Sec. 54.609   Calculating support.

    (a) Except with regard to services provided under Sec. 54.621 and 
subject to the limitations set forth in this Subpart, the amount of 
universal service support for an eligible service provided to a rural 
health care provider shall be the difference, if any, between the urban 
rate and the rural rate charged for the service, as defined herein.
    (b) Except with regard to services provided under Sec. 54.621, a 
telecommunications carrier that provides telecommunications service to a 
rural health care provider participating in an eligible health care 
consortium must establish the applicable rural rate for the health care 
provider's portion of the shared telecommunications services, as well as 
the applicable urban rate. Absent documentation justifying the amount of 
universal service support requested for health care providers 
participating in a consortium, the Rural Health Care Corporation shall 
not allow telecommunications carriers to offset, or receive 
reimbursement for, the amount eligible for universal service support.

[ 62 FR 32948 , June 17, 1997, as amended at  62 FR 41305 , Aug. 1, 1997]