Pai Concerned Alaska Communications Reconsidering Rural Health Care Fund Participation

of his company's "obligations under the Communications Act and our rules." He said Alaska Communications "must continue to provide service to the rural healthcare providers it serves upon a bona fide request for service," and "must not" charge such providers "a rate higher than the urban rate." He said Alaska Communications is "prohibited from engaging in unjust and unreasonable practices or from discontinuing service to a community without prior Commission approval." Company General Counsel Leonard Steinberg responded in a statement: "Alaska Communications has been a strong supporter of the Rural Health Care program, which has enabled much needed telemedicine services in Alaska. The company is disappointed with the delays in funding for the past two funding years. Eleven months into a 12-month funding cycle, Alaska Communications has received no funding on the vast majority of its contracts with rural healthcare providers, and no decisions on that funding. Alaska Communications has absorbed considerable costs, continuing to provide service to rural healthcare providers, with no meaningful income to compensate us. We have been doing everything in our power to resolve this matter as quickly as possible and avoid any loss of service." Many parties have recently filed in docket 17-310 supporting a Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition emergency petition asking the FCC to waive a $400 million RHC budget cap.