81_FR_5484 81 FR 5463 - Medicare Program; Request for an Exception to the Prohibition on Expansion of Facility Capacity Under the Hospital Ownership and Rural Provider Exceptions to the Physician Self-Referral Prohibition

81 FR 5463 - Medicare Program; Request for an Exception to the Prohibition on Expansion of Facility Capacity Under the Hospital Ownership and Rural Provider Exceptions to the Physician Self-Referral Prohibition

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 21 (February 2, 2016)

Page Range5463-5465
FR Document2016-01830

The Social Security Act (the Act) prohibits a physician-owned hospital from expanding its facility capacity, unless the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) grants the hospital's request for an exception to that prohibition after considering input on the hospital's request from individuals and entities in the community where the hospital is located. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has received a request from a physician-owned hospital for an exception to the prohibition against expansion of facility capacity. This notice solicits comments on the request from individuals and entities in the community in which the physician-owned hospital is located. Community input may inform our determination regarding whether the requesting hospital qualifies for an exception to the prohibition against expansion of facility capacity.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 21 (Tuesday, February 2, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5463-5465]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01830]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1661-NC]


Medicare Program; Request for an Exception to the Prohibition on 
Expansion of Facility Capacity Under the Hospital Ownership and Rural 
Provider Exceptions to the Physician Self-Referral Prohibition

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice with request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Social Security Act (the Act) prohibits a physician-owned 
hospital from expanding its facility capacity, unless the Secretary of 
the Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) grants the 
hospital's request for an exception to that prohibition after 
considering input on the hospital's request from individuals and 
entities in the community where the hospital is located. The Centers 
for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has received a request from a 
physician-owned hospital for an exception to the prohibition against 
expansion of facility capacity. This notice solicits comments on the 
request from individuals and entities in the community in which the 
physician-owned hospital is located. Community input may inform our 
determination regarding whether the requesting hospital qualifies for 
an exception to the prohibition against expansion of facility capacity.

DATES: Comment Date: To be assured consideration, comments must be 
received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. 
on March 3, 2016.

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-1661-NC. 
Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by 
facsimile (FAX) transmission.
    You may submit comments in one of four ways (please choose only one 
of the ways listed):
    1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on this 
regulation to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the ``Submit a 
comment'' instructions.
    2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following 
address only: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of 
Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1661-NC, P.O. Box 8010, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-8010.
    Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received 
before the close of the comment period.
    3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments to 
the following address only: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1661-NC, Mail 
Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    4. By hand or courier. Alternatively, you may deliver (by hand or 
courier) your written comments only to the following addresses:
    a. For delivery in Washington, DC-- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Room 445-G, Hubert 
H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20201.
    (Because access to the interior of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building 
is not readily available to persons without Federal government 
identification, commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in 
the CMS drop slots located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-
in clock is available for persons wishing to retain a proof of filing 
by stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being 
filed.)
    b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD--Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services, Department of Health and Human Services, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    If you intend to deliver your comments to the Baltimore address, 
call telephone number (410) 786-9994 in advance to schedule your 
arrival with one of our staff members.
    Comments erroneously mailed to the addresses indicated as 
appropriate for hand or courier delivery may be delayed and received 
after the comment period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Inspection of Public Comments

    All comments received before the close of the comment period are 
available for viewing by the public, including any personally 
identifiable or confidential business information that is included in a 
comment. We post all comments received before the close of the comment 
period on the following Web site as soon as possible after they have 
been received: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the search 
instructions on that Web site to view public comments.
    We will allow stakeholders 30 days from the date of this notice to 
submit written comments. Comments received timely will be available for 
public inspection as they are received, generally beginning 
approximately 3 weeks after publication of this notice, at the 
headquarters of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday through Friday of 
each week from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment to view 
public comments, please phone 1-800-743-3951.

