Database for Alaska Order:** WCB Extends Waiver of Telecom Program Rural Rates Database for Alaska through Funding Year 2023.

**March USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Georgia Department of Public Health RHC Appeal and Waiver Order:** TAPD addresses three requests for review filed by the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), and three related requests for review filed by its service provider, ENA Healthcare Services LLC (ENA Healthcare).

**E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2022 Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces E-Rate And RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps For Funding Year 2022. **Rural Health Care Program FY 2022 Filing Window Order:** WCB waives the Commission's rules and extends the close of the funding year 2022 application filing window for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program until June 1, 2022.

**February USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Comment on Further Reforms to Rural Health Care Program Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:** Program Supports Rural Health Care Providers with Broadband Costs and Other Communications Services.

**January USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**December USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Midwest Medical Center RHC Appeal Order:** WCB grants Midwest Medical Center's request for review of USAC's denial of the applicant's funding year 2018 funding request, finding that the requested services are eligible under the HCF Program.

**FCC Waives USF, Broadband Program Rules in Response to Hurricane Ida Order:** WCB waives certain E-Rate, Rural Health Care, Lifeline, High Cost, Emergency Connectivity Fund, and Emergency Broadband Benefit rules and deadlines to assist participants and providers located in the areas affected by Hurricane Ida.

**August USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**RHC Telecom Program Funding Request Review Procedures Approval Letter:** WCB approves the Rural Health Care Program Funding Year 2021 Funding Request Review Procedures for the Telecommunications Program, subject to further modifications and/or instruction from the Commission.

**Utah Education and Telehealth Network RHC Order on Reconsideration:** WCB addresses a petition for reconsideration filed by Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN), upholding the Bureau's prior denial, but granting UETN a waiver of the competitive bidding requirements as they apply to the funding requests at issue.

**Rural Health Care Program Funding for Funding Year 2021 Public Notice:** Wireline Competition Bureau Announces the Availability of Unused Funds to Increase Rural Health Care Program Funding for Funding Year 2021.

**RHC HCF Funding Request Review Procedures Approval Letter:** WCB approves the Rural Health Care Program Funding Year 2021 Funding Request Review Procedures for the Healthcare Connect Fund, subject to further modifications and/or instruction from the Commission.

**May USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Community Care of West Virginia RHC Waiver Order:**WCB grants Community Care of West Virginia's request for review and instructs USAC to revise the FY 2018 funding commitments for the funding request numbers listed in Attachment A.

**April USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company. **RHC Rates Database and Certain Administrative Rules Order:** WCB Waives RHC Rates Database and Certain Administrative Rules.

**March USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company. **E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2021 Public Notice:**The new caps represent a 1.

2% inflation-adjusted increase in each program cap from funding year 2020. **February USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Extended Application Window for Rural Health Care Program Order:** Application Window for RHC Program for FY21 Extended to 6/1/2021. **Petition for Declaratory Ruling Filed by Technology Channel Sales Professionals Public Notice:** By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for declaratory ruling filed by Technology Channel Sales Professionals.

**January USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company. **Telecom Program Rural Rates Database for Alaska Order:** WCB Waives Use of Telecom Program Rural Rates Database for Alaska.

**December USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

**Telecom Program Rates Database Rates Letter:** OWCB directs USAC to add to the Database of Urban and Rural Rates for the Telecommunications Program rates for all funding requests committed since its launch. **Gift Rule Waivers for RCH and E-Rate Programs Order:** WCB extends our waivers of the RHC and E-Rate program gift rules through June 30, 2021, the end of funding year 2020.

**November USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company. **Effective Date of Rural Health Care Rules Order:** WCB Accelerates Effective Date of RHC Rules.

**October USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice:** Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company. **RHC Program FY20 Support Request Order:** WCB waives section 54.

619(a) to eliminate the cap on upfront payments and multi-year commitments for FY 2020 to ensure that all RHC Program