GCI Presses FCC on Completing Rural Healthcare FY 2017 Funding Process, Budget Cap Relief
General Communication Inc. urged "rapid completion" of rural healthcare USF commitments for funding year 2017 (ending June 30), and sought FCC relief from a $400 million program annual budget cap. "The delay in completing the commitments and disbursement process is…
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threatening to disrupt GCI’s ability to undertake key network improvements to improve wireless and wireline broadband in Alaska during the coming construction season," said company filings (here and here) posted this week in docket 02-60 on meetings with Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioners Brendan Carr, Michael O'Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel, and their aides. Budget relief is needed for FY 2017 and "likely" for FY 2018, "given the large, continued increases in overall demand and the delayed announcement of the pro-rata reductions," GCI said (see 1803160040). "Finding additional funds to meet current demand in the short term, pending longer-term reforms in the rulemaking proceeding, will prevent disruption that would result from health care providers having to find additional funds in their health care budgets or being unable to pay their unexpectedly high costs of service due to the proration." Longer term, GCI stressed the need to prioritize support as the current pro-rata reductions "hit the highest cost to serve areas the hardest."