I. Background

    Section 1877 of the Social Security Act (the Act), also known as 
the physician self-referral law--(1) prohibits a physician from making 
referrals for certain ``designated health services'' (DHS) payable by 
Medicare to an entity with which he or she (or an immediate family 
member) has a financial relationship (ownership or compensation), 
unless the requirements of an applicable exception are satisfied; and 
(2) prohibits the entity from filing claims with Medicare (or billing 
another individual, entity, or third party payer) for those DHS 
furnished as a result of a prohibited referral.
    Section 1877(d)(2) of the Act provides an exception for physician 
ownership or investment interests in rural providers (the ``rural 
provider exception''). In order for an entity to qualify for the rural 
provider exception, the DHS must be furnished in a rural area (as 
defined in section 1886(d)(2) of the Act) and substantially all the DHS 
furnished by the entity must be furnished to individuals residing in a 
rural area.
    Section 1877(d)(3) of the Act provides an exception, known as the 
hospital ownership exception, for physician ownership or investment 
interests held in a hospital located outside of Puerto Rico, provided 
that the referring physician is authorized to perform services at the 
hospital and the ownership or investment interest is in the hospital 
itself (and not merely in a subdivision of the hospital).
    Section 6001(a)(3) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care 
Act (Pub. L. 111-148) as amended by the Health Care and Education 
Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152) (hereafter referred to 
together as ``the Affordable Care Act'') amended the rural provider and 
hospital ownership exceptions to the physician self-referral 
prohibition to impose additional restrictions on physician ownership 
and investment in hospitals and rural providers. Since March 23, 2010, 
a physician-owned hospital that seeks to

[[Page 5464]]

avail itself of either exception is prohibited from expanding facility 
capacity unless it qualifies as an ``applicable hospital'' or ``high 
Medicaid facility'' (as defined in sections 1877(i)(3)(E), (F) of the 
Act and 42 CFR 411.362(c)(2), (3) of our regulations) and has been 
granted an exception to the prohibition by the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary). Section 
1877(i)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act provides that individuals and entities in 
the community in which the provider requesting the exception is located 
must have an opportunity to provide input with respect to the 
provider's application for the exception. For further information, we 
refer readers to the CMS Web site at: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Fraud-and-Abuse/PhysicianSelfReferral/Physician_Owned_Hospitals.html.

II. Exception Request Process

    On November 30, 2011, we published a final rule in the Federal 
Register (76 FR 74122, 74517 through 74525) that, among other things, 
finalized Sec.  411.362(c), which specified the process for submitting, 
commenting on, and reviewing a request for an exception to the 
prohibition on expansion of facility capacity. We published a 
subsequent final rule in the Federal Register on November 10, 2014 (79 
FR 66770) that made certain revisions. These revisions include, among 
other things, permitting the use of data from an external data source 
or data from the Hospital Cost Report Information System (HCRIS) for 
specific eligibility criteria.
    As stated in regulations at Sec.  411.362(c)(5), we will solicit 
community input on the request for an exception by publishing a notice 
of the request in the Federal Register. Individuals and entities in the 
hospital's community will have 30 days to submit comments on the 
request. Community input must take the form of written comments and may 
include documentation demonstrating that the physician-owned hospital 
requesting the exception does or does not qualify as an ``applicable 
hospital'' or ``high Medicaid facility,'' as such terms are defined in 
Sec.  411.362(c)(2) and (3). In the November 30, 2011 final rule (76 FR 
74522), we gave examples of community input, such as documentation 
demonstrating that the hospital does not satisfy one or more of the 
data criteria or that the hospital discriminates against beneficiaries 
of Federal health programs; however, we noted that these were examples 
only and that we will not restrict the type of community input that may 
be submitted. If we receive timely comments from the community, we will 
notify the hospital, and the hospital will have 30 days after such 
notice to submit a rebuttal statement (Sec.  411.362(c)(5)(ii)).
    A request for an exception to the facility expansion prohibition is 
considered complete as follows:
     If the request, any written comments, and any rebuttal 
statement include only HCRIS data: (1) The end of the 30-day comment 
period if CMS receives no written comments from the community; or (2) 
the end of the 30-day rebuttal period if CMS receives written comments 
from the community, regardless of whether the physician-owned hospital 
submitting the request submits a rebuttal statement (Sec.  
411.362(c)(5)(i)).
     If the request, any written comments, or any rebuttal 
statement include data from an external data source, no later than: (1) 
180 days after the end of the 30-day comment period if CMS receives no 
written comments from the community; and (2) 180 days after the end of 
the 30-day rebuttal period if CMS receives written comments from the 
community, regardless of whether the physician-owned hospital 
submitting the request submits a rebuttal statement (Sec.  
411.362(c)(5)(ii)).
    If we grant the request for an exception to the prohibition on 
expansion of facility capacity, the expansion may occur only in 
facilities on the hospital's main campus and may not result in the 
number of operating rooms, procedure rooms, and beds for which the 
hospital is licensed to exceed 200 percent of the hospital's baseline 
number of operating rooms, procedure rooms, and beds (Sec.  
411.362(c)(6)). The CMS decision to grant or deny a hospital's request 
for an exception to the prohibition on expansion of facility capacity 
must be published in the Federal Register in accordance with our 
regulations at Sec.  411.362(c)(7).

