Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-4111
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Lance, Leonard [R-NJ-7]
Introduced: 2015-11-19
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Health facilities and institutions

Health technology, devices, supplies

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Nursing

Rural conditions and development

Telecommunication rates and fees
Latest action: action_date: 2016-05-23
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 452.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-11-19
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015</b></p> <p>Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to include skilled nursing facilities among the types of health care providers who may request from a telecommunications carrier under the Universal Service Fund the necessary telecommunications and information services to serve persons who reside in rural areas at rates that are reasonably comparable to rates charged for similar services in urban areas.</p>

action_date: 2016-05-23
action_desc: Reported to House with amendment(s)
text: <p><b>Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of</b> <b>2016</b></p> <p>(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to include skilled nursing facilities among the types of health care providers who may request from a telecommunications carrier under the Universal Service Fund the necessary telecommunications and information services to serve persons who reside in rural areas at rates that are reasonably comparable to rates charged for similar services in urban areas.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4111 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 19, 2015 Mr. Lance (for himself, Mr. Cramer , and Mr. Loebsack ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To include skilled nursing facilities as a type of health care provider under section 254(h) of the Communications Act of 1934.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015 . 2. Telecommunications services for skilled nursing facilities (a) In general Section 254(h)(7)(B) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 254(h)(7)(B) ) is amended— (1) in clause (vi), by striking and at the end; (2) by redesignating clause (vii) as clause (viii); (3) by inserting after clause (vi) the following: (vii) skilled nursing facilities; ; and (4) in clause (viii), as redesignated, by striking clauses (i) through (vi) and inserting clauses (i) through (vii) . (b) Savings clause Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to affect the aggregate annual cap on Federal universal service support for health care providers under section 54.675 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 452 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4111 [Report No. 114–582] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 19, 2015 Mr. Lance (for himself, Mr. Cramer , and Mr. Loebsack ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce May 23, 2016 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on November 19, 2015 A BILL To include skilled nursing facilities as a type of health care provider under section 254(h) of the Communications Act of 1934.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2016 . 2. Telecommunications services for skilled nursing facilities (a) In general Section 254(h)(7)(B) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 254(h)(7)(B) ) is amended— (1) in clause (vi), by striking and at the end; (2) by redesignating clause (vii) as clause (viii); (3) by inserting after clause (vi) the following: (vii) skilled nursing facilities (as defined in section 1819(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(a) )); and ; and (4) in clause (viii), as redesignated, by striking clauses (i) through (vi) and inserting clauses (i) through (vii) . (b) Savings clause Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to affect the aggregate annual cap on Federal universal service support for health care providers under section 54.675 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. (c) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

May 23, 2016 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed