Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 44006-44007 [2011-18490]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 141 (Friday, July 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44006-44007]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18490]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. Comments are 
requested concerning:
    (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including 
whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy 
of the Commission's burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology; and (e) ways to further reduce the information 
collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 
employees.
    The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. No person 
shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection 
of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does 
not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be 
submitted on or before September 20, 2011. If you anticipate that you 
will be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within 
the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC 
contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to the Federal Communications 
Commission. To submit your PRA comments by e-mail send them to: 
PRA@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, contact 
Judith B. Herman at 202-418-0214 or via the Internet at Judith-b.Herman@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0804.
    Title: Universal Service--Rural Health Care Program/Rural Health 
Care Pilot Program.
    Form Nos.: FCC Forms 465, 466, 466-A and 467.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions, and state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 6,500 respondents; 48,895 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: .10 hours to 20 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, one time, quarterly, monthly, 
and annual reporting requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third 
party disclosure requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. sections 151-154(i), 154(j), 201-205, 214, 254, and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 57,796 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not 
requesting that the respondents submit confidential information to the 
FCC. However respondents may request materials or information submitted 
to the Commission be withheld from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 
of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (hereinafter 
referred to as the Commission or FCC) seeks Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approval of a revision (change in reporting, 
recordkeeping, and/or third party disclosure requirements) of this 
information collection (IC) previously approved by OMB under this OMB 
Control Number 3060-0804. The purpose of the revision is to seek 
approval for eight templates, samples, and spreadsheets provided to 
program participants to facilitate the reporting record keeping and/or 
third party disclosure requirements under this collection. We have 
attached the eight items to this statement. These attachments include 
the following: (1) Attachment 1--Community Mental Health Center 
Verification Template; (2) Attachment 2--Invoice Template; (3) 
Attachment 3-FCC Form 465 Attachment Spreadsheet; (4) Attachment 4--
Letter of Agency Template; (5) Attachment 5--Transfer of Letter of 
Agency; (6) Attachment 6--Network Cost Worksheet; (7) Attachment 7--
Certification of Program Participant Template; and (8) Attachment 8--
Vendor Certification Template.
    In the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act), Congress 
specifically sought to provide rural health care providers with ``an 
affordable rate for the services necessary for the provision of 
telemedicine and instruction relating to such services.'' In 1997, the 
Commission implemented this statutory directive by adopting the current 
Rural Health Care support mechanism, which is administered by the 
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). Since 1997, the 
Commission has made various modifications to the rural health care 
support mechanism. The Commission also revised its rules to expand 
funding for mobile rural health care services by subsidizing the 
difference between the rate for satellite service and the rate for an 
urban wireline service with a similar bandwidth. In addition, the 
Commission improved its administrative process by establishing a fixed 
deadline for applications for support. On reconsideration, the 
Commission permitted Rural health care providers in states that are 
entirely rural to receive support for advanced telecommunications and 
information services.
    All RHC providers applying for discounts on eligible 
telecommunications and information services must file FCC Forms 465, 
466 and/or 466-A, and 467. These forms and instructions were revised as 
a result of the Rural Health Care Second Report and Order, which 
required rural health care providers seeking discounts for mobile 
telecommunications services to submit various type(s) of information as 
detailed below (paragraphs A.1.(o). through A.1.(u). The forms were 
further modified in Month, 2009 in order to update the funding years 
and other minor administrative changes.
    Despite the changes, the rural health care support mechanism had 
not fully achieved the benefits intended by the statute and the 
Commission. Generally, less than 10 percent of authorized funds were 
distributed each year.
    In response to the underutilization of the rural health care 
support mechanism, the Commission released the 2006 Pilot Program 
Order, which established a Pilot Program to assist public and non-
profit health care providers build state and region-wide broadband 
networks dedicated to the provision of health care services and connect 
those networks to a dedicated nationwide backbone. The construction of 
such networks will bring the benefits of innovative telehealth, and 
particularly, telemedicine services to those areas of the country where 
the

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need for those benefits is most acute. By connecting to a dedicated 
national backbone, health care providers at the state and local levels 
will have the opportunity to benefit from advanced applications in 
continuing education and research. In addition, a ubiquitous nationwide 
broadband network dedicated to health care will enhance the health care 
community's ability to provide a rapid and coordinated response in the 
event of a public health crisis.
    Participants in the Pilot Program are eligible to receive funding 
for up to 85 percent of the costs associated with: (1) The construction 
of a state or regional broadband network and the advanced 
telecommunications and information services provided over that network; 
(2) connecting nationwide backbones, Internet2 or National LambdaRail; 
and (3) connecting to the public Internet.
    The Pilot Program lays the foundation for a future rulemaking 
proceeding that will explore permanent rules to enhance access to 
advanced services for public and non-profit health care providers. In 
particular, one of the goals of the Pilot Program is to provide the 
Commission with useful information as to the feasibility of revising 
the Commission's current rural health care mechanism rules in a manner 
that best achieves the objectives set forth by Congress. If successful, 
increasing broadband connectivity among health care providers at the 
national, state and local levels would also provide vital links for 
disaster preparedness and emergency response and would likely 
facilitate the President's goal of implementing electronic medical 
records nationwide.
    In response to the Pilot Program, the Commission received 81 
applications representing approximately 6,800 health care facilities 
from 43 states and three United States territories. In the Pilot 
Program Selection Order, the Commission selected 69 of the applicants 
that demonstrated the overall qualification consistent with the goals 
of the Pilot Program. As a result of the merger of certain projects, 
there are currently 62 participants in the Pilot Program. To minimize 
the burden on Pilot Program participants and to streamline the process, 
the Commission requires Pilot Program participants to follow the normal 
procedures and currently approved information collection requirements 
for participants in the existing rural health care support mechanism 
program. In the 2011 Pilot Program Extension Order, on delegated 
authority, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) extended by one 
year, to June 30, 2012, the deadline for participants in the Pilot 
Program to choose a vendor and request funding commitments from USAC. 
The Bureau also extended by one year the invoice deadline date for 
Pilot Program participants.
    Under the current programs, to obtain discounted telecommunications 
services, entities seeking funding must file FCC Forms 465, 466 and/or 
466-A, and 467. First, eligible entities file FCC Form 465 with USAC to 
make a bona fide request for supported services. Next, after a 28-day 
waiting period, an entity seeking funding submits FCC Form 466 and/or 
466-A to indicate the type(s) and cost(s) of services ordered, 
information about the service provider, and the terms of the service 
agreement. Eligible entities must also certify on the FCC Forms 466 and 
466-A that the entity has selected the most cost-effective method of 
providing the selected service(s). The final form eligible entities 
submit is FCC Form 467, which is used by the entity to notify USAC that 
the service provider has begun providing supported services.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-18490 Filed 7-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P