The Federal Register

Medicare Program; E-Prescribing and the Prescription Drug Program; Correction

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule published in the Federal Register on November 7, 2005, entitled ``Medicare Program; EPrescribing and the Prescription Drug Program.''

Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Reporting Outcome and Assessment Information Set Data as Part of the Conditions of

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

This final rule makes revisions in response to public comments received on the January 25, 1999 interim final rule with comment period (64 FR 3748). The interim final rule requires electronic reporting of data from the Outcome and Assessment Information Set as a Condition of Participation for home health agencies.

Medicare Program; Hospice Wage Index for Fiscal Year 2006

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule published in the Federal Register on August 4, 2005, entitled ``Hospice Wage Index for Fiscal Year 2006.''

Medicare Program; Changes to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Calendar Year 2006 Payment Rates;

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on November 10, 2005 entitled ``Changes to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Calendar Year 2006 Payment Rates; Final Rule.''

New Animal Drugs; Moxidectin

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the animal drug regulations to reflect approval of a new animal drug application (NADA) filed by Fort Dodge Animal Health, Division of Wyeth. The NADA provides for oral use of moxidectin solution in sheep for the treatment and control of a variety of internal parasites.

Medicare Program; Establishment of the Medicare Advantage Program

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2005 entitled ``Establishment of the Medicare Advantage Program.''

Food Labeling: Health Claims; Soluble Dietary Fiber From Certain Foods and Coronary Heart Disease

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the regulation authorizing a health claim on the relationship between oat betaglucan soluble fiber and reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). The amendment adds barley as an additional eligible source of betaglucan soluble fiber. We (FDA) are taking this action in response to a petition that the National Barley Foods Council submitted. We have concluded, based on the totality of publicly available scientific evidence that, in addition to certain oat products, whole grain barley and certain dry milled barley grain products are appropriate sources of betaglucan soluble fiber for the health claim.

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Medical Device Reporting:

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on Medical Device Reporting: Manufacturer Reporting, Importer Reporting, User Facility Reporting, and Distributor Reporting.

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Quarterly Listing of Program Issuances--July Through September 2005

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

This notice lists CMS manual instructions, substantive and interpretive regulations, and other Federal Register notices that were published from July 2005 through September 2005, relating to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. This notice provides information on national coverage determinations (NCDs) affecting specific medical and health care services under Medicare. Additionally, this notice identifies certain devices with investigational device exemption (IDE) numbers approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that potentially may be covered under Medicare. This notice also includes listings of all approval numbers from the Office of Management and Budget for collections of information in CMS regulations. Finally, this notice includes a list of Medicareapproved carotid stent facilities.

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, f

Medicare Program: Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Groups--March 1, 2, and 3,

Fri, Dec 23 2005 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 Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Panel (the Panel) for 2006.

The purpose of the Panel is to review the APC groups and their associated weights and to advise the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning the clinical integrity of the APC groups and their associated weights. The advice provided by the Panel will be considered as CMS prepares its annual updates of the hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) through rulemaking.

Medicare Program; Town Hall Meeting on the Fiscal Year 2007 Applications for New Medical Services and Technologies

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

This notice, in accordance with section 1886(d)(5)(K)(viii) of the Social Security Act (the Act), announces a Town Hall meeting to discuss fiscal year (FY) 2007 applications for addon payments for new medical services and technologies under the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS). Interested parties are invited to this meeting to present their individual comments, recommendations, and data regarding whether the FY 2007 new medical services and technologies applications meet the substantial clinical improvement criteria.

Consolidated Health Informatics (CHI) Initiative; Health Care and Vocabulary Standards for Use in Federal Health

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

This notice identifies the 20 messaging and vocabulary standards adopted for use in Federal government health information technology systems. The first set of 5 standards was adopted on March 21, 2003. The second set of 15 standards was adopted on May 6, 2004, thus completing the initial portfolio of
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the Consolidated Health Informatics (CHI) initiative.

Medicare Program; Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education, January 26, 2006

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2, section 10(a) (Pub. L. 92463), this notice announces a meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the Panel) on January 26, 2006. The Panel advises and makes recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of consumer education strategies concerning the Medicare program. This meeting is open to the public.

Simplification of the Grant Appeals Process

Fri, Dec 23 2005 11:00:00 GMT

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is amending regulations to remove the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) from the list of agencies which require grantees to utilize an informal appeals procedure for grant related disputes subject to the departmental appeal procedures. In doing so, HRSA will simplify the appeals procedure for aggrieved HRSA grantees by permitting them direct access to the Departmental Grant Appeals Board.