Rural Health Care Program Funding Year 2022 Demand Can Be Fully Satisfied with Unused Funds

In June 2018, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to address increasing demand in the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program. Specifically, the FCC: (1) increased the annual RHC Program funding cap; (2) provided for the annual RHC Program funding cap to be adjusted for inflation; and (3) established a process to carry-forward unused funds from past funding years for use in future funding years. The FCC also directed its Wireline Competition Bureau to announce a specific amount of unused funds from prior funding years to be carried forward to increase available funding for future funding years. In August 2019, the FCC clarified that the Bureau must determine the proportion of unused funding available in consultation with the Office of the Managing Director. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) projects that, as of June 30, 2022, $380.50 million in unused funds is available for use in future funding years beginning in funding year 2022. Pursuant to the FCC’s direction and rules, the Bureau, in consultation with the Office of the Managing Director, directs USAC to carry forward up to $380.50 million in unused funds from prior funding years to the extent necessary to satisfy funding year 2022 RHC Program demand. All l eligible RHC Program funding requests filed during the funding year 2022 application filing window can be fully funded without prioritization.