ILE 0 - Oklahoma Corporation Commission

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BEFORE THE CORPORATION COMMISSION OF OKLAFA MAR 27 2014
APPLICATION OF WINDSTREAM
NUVOX OKLAHOMA, INC., FOR
FUNDING FROM THE OKLAHOMA
UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND.
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COURT CLERK'S OFFICE - 0KG
##umrDATlON COMMISSION
OF OKLAHOMA
CAUSE NO. PUD 201300230
NOTIFICATION OF RECOMMENDATION BY ADMINISTRATOR FOR
REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE OKLAHOMA UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND
FOR FUNDING HOLDENVILLE HOSPITAL
FUNDING REQUEST
On December 27, 2013, Windstream NuVox Oklahoma, Inc. (NuVox), requested a
lump sum reimbursement in the amount of $143,200.31 covering the period March
2012 through November 2013 and monthly recurring support payments of $8,778.90
as of December 1, 2013 going forward, from the Oklahoma Universal Service Fund
(OUSF), for Special Universal Service provided to Holdenville Hospital
(Holdenville) located at 100 McDougal Drive, Holdenville, Oklahoma, for One (1)
telemedicine access line.
PUD ANALYSIS
The Public Utility Division (PUD) analyst in this Cause was Paul Newmark, the
Senior Technical Analyst was Marci White and the OUSF Controller was Chris
Herbison.
Pursuant to 17 O.S. § 139.109(C)(2) and OAC 165:59-7-6(b), eligible healthcare
entities are entitled to: "One telecommunications line or wireless connection, free of
charge, sufficient for providing such telemedicine, clinical, and health consultation
services as the entity is equipped to provide."
The Holdenville Hospital is a not-for-profit hospital, as defined in OAC 165:59-1-4.
NuVox provides telemedicine access to Holdenville utilizing a 45Mbps circuit.
Bridget Cosby, CEO of Holdenville, certified that she has the authority to make a
request for service on behalf of Holdenville.
PUD performed a thorough review of the Application, invoices, applicable contracts,
responses to data requests, and the Universal Service Administrative Company
(USAC) website for verification of Holdenville's eligibility for federal Rural Healthcare
(RHC) Program funding. Pursuant to OAC 165:59-7-17, PUD also confirmed that
credits had been given on the bills equal to or more than the recommended OUSF
funding. Additionally, PUD prepared an Excel spreadsheet for the service provided,
calculating PUD's recommended OUSF funding for each month requested. The
spreadsheet is shown on Page 4.
Notification of Recommendation
PUD 201300230
Page 2 of 4
PUD communicated, by phone, with Holdenville Hospital and data requests were
used to determine the telemedicine services provided and the equipment utilized by
Holdenville. The facility uses a 45Mbps telemedicine line provided by NuVox for
behavioral service evaluations, teleradiology, emergency room evaluations and
computed tomography (CT) scanning. Holdenville also has electronic medical
records (EMR5) and a picture archiving and communication system (PACS). The
facility is averaging peak usage of 60% to 70% of bandwidth.
A portion of NuVox's request falls outside of the 18 month reimbursement rule, OAC
165:59-3-62(m). Good cause was not provided in this case; therefore, amounts that
were requested prior to June, 2012, were not considered for reimbursement. The
Install charges, however, were allowable and are recommended for reimbursement.
Based on the telemedicine equipment, the service applications employed by
Holdenville, as well as federal broadband guidelines', PUD recommends that the
current bandwidth of 45Mbps remain unchanged.
PUD RECOMMENDATION
PUD recommends approval of a lump sum reimbursement in the amount of
$119,082.00 for the period June, 2012, through November, 2013. PUD also
recommends a monthly recurring amount of $6,560.18 beginning December, 2013,
for ongoing Special Universal Services.
This represents a difference of $24,118.31 from the lump sum amount NuVox
requested and the amount PUD recommended. The difference is comprised of
$15,243.43 in denied charges from March, 2012 through May, 2012 and the
assumption of continued RHC funding for fiscal year 2013 of $8,874.88 ($2,218.72 x
4 months). The monthly difference between recommended and requested amounts
is the RHC funding, $2,218.72.
Special Universal Services
PUD recommends that Holdenville continue to pursue funding through the federal
Rural Healthcare Program and ongoing monthly recurring charges be adjusted, as
necessary, based on funding approved by the USAC.
PUD recommends that the OUSF Administrator be notified, in writing, of any
changes to the provisioning of service, including disconnection of service and
upgrade and/or downgrade in connectivity speed.
