Eligible Health Care Providers (HCPs)

Applicants to the program must be rural and public or non-profit health care providers of the types listed below.

1. Post-secondary educational institutions offering health care instruction, teaching hospitals or medical schools
2. Community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants
3. Local health departments or agencies including dedicated emergency departments of rural for-profit hospitals
4. Community mental health centers
5. Not-for-profit hospitals
6. Rural health clinics including mobile clinics
7. Consortia of HCPs consisting of one or more of the above entities
8. Part-time eligible entities located in otherwise ineligible facilities.

If you are not clearly one of these entities, please contact the Customer Service Support Center for assistance in determining eligibility.

Examples of Non-Eligible HCPs

Non-eligible HCPs include any for-profit institutions (except as noted above) facilities located in urban areas, or any health care provider types not listed above. Examples of non-eligible facilities include:

• Private physician offices or clinics
• Nursing homes or other long-term care facilities (i.e. assisted living facilities)
• Residential substance abuse treatment facilities
• Hospices
• Emergency medical service facilities (i.e. rescue squads, ambulance services)
• For-profit hospitals
• Home health agencies
• Blood banks
• Social service agencies
• Community centers, vocational rehabilitation centers, youth centers

Special Eligibility for Internet Access via Toll Charges

Not-for-profit HCPs located in a rural or an urban area may qualify for toll charge (long distance) support, if that is required to reach the nearest Internet Service Provider.

In this case, the HCP may receive the lesser of 30 hours or $180.00 per month for the toll charge support.

Note that this provision is distinct from the provision to pay 25% of the monthly cost of Internet access for all eligible rural HCP’s.