WCB Extends RHC Filing Window to May 1

On March 8, 2023, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) issued an Order extending the close of the Rural Health Care Program Funding Year 2023 filing window to May 1, 2023.

The window opened on December 1, 2022 and was originally set to close on April 3, 2023.  The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and the New England Telehealth Consortium and the Connections Telehealth Consortium asked the Commission to push back the program’s application filing deadline.  The Bureau partially granted these requests and cited continuing disruptions due to COVID as the reason for this extension.  The Bureau further stated that this deadline extension will likely be the final RHC Program deadline extension due to the pandemic, but the Bureau would continue to monitor the effects of COVID-19 on health care providers.