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FCC funds sought for health care
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Posted on Apr 02 1999
The Northern Marianas has pressed the Federal Communications Commission to overhaul its Universal Service Rural Health Care Program in order to free up vital telecommunications funding intended for local health care system.
Due to declining cash resources, the Commonwealth hopes to avail of the funds granted under the Telecommunications Act implemented in 1996 which provides for the rural health care program.
The health care program, through the Universal Service Program , is designed to support low-income insular areas in dealing with the high cost of telecommunications.
Every year the program makes available $400 million in grants for rural health care providers.
“Given the limited number of medical specialists in our islands, it is important that the CNMI receive available telecommunications funding for our health care system.,” according to Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan.
Sablan explained the funds will defray telecommunications costs associated with communicating with health care specialists and database resources located in Hawaii and the United States.
The program available to the Commonwealth only provides for the difference in rates for telecommunications services provided in Rota and Tinian versus Saipan. Such situation, according to island leaders, limits the level of funding potentially available to the Northern Marianas.
The complex application process and discount calculation have prevented the islands from receiving the full benefits of the program, a problem which FCC has acknowledged.
The filing, according to local officials, calls upon FCC to conduct a proceeding to explore ways that will improve access to funding for health care providers in the Commonwealth and other insular areas in the Pacific.
In 1997 the commission had promised to further examine the issue.
