47 CFR § 54.600 - Terms and definitions.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t47/s54.600"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "47 CFR § 54.600 - Terms and definitions."
title_number: 47
title_name: "Telecommunication"
section_number: "54.600"
section_name: "Terms and definitions."
chapter_name: "FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "COMMON CARRIER SERVICES"
part_number: "54"
part_name: "UNIVERSAL SERVICE"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 155, 201, 205, 214, 219, 220, 229, 254, 303(r), 403, 1004, 1302, 1601-1609, and 1752, unless otherwise noted."
regulatory_source: "62 FR 32948, June 17, 1997, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "54"
---
# 54.600 Terms and definitions.
As used in this subpart, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
(a) *Funding year.* A “funding year” for purposes of the funding cap shall be the period between July 1 of the current calendar year through June 30 of the next calendar year.
(b) *Health care provider.* A “health care provider” is any:
(1) Post-secondary educational institution offering health care instruction, including a teaching hospital or medical school;
(2) Community health center or health center providing health care to migrants;
(3) Local health department or agency;
(4) Community mental health center;
(5) Not-for-profit hospital;
(6) Rural health clinic;
(7) Skilled nursing facility (as defined in section 395i-3(a) of Title 42); or a
(8) Consortium of health care providers consisting of one or more entities described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) in this section.
(c) *Off-site administrative office.* An “off-site administrative office” is a facility that does not provide hands-on delivery of patient care but performs administrative support functions that are critical to the provision of clinical care by eligible health care providers.
(d) *Off-site data center.* An “off-site data center” is a facility that serves as a centralized repository for the storage, management, and dissemination of an eligible health care provider's computer systems, associated components, and data, including (but not limited to) electronic health records.
(e) *Rural area.* A “rural area” is an area that is entirely outside of a Core Based Statistical Area; is within a Core Based Statistical Area that does not have any Urban Area with a population of 25,000 or greater; or is in a Core Based Statistical Area that contains an Urban Area with a population of 25,000 or greater, but is within a specific census tract that itself does not contain any part of a Place or Urban Area with a population of greater than 25,000. For purposes of this rule, “Core Based Statistical Area,” “Urban Area,” and “Place” are as identified by the Census Bureau.
(f) *Rural health care provider.* A “rural health care provider” is an eligible health care provider site located in a rural area.
(g) *Urbanized area.* An “urbanized area” is an area with 50,000 or more people as designated by the Census Bureau based on the most recent decennial Census.