The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) has taken a number of steps to assist the Rural Health Care (RHC) program, including extending the RHC program application window until June 30, 2020, and extending certain reporting deadlines. Amid COVID-19, the Commission wants to ensure that rural health care providers and hospitals have the resources necessary to treat their patients and stay connected to critical services. Furthermore, the FCC believes that the changes implemented will allow health care professionals to focus on their immediate task of addressing the influx of patients related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FCC’s Order also eased the competitive bidding requirements for health care providers with expiring evergreen contracts and extended deadlines for reporting to the Universal Service Administrative Company, including filing invoices and appeals.
