PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 11-336 Release Date: February 22, 2011 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON REQUESTS FOR WAIVER OF THE RURAL HEALTH CARE PILOT PROGRAM FIVE-YEAR INVOICING DEADLINE WC Docket No. 02-60 Comment Date: March 24, 2011 Reply Comment Date: April 8, 2011 On December 9, 2010, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) issued a public notice seeking comment on a filing by the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI) 1 requesting a waiver of the Rural Health Care Pilot Program’s (Pilot Program’s) five-year invoicing deadline.2 Numerous Pilot Program participants have filed similar requests seeking waiver of the five-year invoicing deadline: general waiver (Kentucky Behavioral Telehealth Network and New England Telehealth Consortium); 3 one year (California Telehealth Network, and Pacific Basin Telehealth Demonstration Project); 4 fifteen months (Virginia Telehealth Network and West Virginia Telehealth 1 See Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on Michigan Public Health Institute Petition for Waiver of the Five-Year Invoicing Period Under the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, WC Docket No. 02-60, Public Notice, DA 10-2334 (Wireline Comp. Bur. Dec. 9, 2010) (MPHI Public Notice); Letter from Jeffrey R. Taylor, Ph.D., Executive Director, Michigan Public Health Institute, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (dated Nov. 17, 2010) (MPHI Petition). 2 Pursuant to the 2007 Pilot Program Selection Order, Pilot Program participants have five years from the date of their initial funding commitment letter to complete network buildout and submit invoices to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) for reimbursement. Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 02- 60, Order, 22 FCC Rcd 20360, 20409-10, 20362, paras. 4, 94 (2007); see also Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 02-60, Order, 25 FCC Rcd 1423, 1427, para. 8 (2010). 3 See Letter from WD Matthews, Kentucky Behavioral Telehealth Network, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Jan. 4, 2011); Letter from Brian Thibeau, President, New England Telehealth Consortium, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Dec. 9, 2010) (New England Telehealth Consortium Letter). 4 See Letter from Eric P. Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, California Telehealth Network, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Jan. 14, 2011); Letter from Norman H. Okamura, Project Coordinator, Pacific Basin Telehealth Demonstration Project, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Jan. 21, 2011). 2 Alliance); 5 three years (Arkansas Telehealth Network, and Health Information Exchange of Montana, Inc.); 6 and five years from each funding commitment letter (Indiana Telehealth Network, New England Telehealth Consortium,Virginia Telehealth Network, and Western Regional New York Area Health Education Network). 7 Interested parties may file comments on or before March 24, 2011, and reply comments on or before April 8, 2011. All pleadings are to reference WC Docket No. 02-60. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), or by filing paper copies.8 § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting comments. § For ECFS filers, if multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, filers must transmit one electronic copy of the comments for each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, filers should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions, filers should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov, and include the following words in the body of the message, “get form.” A sample form and directions will be sent in response. § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. 5 See Comments from Matthew A. Brill, Counsel, Virginia Telehealth Network, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Jan. 5, 2011) (Virginia Telehealth Network Comments); Letter from Lawrence J. Malone, Chairman and Project Coordinator, West Virginia Telehealth Alliance, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Jan. 7, 2011). 6 See Letter from Suzanne Leslie, Project Coordinator, Arkansas Telehealth Network, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Jan. 10, 2011); Letter from Kipman Smith, Executive Director, Health Information Exchange of Montana, Inc., to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Dec. 22, 2010). 7 See Letter from Don Kelso, Executive Director, Indiana Telehealth Network, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Jan. 10, 2011); New England Telehealth Consortium Letter; Virginia Telehealth Network Comments; Letter from Kenneth L. Oakley, Ph.D., FACHE, Project Coordinator, Western New York Rural Area Health Education Network, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (filed Dec. 8, 2010). 8 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998). 3 All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, D.C. 20554. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington D.C. 20554. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (tty). In addition, one copy of each pleading must be sent to each of the following: (1) The Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, www.bcpiweb.com; phone: (202) 488-5300 fax: (202) 488- 5563; (2) Erica Myers, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B432, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Erica.Myers@fcc.gov and (3) Charles Tyler, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B521, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Charles.Tyler:@fcc.gov. Filings and comments are also available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. They may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, telephone: (202) 488-5300, fax: (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail www.bcpiweb.com. . - FCC -