The FCC should adopt the definition of healthcare provider used...

said in a filing. The FCC currently applies a narrower 1996 definition of healthcare provider, rather than the definition approved by Congress in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, HHS noted. “FCC’s exclusion of private health care providers may arbitrarily limit access to the benefits [of the program] by rural Americans,” HHS said. “This would be contradictory to FCC’s overall objective to make available to all Americans, without discrimination, a rapid, efficient, nationwide communications service with adequate facilities at reasonable charges, for the purpose of promoting, among other things, safety of life.” The commission should also align performance goals of the Universal Service Fund program with HHS meaningful use incentive programs launched by the HITECH Act, HHS said. “Applicants cannot achieve meaningful use without access to a sufficient level of broadband connectivity, and eligibility for FCC’s program should not be contingent on the applicants already meeting meaningful use.” HHS proposed a series of milestones, which the commission could use for those receiving grants. These milestones would “ensure that FCC and HHS programs are consistent and that similar health care providers are working towards the same goals,” HHS said. It also called on the agency to increase the level of support provided to program participants.