New RHC Rules Effective in FY 2020 Instead of FY 2021

On November 30, 2020, the Wireline Competition Bureau released an Order accelerating the effective dates of certain rules it had previously delayed until FY 2021. 

Specifically, site and service substitution rules, corrective and operational Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) change rules, service delivery deadline extension rules, and invoicing deadline extension rules, which were adopted in the 2019 Promoting Telehealth Report and Order, will be fully effective 30 days after publication of this order in the Federal Register, for the remainder of FY 2020.  The rules were initially supposed to be effective in FY 2020.  

The effective dates of these rules were delayed pending approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).  Since OMB has provided PRA approval and given the COVID-19 emergency, the Commission believes that making these rules effective for the rest of FY 2020 would be provide flexibility to health care providers during the current funding year.  USAC is currently working to update its systems to accommodate these rule changes and is expected to have the systems updated prior to the end of FY 2020 on June 30, 2021. 

If SPIN changes or site or service substitution requests are necessary prior to the effective date of the order, the Bureau states that applicants should request a waiver from the Commission.