Kansas Hospitals, Clinics and Healthcare Providers Soon Eligible for 65% Federal Subsidy When Connecting to KanREN for Wide-Area Networking and Broadband Connectivity

The FCC and Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) have announced a new $400 million a year initiative to encourage the use of broadband telecommunications technology “to support modern telemedicine, which will link urban centers to rural clinics with instant access to health records,” according to a news release.

The fund will specifically:

• • Support broadband connectivity and broadband networks for healthcare providers.
  • Encourage formation of state and regional health care consortia to save costs and expand access to health care.
  • Provide a 65% discount on broadband services, equipment, connections to Research and Education Networks, and HCP-constructed and owned facilities (if shown to be the most cost-effective connectivity option), while requiring 35% HCP contribution.

The FCC will begin accepting applications for the Healthcare Connect Fund beginning in late summer of 2013.

To find out how your organization can save 65% on its broadband connectivity costs by connecting to Kansas’ only Research and Education Network, contact us today at info@kanren.net or by telephone at 785-856-9800.

Source:

http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2012/db1212/DOC-317912A1.pdf