Monthly Webinar June 2014

Transcription

1 Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar June 2014 Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 1

2 Welcome Today s RHC Program Staff Paloma Costa RHC Program Outreach Carolyn McCornac Manager, RHC Program Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 2

3 Welcome Welcome to the monthly webinar! Provides program updates, clarification of program rules, outreach, and assistance to Telecommunications Program applicants and service providers Second Thursday of the month Agenda provided one day in advance to those subscribed Submit questions and suggest agenda topics in advance to Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 3

4 Welcome Housekeeping Use the Audio section of your control panel to select an audio source and connect to sound Turn on your computer s speakers, or Use the call-in instructions in your confirmation All participants are on mute Submit questions at any time using the Questions box Slides attached to event reminder Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 4

5 Agenda 1. Funding year closeouts: Process and FY2012 deadlines 2. FCC Form 466/466-A: Funding request deadline 3. FCC Form 466: Change to circuit start and termination location (Lines 26 and 27) 4. FCC Form 466 rural rate documentation: Requirements, eligible services, and best practices 5. FCC Form 466 urban rate documentation: Requirements and best practices 6. Questions and answers Telecom Program Monthly Webinar Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 5

6 Telecom Program Monthly Webinar Funding Year (FY) Closeouts: Process and FY2012 Deadlines Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 6

7 Funding Year Closeout What is the funding year closeout process? Two main components USAC notifies health care providers (HCPs) of outstanding FCC Forms 467 USAC notifies service providers of outstanding credits available for invoicing Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 7

8 Funding Year Closeout Closeout Overview USAC notifies HCPs of outstanding FCC Forms 467 USAC issues final notice requesting a completed FCC Form 467 from HCPs USAC reduces funding commitment to $0.00 for funding requests without a completed FCC Form 467 USAC de-obligates disbursements to service providers who have not submitted an invoice for services provided to HCPs USAC issues final notice requesting an invoice from service providers USAC notifies service providers of outstanding credits available for invoicing Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 8

9 Funding Year Closeout Funding Year 2012 (July 1, 2012 June 30, 2013) Important dates April 1, 2012: USAC sent first FCC Form 467 reminder to HCPs April 22, 2014: USAC sent FCC Form day notice to HCPs May 7, 2014: USAC sent final FCC Form 467 notice to HCPs May 23, 2014: USAC sent denial letter to HCPs who had not responded to previous requests to submit the FCC Form 467 for FY2012. Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 9

10 Funding Year Closeout Best practices HCPs should submit the FCC Form 467 immediately after carefully inspecting the FCL and ensuring that it is accurate. A separate FCC Form 467 is required for each FCC Form 466/466-A. Respond to USAC notifications of outstanding FCC Forms 467. Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 10

11 Telecom Program Monthly Webinar FCC Form 466/466-A: Funding Request Deadline Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 11

12 Funding Request Deadline Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 12

13 Telecom Program Monthly Webinar FCC Form 466: Change to Circuit Start and Termination Location Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 13

14 Circuit Start and Termination Location Change to user interface Block 4: Service Information (Lines 26 and 27) Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 14

15 Circuit Start and Termination Location Requirement The service for which the HCP is requesting funding must be delivered to the HCP location (as provided on the HCP s FCC Form 465, Block 1: HCP Location) The service must start OR end at the HCP location FCC Form 466 Line 26 or Line 27 must be the HCP location Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 15

16 Circuit Start and Termination Location Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 16

17 Circuit Start and Termination Location User interface changes: Lines Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 17

18 Questions? Use the Questions box in your user controls. Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 18

19 Telecom Program Monthly Webinar FCC Form 466 Rural Rate Documentation: Requirements, Eligible Services, and Best Practices Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 19

20 Rural Rate Documentation What is rural rate documentation? A copy of a monthly bill dated within the funding period (filing window excepted) Shows the service and bandwidth Customer (HCP) is identified by name or address Shows a positive charge for the service (and taxes if applicable) If the bill shows multiple locations or charges, the applicable charges are highlighted and noted Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 20

21 Rural Rate Documentation FCC Form 466, Block 4: Service information Actual rural rate per month (Line 33) Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 21

22 Rural Rate Documentation What satisfies the documentation requirement? A dated monthly bill that shows: Location of the services Service type Bandwidth Taxes and fees. The rural rate entered on Line 33 must be clearly shown on the bill. Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 22

23 Rural Rate Documentation Validating the rural rate The most time-consuming part of form review Requires the form reviewer to search through the bill to find the service for which funding is requested, and match that to the rural rate entered by the HCP on Line 33 When the service is not identified on the bill, the charge for the service doesn t match the form, or the bill is simply too long, reviewers must send an information request for clarification Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 23

24 Rural Rate Documentation Reviewing the rural rate: How it works The form reviewer will validate the rural rate shown on the form against the bill (including taxes and fees) Ensures the rural rate is reflective of eligible services, only Taxes and fees must be requested (added-to) the rural rate entered on Line 33, and must be proportioned to the cost of eligible services Ineligible charges (caller ID, rented equipment, etc.) will be removed by the reviewer from the rural rate Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 24

25 Rural Rate Documentation Help USAC review Double-check your data! Ensure that the cost of the service on the form matches the cost charged on the bill Annotate the bills Neatly written notes, arrows, and boxes will help us locate the charges. Use application tools or ball-point pen. Do not use markers. Consult the USAC website or customer service to answer questions before submitting the form Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 25

26 Telecom Program Monthly Webinar FCC Form 466 Urban Rate Documentation: Requirements and Best Practices Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 26

27 Urban Rate Documentation What is the urban rate? Rate of a commercial customer for the same or functionally similar service in any city in the state in which the HCP is located with a population > 50,000 Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 27

28 Urban Rate Documentation What satisfies the documentation requirement? The urban rate must: State the service type and bandwidth Show contract (or non-contract) term Name the city from which the rate is collected Show a date valid within the funding period Accompany the funding request Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 28

29 Questions? Use the Questions box in your user controls. Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 29

30 Telecom Monthly Webinar Thank You! Thanks for joining us at this month s webinar Sign up for the monthly webinar in the subscription center On any RHC web page ( click subscribe in the upper-right corner Submit suggestions for next month s webinar to rhc-assist@usac.org Additional questions? rhc-assist@usac.org or call (800) Rural Health Care Program I Telecommunications Program Monthly Webinar 30