§  54.602   Health care support mechanism.

   (a) Telecommunications Program. Eligible 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 54.602 and 54.603 through
   54.606. This support is referred to as the “Telecommunications
   Program.”

   (b) Healthcare Connect Fund Program. 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 54.607 through 54.618. This support is referred to as the
   “Healthcare Connect Fund Program.”

   (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 Program 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.

   

Telecommunications Program