The Federal Register

Health Resources and Services Administration Rapid Expansion of Antiretroviral Therapy Programs for HIV-Infected

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

A notice announcing the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2004 funds for a cooperative agreement to rapidly expand ART for lowincome HIV infected persons in selected countries in Africa and the Caribbean under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief was published in the Federal Register on December 1, 2003, Volume 68, Number 230, pages 6718667192. The notice is amended as follows: On page 67188, Column 1, Section ``III.1. Eligible Applicants,'' please insert the following between the first and second paragraphs:

The intent of this solicitation to support organizations that can rapidly implement ARV programs in three or more countries in which each applicant already has an operational presence. Although applications that consist of partnerships or consortia (of organizations that individually do not meet the eligibility criteria) that were formed specifically for the purpose of responding to this RFA would technically meet the eligibility requirements, the duration of the experience

Public Health Conference Support Cooperative Agreement Program for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

Announcement Type: New.

Funding Opportunity Number: 04039.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.941.

Key Dates:

Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: For conferences between the dates of April 1, 2004 to September 30, 2004, submit LOI on or before January 19, 2004.

Application Deadline: March 3, 2004.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority: This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act, section 301(a), 42 U.S.C. 241(a), as amended and [[Page 74585]]

section 317(a), 42 U.S.C. 247b(a), as amended.

Purpose: The purpose of this program is to provide partial support for specific nonfederal conferences in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention information/education programs. Conference support by CDC creates the appearance of CDC cosponsorship; therefore, CDC will actively participate in the development and approval of those portions of the agenda supported by CDC funds. In addition, CDC reserves the right to approve or reject th

Citizens Advisory Committee on Public Health Service Activities and Research at Department of Energy (DOE) Sites:

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92463), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announce the following meeting.

Name: Citizens Advisory Committee on Public Health Service Activities and Research at Department of Energy (DOE) Sites: Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory Health Effects Subcommittee (INEELHES).

Times and Dates: 1 p.m.4:45 p.m., January 21, 2004. 8 a.m.4:30 p.m., January 22, 2004.

Place: The Hilton Garden Inn, 145 East Riverside Drive, Eagle, Idaho 83616, telephone 2089389600, fax 2089385200.

Status: Open to the public, limited only by the space available. The meeting room accommodates approximately 50 people.

Background: Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in December 1990 with DOE, and replaced by MOUs signed in 1996 and 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was given the responsibil

Medicare Program; Rural Health Clinics: Amendments to Participation Requirements and Payment Provisions; and

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

This final rule amends Medicare certification and payment requirements for rural health clinics (RHCs) as required by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA). It changes the definition of a qualifying rural shortage area in which a Medicare RHC must be located; establishes criteria for identifying RHCs essential to delivery of primary care services that we can continue to approve as Medicare RHCs in areas no longer designated as medically underserved; and limits waivers of certain nonphysician practitioner staffing requirements. This final rule imposes payment limits on providerbased RHCs and prohibits ``commingling'' (the use of the space, professional staff, equipment, and other resources) of an RHC with another entity. The rule also requires RHCs to establish a quality assessment and performance improvement program that goes beyond current regulations. Finally, this final rule addresses public comments received on the February 28, 2002 proposed rule and makes other revisions for clarity and un

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Physicians' Referrals to Health Care Entities With Which They Have Financial

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

This final rule further delays for 6 months, until July 7, 2004, the effective date of the last sentence of 42 CFR 411.354(d)(1). This section was promulgated in the final rule entitled ``Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Physicians' Referrals to Health Care Entities With Which They Have Financial Relationships,'' published in the Federal Register on January 4, 2001. A 1year delay of the effective date of the last sentence in this section was published in the Federal Register on December 3, 2001. A 6month delay, until July 7, 2003, was published in the Federal Register on November 22, 2002. An additional 6month delay, until January 7, 2004, was published on April 25, 2003. This further extension of the delay in the effective date of that sentence will give us additional time to reconsider the definition of compensation that is ``set in advance'' as it relates to percentage compensation methodologies in order to avoid unnecessarily disrupting existing contractual arrangements for physician service

Medicare Program; Procedures for Maintaining Code Lists in the Negotiated National Coverage Determinations for

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

This proposed notice would establish the procedures for maintaining the lists of codes that were included in the national coverage determinations (NCDs) that were announced in the final rule published in the Federal Register on November 23, 2001 (66 FR 58788). It also sets forth the circumstances in which a laboratory is permitted to use the date the specimen was retrieved from storage for testing as the date of service instead of the date of collection. The proposed notice clarifies the meaning of the ``date of collection.'' In this proposed notice, we propose a standard time frame that would define when a specimen has been ``archived'' for undetermined later use.

Medicare Program; Criteria and Standards for Evaluating Intermediary, Carrier, and Durable Medical Equipment,

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

This notice describes the criteria and standards to be used for evaluating the performance of fiscal intermediaries, carriers, and Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) regional carriers in the administration of the Medicare program beginning on the first day of the first month following publication of this notice in the Federal Register. The results of these evaluations are considered whenever we enter into, renew, or terminate an intermediary agreement, carrier contract, or DMEPOS regional carrier contract or take other contract actions, for example, assigning or reassigning providers or services to an intermediary or designating regional or national intermediaries. We are requesting public comment on these criteria and standards.

