Rural Health Care Outreach Conference Call Minutes
Thursday, November 8, 2001

RHCD announced that it has committed $7.9 million in support through November 2, 2001, and continues to issue Funding Commitment Letters for Funding Year 3. $5.6 million has been issued in Support Schedules, and $3.1 million paid in invoices. Processing for Funding Year 4 packets has begun, with $367,000 in Funding Commitment Letters issued.

With the deadline for Year Three 466/468 packets passed, RHCD has received over 460 additional packets in the last two weeks of October, bringing the total of Year Three packets to 1350. In Year 2, the total was over 900.

The packet status reports for Funding Years 3 and 4 is on the RHCD website, with information as of October 31, 2001.

Applicants experiencing difficulty in obtaining urban rate documentation are reminded that they can use rates from carriers other than their chosen rural carrier, as evidence of the urban rate to which they are to be compared. If applicants are unsure how to contact other telecommunications carriers, please call the RHCD help desk at 800-229-5476, or it may be possible to contact other carriers from information on the Schools and Libraries website, under "Reference Area," select "BEAR/SPIN Search." Such "E-Rate" contacts may be unfamiliar with the health care support mechanism, but may be able to identify staff who can help.

RHCD reminds applicants that if they have a contract ending in the middle of a funding year, RHCD will assume, but may call to confirm, that the service will continue on a month-to-month basis without any change in costs. If that is not the case, please note that when the 466/468 packet is submitted.

When service providers invoice RHCD for multiple months of support, they are reminded to list the last month of support, not the first. Failure to do this will cause the invoice to be rejected. In addition, please verify that the billing account number on the invoice belongs to the customer of record for the circuit being supported.

Taxes are eligible for universal service support, if there is an urban/rural difference or the tax is mileage sensitive. Be sure to include such taxes in the rates provided in the Form 466/468 packet, so RHCD will include them in support calculations.

Electronic certifications (signatures) for Form 465 are in the final stage of testing and should be launched in the coming weeks. Watch the RHCD website for updates. They will be available when Year 5 opens for posting Form 465s on January 28, 2002, and should be available for Year 4 Form 465s before that.

Questions?
Call our toll free number 1-800-229-5476 8am-8pm (EST) Monday-Friday.