Bill To Make Skilled Nursing Facilities Eligible for FCC Rural Health Care Program Advances in U.S. Senate

Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill (S 1916) that would make skilled nursing facilities eligible for the Federal Communications Commission's Rural Health Care Program, allowing them to apply for funding for broadband services. The Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015, introduced by Sen. John Thune (R-S.C.), would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to include SNFs in the list of providers eligible to receive financial assistance through RHCP.

• "Senate Panel Advances Broadband Access for Skilled Nursing" (Slabodkin, Health Data Management, 11/20).