Bipartisan legislation would help provide broadband access for skilled nursing facilities
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dave Loebsack announced today that he will be visiting skilled nursing facilities across Iowa to discuss his new legislation, H.R. 4111, the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act. This legislation will make skilled nursing facilities eligible to receive funds through the Universal Service Fund’s Rural Healthcare Program. This is a $400 million program that provides discounts for telecommunications services so that rural healthcare providers pay comparable rates to their urban counterparts, and helps expand healthcare provider access to broadband services. The bipartisan legislation, cosponsored by Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), recently passed both the House and Senate and is awaiting the President’s signature to become law.