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 RHC Connect.

Announcements

New! Program Recovery Payments System

Beginning today, all users will be directed to USAC’s One Portal dashboard when they click the blue Sign In button on usac.org and log in using their existing credentials. From One Portal, users can log into the USAC systems they have access to, including the new Program Recovery Payments system for returning funding to USAC.

USAC will be performing system maintenance in RHC Connect on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 7:00 p.m....

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RHC Program News

View the September 2026 Newsletter.

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RHC Connect Outage Due to System Maintenance: September 7, 2026

RHC Connect will be unavailable on Monday, September 7, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET...

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FY2025 Annual Report Due September 30!

All Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) participants receiving Rural Health Care (RHC) program funding are required to submit an...

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