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Quarterly Listing of Program Issuances--July 2003 Through September 2003

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

This notice lists CMS manual instructions, substantive and interpretive regulations, and other Federal Register notices that were published from July 2003 through September 2003, relating to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. This notice provides information on national coverage determinations affecting specific medical and health care services under Medicare. Additionally, this notice identifies certain devices with investigational device exemption numbers approved by the Food and Drug Administration that potentially may be covered under Medicare. Finally, this notice also includes listings of all approval numbers from the Office of Management and Budget for collections of information in CMS regulations.

Section 1871(c) of the Social Security Act requires that we publish a list of Medicare issuances in the Federal Register at least every 3 months. Although we are not mandated to do so by statute, for the sake of completeness of the listing, and to foster more open and transparent collabor

Medicare Program; Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification Groups--February 18, 19, and 20,

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

In accordance with section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), this notice announces the first biannual meeting of the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Groups (the Panel) for 2004.

The purpose of the Panel is to review the APC groups and their associated weights and to advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (the Administrator) concerning the clinical integrity of the APC groups and their associated weights. The Secretary and Administrator consider the Panel's advice as CMS prepares its annual updates of the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) through rulemaking.

Medicare Program; Town Hall Meeting in Calendar Year 2004 for Ambulance Condition Codes

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

This notice announces a town hall meeting to provide a forum for all interested individuals to discuss and/or submit written comments on the establishment and implementation of Ambulance Condition Codes. Ambulance Condition Codes would be included in Chapter 15 of the CMS Manual System. Development of new ICD9CM codes for those Ambulance Condition Codes that do not currently have a satisfactory corresponding ICD9CM code will be a separate process that the ambulance industry must address with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

Grants for Coordinated HIV Services and Research for Women, Infants, Children, and Youth

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

In notice document FR Doc. 03-22427, Vol. 68, No. 171, Thursday, September 4, 2003, make the correction:

On page 52658, in the third column under ``Limited Competition:'' Correct the areas of limited competition to add: LABaton Rouge.

Dated: December 17, 2003.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 0331771 Filed 122303; 8:45 am]
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National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps; Notice of Meeting

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92463), notice is hereby given of the following Federal advisory committee meeting. The meeting will be open to the public.

Name: National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps.

Date and Time: March 18, 2004; 5 p.m.7 p.m.; March 19, 2004; 8:30 a.m.5 p.m.; March 20, 2004; 9 a.m.5:30 p.m.; March 21, 2004; 8 a.m. 10:30 a.m.

Place: Embassy Suites Hotel Raleigh/Crabtree, 4700 Creedmoor Road, Raleigh, NC 27612, 9198810000.

Agenda: The Council will be meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, to focus on rural implementation issues of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). Members will meet with local scholars, loan repayers and program alumni. State Officials will also address council, including communities which have used NHSC services.

Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry; Notice of Meeting

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92463), notice is hereby given of the following meeting:

Name: Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry.

Date and Time: February 12, 2004, 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. and February 13, 2004, 8 a.m.2 p.m.

Place: The Holiday Inn Select, 8120 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.

Status: The meeting will be open to the public.

Purpose: The Advisory Committee provides advice and recommendations on a broad range of issues dealing with programs and activities authorized under section 747 of the Public Health Service Act as amended by The Health Professions Education Partnership Act of 1998, Public Law 105392. At this meeting the Advisory Committee will work on its fourth report which will be submitted to Congress and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in November 2004. The fourth report focuses on the role of primary care in health care delive

Notice of Filing of Annual Report of Federal Advisory Committee

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to section 13 of Public Law 92463, the fiscal year 2003 annual report for the following Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal advisory committee has been
[[Page 74624]]
filed with the Library of Congress: Health Professions and Nurse Education Special Emphasis Panel.

Copies are available to the public for inspection at the Library of Congress, Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room in the James Madison Memorial Building, Room LM133 (entrance on Independence Avenue, between First and Second Streets, SE., Washington, DC).

Copies may be obtained from: Ms. Wilma Johnson, Deputy Director, Division of Independent Review, Office of Management and Program Support, HRSA, Parklawn Building, Room 11A22, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone (301) 4433019.

Dated: December 19, 2003.
Tina M. Cheatham,
Acting Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination. [FR Doc. 0331772 Filed 122303; 8:45 am]
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Notice of Filing of Annual Report of Federal Advisory Committee

Wed, Dec 24 2003 11:00:00 GMT

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to section 13 of Public Law 92463, the fiscal year 2003 annual report for the following Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal advisory committee has been filed with the Library of Congress: Maternal and Child Health Research Grants Review Committee.

Copies may be obtained from: Ms. Stella M. Yu, Division of Research, Training and Education, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA, Parklawn Building, Room 18A55, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone 3014432340.

Dated: December 19, 2003.
Tina M. Cheatham,
Acting Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination. [FR Doc. 0331773 Filed 122303; 8:45 am]
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