III. Hospital Exception Request

    As permitted by section 1877(i)(3) of the Act and our regulations 
at Sec.  411.362(c), the following physician-owned hospital has 
requested an exception to the prohibition on expansion of facility 
capacity:
    Name of Facility: Rockwall Regional Hospital, LLC, d/b/a Texas 
Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall.
    Location: 3150 Horizon Road, Rockwall County, Texas 75032-7805.
    Basis for Exception Request: Applicable Hospital.
    We seek comments on this request from individuals and entities in 
the community in which the hospital is located. We encourage interested 
parties to review the hospital's request, which is posted on the CMS 
Web site at: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Fraud-and-Abuse/PhysicianSelfReferral/Physician_Owned_Hospitals.html. We especially 
welcome comments regarding whether the hospital qualifies as an 
applicable hospital. Under Sec.  411.362(c)(2), an applicable hospital 
is a hospital that satisfies all of the following criteria:
     The hospital is located in a county that has a percentage 
increase in population that is at least 150 percent of the percentage 
increase in population of the State in which the hospital is located 
during the most recent 5-year period for which data are available as of 
the date that the hospital submits its request.
     The hospital has an annual percent of total inpatient 
admissions under Medicaid that is equal to or greater than the average 
percent with respect to such admissions for all hospitals located in 
the county in which the hospital is located during the most recent 12-
month period for which data are available as of the date that the 
hospital submits its request. The most recent 12-month period for which 
data are available means the most recent 12-month period for which the 
data source used contains all data from the requesting hospital and 
each hospital located in the same county as the requesting hospital.
     The hospital does not discriminate against beneficiaries 
of Federal health care programs and does not permit physicians 
practicing at the hospital to discriminate against such beneficiaries.
     The hospital is located in a State in which the average 
bed capacity in the State is less than the national average bed 
capacity during the most recent fiscal year for which HCRIS, as of the 
date that the hospital submits its request, contains data from a 
sufficient number of hospitals to determine a State's average bed 
capacity and the national average bed capacity.
     The hospital has an average bed occupancy rate that is 
greater than the average bed occupancy rate in the State in which the 
hospital is located during the most recent fiscal year for which HCRIS, 
as of the date that the hospital submits its request, contains data 
from a sufficient number of hospitals to determine the requesting 
hospital's average bed occupancy rate and the relevant State's average 
bed occupancy rate.
    Individuals and entities wishing to submit comments on the 
hospital's request should review the DATES and

[[Page 5465]]

ADDRESSES sections above and state whether or not they are in the 
community in which the hospital is located.

IV. Collection of Information Requirements

    This document does not impose information collection requirements, 
that is, reporting, recordkeeping or third-party disclosure 
requirements. Consequently, there is no need for review by the Office 
of Management and Budget under the authority of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

V. Response to Public Comments

    Because of the large number of public comments we normally receive 
on Federal Register documents, we are not able to acknowledge or 
respond to them individually. We will consider all comments we receive 
by the date and time specified in the DATES section of this preamble, 
and, when we proceed with a subsequent document, we will respond to the 
comments in the preamble to that document.

