Rural Health Care
Technology Funding - eRate Funding for Rural Health Care


What is Rural Health Care?
Rural Health Care is a universal service support mechanism that provides reduced rates to Rural Health Care Providers (HCPs) for telecommunications and Internet services necessary for the provision of health care.

What does it mean to HCPs?
The FCC established this program which funds up to $400 million annually so that rural health care providers pay no more than their urban counterparts for the same or similar telecommunication services.
An HCP can receive funding on existing service, upgrades, or new service. An HCP can also find out what level of support and the total service charge(s) before committing to a telephone or internet service.
Who is eligible for the funding?

This funding is available to any HCP in a city under a population of 50,000 and can pay 25% of your internet cost and the difference in usage charges between a rural HCP and an urban HCP of 50,000 or more.

HCPs eligible for this program include:
" Rural health clinics.
" Not-for-profit hospitals.
" Community mental health centers.
" Local health departments or agencies.
" Dedicated emergency departments of rural for-profit hospitals.
" Consortia of health care providers consisting of rural for-profit hospitals.
" Community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants.
" Post-secondary educational institutions offering health care instruction, teaching hospitals, and medical schools.
" Part-time eligible entities located in facilities that are ineligible.

How does an HCP determine its needs?
The HCP should assess its situation to determine its needs. How does the HCP plan to use the telecommunications or Internet services? For example, does the HCP want to transmit data, images, or interactive video? With whom does the HCP want to communicate most frequently? HCPs are encouraged to contact CTI Communication Technologies to determine their needs and learn about services available in their area.

How Can We Help?
Let us take care of the entire funding process for you. The staff at CTI Communication Technologies has assisted in funding application processes since congress began the technology funding program in 1996 through eRate (for K12 Schools & Public Libraries) and RHC (for Rural HCPs).


For more information call 866-858-1100.