§ 54.602   Health care support mechanism.

   (a) Telecommunications Program. Rural health care providers may request
   support for the difference, if any, between the urban and rural rates for
   telecommunications services, subject to the provisions and limitations set
   forth in § § 54.600 through 54.625 and § § 54.671 through 54.680. This support
   is referred to as the “Telecommunications Program.”

   (b) Healthcare Connect Fund. Eligible health care providers may request
   support for eligible services, equipment, and infrastructure, subject to the
   provisions and limitations set forth in § § 54.600 through 54.602 and § § 54.630
   through 54.680. This support is referred to as the “Healthcare Connect
   Fund.”

   (c) Allocation of discounts. An eligible health care provider that engages
   in  both eligible and ineligible activities or that collocates with an
   ineligible entity shall allocate eligible and ineligible activities in order
   to receive prorated support for the eligible activities only. Health care
   providers  shall  choose  a method of cost allocation that is based on
   objective  criteria  and reasonably reflects the eligible usage of the
   facilities.

   (d) Health care purposes. Services for which eligible health care providers
   receive  support from the Telecommunications Program or the Healthcare
   Connect Fund must be reasonably related to the provision of health care
   services or instruction that the health care provider is legally authorized
   to provide under the law in the state in which such health care services or
   instruction are provided.

   [ 78 FR 13982 , Mar. 1, 2013]

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Telecommunications Program

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