    Dated: January 6, 2016.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2016-01830 Filed 2-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P



                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 21 / Tuesday, February 2, 2016 / Notices                                             5463

                                             [FR Doc. 2016–01836 Filed 2–1–16; 8:45 am]              Health and Human Services, Attention:                    We will allow stakeholders 30 days
                                             BILLING CODE 4120–01–P                                  CMS–1661–NC, P.O. Box 8010,                           from the date of this notice to submit
                                                                                                     Baltimore, MD 21244–8010.                             written comments. Comments received
                                                                                                        Please allow sufficient time for mailed            timely will be available for public
                                             DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND                                comments to be received before the                    inspection as they are received,
                                             HUMAN SERVICES                                          close of the comment period.                          generally beginning approximately 3
                                                                                                        3. By express or overnight mail. You               weeks after publication of this notice, at
                                             Centers for Medicare & Medicaid                         may send written comments to the                      the headquarters of the Centers for
                                             Services                                                following address only: Centers for                   Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500
                                             [CMS–1661–NC]                                           Medicare & Medicaid Services,                         Security Boulevard, Baltimore,
                                                                                                     Department of Health and Human                        Maryland 21244, Monday through
                                             Medicare Program; Request for an                        Services, Attention: CMS–1661–NC,                     Friday of each week from 8:30 a.m. to
                                             Exception to the Prohibition on                         Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security                     4 p.m. To schedule an appointment to
                                             Expansion of Facility Capacity Under                    Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.                  view public comments, please phone 1–
                                             the Hospital Ownership and Rural                           4. By hand or courier. Alternatively,              800–743–3951.
                                             Provider Exceptions to the Physician                    you may deliver (by hand or courier)                  I. Background
                                             Self-Referral Prohibition                               your written comments only to the
                                                                                                     following addresses:                                     Section 1877 of the Social Security
                                             AGENCY: Centers for Medicare &                                                                                Act (the Act), also known as the
                                                                                                        a. For delivery in Washington, DC—
                                             Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.                                                                                 physician self-referral law—(1) prohibits
                                                                                                     Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
                                             ACTION: Notice with request for                                                                               a physician from making referrals for
                                                                                                     Services, Department of Health and
                                             comment.                                                Human Services, Room 445–G, Hubert                    certain ‘‘designated health services’’
                                                                                                     H. Humphrey Building, 200                             (DHS) payable by Medicare to an entity
                                             SUMMARY:    The Social Security Act (the                                                                      with which he or she (or an immediate
                                             Act) prohibits a physician-owned                        Independence Avenue SW.,
                                                                                                     Washington, DC 20201.                                 family member) has a financial
                                             hospital from expanding its facility                                                                          relationship (ownership or
                                             capacity, unless the Secretary of the                      (Because access to the interior of the
                                                                                                     Hubert H. Humphrey Building is not                    compensation), unless the requirements
                                             Department of Health and Human                                                                                of an applicable exception are satisfied;
                                             Services (the Secretary) grants the                     readily available to persons without
                                                                                                     Federal government identification,                    and (2) prohibits the entity from filing
                                             hospital’s request for an exception to                                                                        claims with Medicare (or billing another
                                             that prohibition after considering input                commenters are encouraged to leave
                                                                                                     their comments in the CMS drop slots                  individual, entity, or third party payer)
                                             on the hospital’s request from                                                                                for those DHS furnished as a result of a
                                             individuals and entities in the                         located in the main lobby of the
                                                                                                     building. A stamp-in clock is available               prohibited referral.
                                             community where the hospital is                                                                                  Section 1877(d)(2) of the Act provides
                                             located. The Centers for Medicare &                     for persons wishing to retain a proof of
                                                                                                                                                           an exception for physician ownership or
                                             Medicaid Services (CMS) has received a                  filing by stamping in and retaining an
                                                                                                                                                           investment interests in rural providers
                                             request from a physician-owned                          extra copy of the comments being filed.)
                                                                                                                                                           (the ‘‘rural provider exception’’). In
                                             hospital for an exception to the                           b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD—
                                                                                                                                                           order for an entity to qualify for the
                                             prohibition against expansion of facility               Centers for Medicare & Medicaid                       rural provider exception, the DHS must
                                             capacity. This notice solicits comments                 Services, Department of Health and                    be furnished in a rural area (as defined
                                             on the request from individuals and                     Human Services, 7500 Security                         in section 1886(d)(2) of the Act) and
                                             entities in the community in which the                  Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.                  substantially all the DHS furnished by
                                             physician-owned hospital is located.                       If you intend to deliver your                      the entity must be furnished to
                                             Community input may inform our                          comments to the Baltimore address, call               individuals residing in a rural area.
                                             determination regarding whether the                     telephone number (410) 786–9994 in                       Section 1877(d)(3) of the Act provides
                                             requesting hospital qualifies for an                    advance to schedule your arrival with                 an exception, known as the hospital
                                             exception to the prohibition against                    one of our staff members.                             ownership exception, for physician
                                             expansion of facility capacity.                            Comments erroneously mailed to the                 ownership or investment interests held
                                             DATES: Comment Date: To be assured
                                                                                                     addresses indicated as appropriate for                in a hospital located outside of Puerto
                                             consideration, comments must be                         hand or courier delivery may be delayed               Rico, provided that the referring
                                             received at one of the addresses                        and received after the comment period.                physician is authorized to perform
                                             provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      services at the hospital and the
                                             March 3, 2016.                                          POH-ExceptionRequests@cms.hhs.gov.                    ownership or investment interest is in
                                             ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            the hospital itself (and not merely in a
                                             to file code CMS–1661–NC. Because of                                                                          subdivision of the hospital).
                                                                                                     Inspection of Public Comments                            Section 6001(a)(3) of the Patient
                                             staff and resource limitations, we cannot
                                             accept comments by facsimile (FAX)                        All comments received before the                    Protection and Affordable Care Act
                                             transmission.                                           close of the comment period are                       (Pub. L. 111–148) as amended by the
                                                You may submit comments in one of                    available for viewing by the public,                  Health Care and Education
                                             four ways (please choose only one of the                including any personally identifiable or              Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111–
                                             ways listed):                                           confidential business information that is             152) (hereafter referred to together as
                                                1. Electronically. You may submit                    included in a comment. We post all                    ‘‘the Affordable Care Act’’) amended the
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                                             electronic comments on this regulation                  comments received before the close of                 rural provider and hospital ownership
                                             to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow                   the comment period on the following                   exceptions to the physician self-referral
                                             the ‘‘Submit a comment’’ instructions.                  Web site as soon as possible after they               prohibition to impose additional
                                                2. By regular mail. You may mail                     have been received: http://                           restrictions on physician ownership and
                                             written comments to the following                       www.regulations.gov. Follow the search                investment in hospitals and rural
                                             address only: Centers for Medicare &                    instructions on that Web site to view                 providers. Since March 23, 2010, a
                                             Medicaid Services, Department of                        public comments.                                      physician-owned hospital that seeks to


