FCC Fully Funds RHC Program for FY2024; USAC Estimates Demand at $697.85 Million

On June 14, 2024, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced that there is sufficient funding available to fully meet the Universal Service Administrative Company’s (USAC) estimated demand for the Rural Healthcare program’s year (FY) 2024.

USAC estimated that the total RHC Program demand for Funding Year 2024 is $788.73 million which includes the gross demand estimate of $753.14 million for the Telecommunications and Healthcare Connect Fund Programs and the projected USAC administrative expenses of $35.59 million.

While demand is higher than the RHC Program funding cap for funding year 2024 at $706,926,603, USAC informed the Bureau that the total amount available for carry-forward for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program is $161.57 million. The Bureau directed USAC to carry forward up to $161.57 million as necessary to satisfy FY 2024 demand.

The internal cap on multi-year commitments and upfront payments under the Healthcare Connect Fund Program is s $178,496,951. Both caps are a 3.6 percent inflation-adjusted increase to the FY 2023 caps.