Bill looks to allow skilled nursing facilities to apply for broadband funding

A bill introduced in the Senate would allow nursing facilities to apply for a program that funds broadband services for healthcare in rural communities.

The bill, S. 1916, the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015, was introduced by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and amends the Communications Act in regard to applications to the Universal Service Fund’s Rural Health Care Program (RHCP), according to an announcement.

Currently, skilled nursing facilities are not included on the list of providers eligible to receive support from RHCP.”This common-sense bill would support and improve the healthcare services that skilled nursing facilities can provide to our rural communities by allowing them access to much-needed funds that are currently out of reach,” Thune says. “My legislation achieves this goal without raising the existing cap on the Universal Service Fund.”

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