The View From Here: July 2025
Enough of the heat, already! Let’s get back to seasonal norms for this summer! I am very pleased to report that on June 27, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision upholding the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF) the foundational funding mechanism for the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) and CTCs broader subsidy programs. This ruling is a decisive victory for the future of federally supported broadband connectivity for healthcare. It eliminates a major legal threat that could have jeopardized funding for CTC members and healthcare networks nationwide. It is a tremendous relief to have the U.S. Supreme Court confirm the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF). Its ruling in the case (FCC v. Consumers’ Research and SHLB v. Consumers’ Research) ensures the future of broadband access for thousands and thousands of rural healthcare providers across the country. In Fiscal Year 2024 (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025) CTC received 105 Funding Commitment Letters (FCL) from the USAC capturing $4,906,000! During that same time period, 7 healthcare systems representing 97 healthcare sites joined CTC! For Fiscal Year 2025 (July 1, 20235 to June 30, 2026) CTC has submitted 119 subsidy funding requests seeking $4,858,000 in subsidies. Additionally, 6 healthcare systems representing 150 healthcare sites have indicated they plan to join CTC. Currently, CTC serves 1,100 healthcare providers in sixteen states. CTC and its managing agent, HealthConnect Networks, continued to strive to deliver value, dependability, and quality service. We are honored to be your partner in obtaining Health Connect Fund (HCF) subsidies. Thank you for your continued support of CTC and feel free to reach out if you have any questions. My thanks to the CTC Board members for their continued guidance, and service; Red Hutchinson, retired, LRG Healthcare, NH; David Valcik, retired, Northern Light Health, ME; Rick Cowan, Optum, Northern Light Health, ME; and Tim Smith, retired, ME. Thank you for your continued support of CTC and feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Brian Thibeau, President of CTC To read our other newsletter articles, click here:
FCC Announces Availability of Unused Funds to Fully Fund Rural Health Care (RHC) Program Demand for FY2025
On June 25, 2025, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau directed USAC to carry forward up to $129.30 million in unused funds from prior funding years to satisfy funding year (FY) 2025 demand for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program. What does this mean for healthcare providers? All eligible RHC Program funding requests—including Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) requests—filed during the FY2025 application window can now be fully funded without prioritization. This ensures healthcare providers nationwide receive the funding support they need for broadband and telecommunications expenses. Have questions about what this update means for your organization or need help with your HCF application? Contact our team at info@healthconnectnetworks.com. Read the full announcement here.
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Extension of the FY2025 Application Filing Window for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program Until June 2, 2025
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Extension of the FY2025 Application Filing Window for the Rural Healthcare (RHC) Program Until June 2, 2025 March 13, 2025 – The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has announced an extension of the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program’s application filing window to June 2, 2025. The RHC Program, which includes the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) and the Telecommunications Program, provides subsidies to help eligible healthcare providers offset broadband and telecommunications expenses. This extension comes in response to multiple requests from applicants facing processing delays and ensures that all eligible healthcare providers have additional time to submit their funding requests. What This Means for You: New Deadline: Applications for the HCF program can now be submitted until June 2, 2025. More Time to Prepare: If you’re already working with us, this extension allows extra time to finalize your documentation and ensure everything is submitted correctly. If you haven’t started your application yet, there’s still time—this is your opportunity to secure funding for broadband costs next year. For more details, read the full FCC announcement here. Have questions or need help getting started? Reach out to us at info@healthconnectnetworks.com. Return to Insights Home
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces RHC Programs’ Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2025
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces RHC Programs’ Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2025 March 7, 2025 – The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau, which is responsible for the FCC’s policies and programs focused on closing the digital divide, announced the Rural Health Care (RHC) programs’ annual caps for funding year 2025. These caps represent a 2.4% inflation-adjusted increase from 2024. The RHC funding cap for FY2025 is $723,892,841, with the internal cap for upfront payments and multi-year commitments in the Healthcare Connect Fund program being $182,780,877. Read the full announcement here. Return to Insights Home