Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating reverse link scheduling in a CDMA 2000 communication system (FIG. 1, 10) that provides for high data rate communication services, such as 1xEV-DV communication services. Power control bits (FIG. 1, 46) used to perform power control on the reverse link are punctured with rate grant control bits and HARQ indications. A power control bit puncturer (FIG. 1, 48) punctures the power control bits with the rate grant control bits and HARQ indications. Physical layer signaling is thereby provided without the need to define additional control channels operations.