Commissioner Robert McDowell said the FCC appears to be moving...

Center Summit in Charlottesville, Va. The FCC approved last year the start of USF distribution reform and an order on the Lifeline program in January. But other work remains to be done, McDowell said. “I understand that some of you have been anxiously waiting for the FCC to move forward on finalizing our efforts to reform the rural healthcare program,” he said. “So have I. As part of the implementation of that plan, the commission has already reformed some of the other USF programs on a piecemeal basis.” McDowell said that in a “perfect world” the agency would have taken on all USF spending programs at the same time, while also completing contribution reform. “Consistent with my long-standing advocacy for truly comprehensive reform, I will continue to press the commission to complete all of its reform efforts, including reform of the rural healthcare program, as quickly as possible,” he said. McDowell said he saw the importance of telehealth during a trip to Alaska during his first year as a commissioner. “The most memorable portions of the trip were the health clinics,” he said. “There I could see how medical images from the most remote corners of Alaska were transmitted to specialists in Anchorage. I learned how using telehealth technology can actually save money because, in many instances, having that technology close at hand means the patient can avoid flying hundreds of miles to a hospital.” McDowell noted that while the FCC created the healthcare program in 2007, it asked for comments on possible changes in 2010. “The commission has not only garnered valuable information from those who commented but also has learned a tremendous amount from participants in the pilot program,” he said. “All of this information will be incredibly valuable as the commission moves to the next step in the reform process."