[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 31 (Thursday, February 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 8668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2365]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Public Information Collections Approved by Office of Management 
and Budget

January 24, 2008.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public 
information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a 
person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless 
it displays a currently valid control number.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Butler, Federal Communications 
Commission, (202) 418-1492 or via the Internet at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#faae9295979b89d4988f8e969f88ba9c9999d49d958c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="97c3fff8faf6e4b9f5e2e3fbf2e5d7f1f4f4b9f0f8e1">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control No.: 3060-0804.
    OMB Approval Date: 1/17/2008.
    Expiration Date: 7/31/2008.
    Title: Universal Service--Rural Health Care Program/Rural Health 
Care Pilot Program.
    Form Number(s): FCC Forms 465, 466, 466-A, and 467.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 6,494 respondents; 59,464 responses; 
68,420 total annual hours; 0.10-20 hours per response.
    Needs and Uses: In the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act), 
Congress specifically intended that rural health care providers be 
provided with ``an affordable rate for the services necessary for the 
provision of telemedicine and instruction relating to such services.'' 
In 1997, the Commission implemented this statutory directive by 
adopting the current Rural Health Care support mechanism, which 
provides universal service support to ensure that rural health care 
providers pay no more than their urban counterparts for their 
telecommunications needs and Internet access in the provision of health 
care services. Despite the Commission's efforts to increase the utility 
of the Rural Health Care support mechanism, the program has yet to 
fully achieve the benefits intended by the statute and the Commission. 
In particular, health care providers continue to lack access to the 
broadband facilities needed to support the types of advanced telehealth 
applications, like telemedicine, that are vital to bringing medical 
expertise and the advantages of modern health technology to rural areas 
of the Nation. In response, the Commission issued the 2007 Rural Health 
Care Pilot Program Selection Order (WC Docket No. 02-60; FCC 07-198) 
which selected 69 participants for the universal service Rural Health 
Care Pilot Program (which was originally established by the Commission 
in September 2006). These 69 participants represent 42 states and 3 
U.S. territories and will be eligible for approximately $417 million in 
universal service support over three years (or $139 million per funding 
year) to: (1) Support up to 85 percent of the costs associated with the 
construction of state or regional broadband health care networks and 
with the advanced telecommunications and information services provided 
over those networks; and (2) support up to 85 percent of the costs of 
connecting to Internet2 or National LambdaRail, which are both 
dedicated nationwide backbones, or to the public Internet. To minimize 
the burden on Pilot Program participants and to streamline the process, 
the Commission generally uses the same forms as the existing Rural 
Health Care support mechanism. For example, Selected Participants, in 
order to receive support, must submit an FCC Form 465 (seeking bids), 
FCC 466-A (selection of service provider), and FCC Form 467 
(notification of service initiation). Due to the unique structure of 
the Pilot Program, however, in the 2007 Rural Health Care Pilot Program 
Selection Order, the Commission provides guidance regarding how these 
forms should be completed and additional information is required from 
Selected Participants, including, proposed network costs worksheets, 
certifications, letters of agency from each participating health care 
provider, invoices showing actual incurred costs, and, if applicable, 
network design studies.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-2365 Filed 2-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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