How It Works

The Rural Health Care program funds two types of services.

You can apply for funding for Voice and Data, Broadband, or both.

Voice and Data

If you need voice and other telecommunication services, you may be eligible for funding through the Telecommunications Program.


Discount Rate: Determined using the urban/rural differential.

Broadband

If you need broadband services, network equipment, etc., you may be eligible for funding through the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program.


Discount Rate: Flat 65% discount on eligible expenses.

The Process

These steps will help you navigate the process to get funding.

1

Determine your eligibility

2

Develop evaluation criteria and request services

3

Evaluate bids and select a service provider

4

Submit a funding request

5

Certify service start and end dates

6

Work with your service provider to invoice USAC

Get Started or sign in to My Portal.

Announcements

RHC Connect System Maintenance: May 24, 2026

USAC will be performing system maintenance in RHC Connect on Sunday, May 24, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. ET. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use RHC Connect. Once maintenance is complete, users will not experience any changes to RHC Connect. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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RHC Program News

View the May 2026 Newsletter.

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FCC Waives Certain RHC Program Rules in Response to Typhoon Sinlaku

On April 23, 2026, the FCC released order DA 26-396 waiving the following Rural Health Care Program...

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RHC Connect Outage Due to System Maintenance: April 26, 2026

RHC Connect will be unavailable on Sunday, April 26, 2026, from 7 p.m. until midnight ET due...

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RHC Program News

View the April 2026 newsletter.

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