PUD recommends NuVox file monthly true-up reports with the OUSF Fund Manager
regarding the ongoing services approved by the Commission in order to receive
1
http://www.broadband.gov/plan/10-healthcare f
Notification of Recommendation
PUD 201300230
Page 3 of 4
timely reimbursement. Any subsequent payments will only be made upon the
submission of a monthly true-up report. True-up reports will only be processed if
they are received in the form and content prescribed by the Commission.
PUD recommends that Holdenvifle annually recertify, no later than February 1, for
the purpose of determining their continued eligibility.
Pursuant to OAC 165:59-3-62(g), any adversely affected party shall have fifteen (15)
days from March 27, 2014, to file a request for reconsideration by the Commission
of the determination made by the OUSF Administrator. Upon a request for
reconsideration, the matter will be set for a hearing before the Commission. If no
request for reconsideration is made, the Commission shall issue an order approving
the disbursement no later than thirty (30) days from March 27, 2014.
PUD 201300230
NuVox
Holdenville Hospital
Notice of Recommendation
PUD 201300230
Month
Install
Jun-12
Jul-12
Aug-12
Sep-12
Oct-12
Nov-12
Dec-12
Jan-13
Feb-13
Invoice
$1,007.00
$8,920.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
Mar-13
$8,922.85
Page 4 of 4
$17.99
$19.99
$19.99
$19.99
$19.99
$19.99
$19.99
$19.99
$19.99
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
OUSF eligible
& NuVox
"internet"
$1,007.00
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$19.99
$22.98
$100.98
$8,778.90
Additional email
package
Webhosting Email package
RHC
$2,226.96
$2,218.72
$2,218.72
$2,218.72
$2,218.72
$2,218.72
$2,218.72
$2,218.72
$2,218.72
$2,218.72
PUD Rec. NuVox request Difference
$1,007.00
$1,007.00
$0.00
$6,551.94'
$6,551.94
$0.00
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$0.00
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$000
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$0.00
r
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$000
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$0.00
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$0.00
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$0.00
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$0.00
$6,560.18
r
$6,560.18
$0.00
Apr-13
May-13
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$19.99
$19.99
$22.98
$22.98
$100.98
$100.98
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$2,218.72
$2 218.72
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$6,560.18'
6 560 18
$0.01.
$0.0 0
Jun-13
$8,922.85
$19.99
$22.98
$100.98
$8,778.90
$2,218.72
$6,560.18
$6,560.18
$0.00
Jul-13
Aug-13:
Sep-i 3
Oct-1 3
Nov-13
Total
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$8,922.85
$161,616.30
$19.99
$19.99
$19.99!
$19.99
$19.99
$357.82
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$22.98
$413.64
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$100.98
$1,817.64
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$8,778.90
$159,027.20
*Assume continuation of RHC for FY 2013
$2,218.72
$6,560.18
$2,218.72
$6,560.18
$2,218.72
$6,560.18
$2,218.72
$6,560.18
$2,218.72
$6,560.18
$39,945.20' $119,082.00
(NuVox Install was prior to 18 month cutoff but reimbursable Plus 3/12-5/12
the Install above is not included in the column total)
Total request
Administrator Recommendation
PUDRec
Difference
PUD
NuVox
Recommended;Requested
Lump Sum
Monthly Recu ring
$119,082.00
$143,200.31
Difference
-$24,118.31
$6,560.18 1
$8,778.90
-$2,218.72
,
$6,560.18
$0.00
$8,778.90 -$2,218.72
$8,778.90 -$2,218.72
$8,778.90 -$2,218.72
$8,778.90 -$2,218.72
$126,949.88 -$8,874.88
$16,250.43
$143.200.31
$11908200
!-$24,118.31
Cause No. PUD 201300230
Certificate of Electronic Service
CERTIFICATE OF ELECTRONIC SERVICE
ay of March, 2014, a true and
I, the undersigned, do hereby certify that on the
correct copy of the above and foregoing was sent electronically, addressed to the following:
William L. Humes
Nicole King
Jerry Sanger
Office of Attorney General
313 NE 21st Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
bill.humes(oag.ok.gov
nicole.king(oag.ok. gov
jerry. sanger(oag.ok. gov
ho1ly.hampton(oag. ok. gov
Cody B. Waddell, Attorney
19 N. E. 50th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
[email protected]
~
JA~4j
Rochelle Brooks

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