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                                             5464                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 21 / Tuesday, February 2, 2016 / Notices

                                             avail itself of either exception is                     that may be submitted. If we receive                  community in which the hospital is
                                             prohibited from expanding facility                      timely comments from the community,                   located. We encourage interested parties
                                             capacity unless it qualifies as an                      we will notify the hospital, and the                  to review the hospital’s request, which
                                             ‘‘applicable hospital’’ or ‘‘high Medicaid              hospital will have 30 days after such                 is posted on the CMS Web site at:
                                             facility’’ (as defined in sections                      notice to submit a rebuttal statement                 http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Fraud-
                                             1877(i)(3)(E), (F) of the Act and 42 CFR                (§ 411.362(c)(5)(ii)).                                and-Abuse/PhysicianSelfReferral/
                                             411.362(c)(2), (3) of our regulations) and                 A request for an exception to the                  Physician_Owned_Hospitals.html. We
                                             has been granted an exception to the                    facility expansion prohibition is                     especially welcome comments regarding
                                             prohibition by the Secretary of the                     considered complete as follows:                       whether the hospital qualifies as an
                                             Department of Health and Human                             • If the request, any written                      applicable hospital. Under
                                             Services (the Secretary). Section                       comments, and any rebuttal statement                  § 411.362(c)(2), an applicable hospital is
                                             1877(i)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act provides that              include only HCRIS data: (1) The end of               a hospital that satisfies all of the
                                             individuals and entities in the                         the 30-day comment period if CMS                      following criteria:
                                             community in which the provider                         receives no written comments from the                    • The hospital is located in a county
                                             requesting the exception is located must                community; or (2) the end of the 30-day               that has a percentage increase in
                                             have an opportunity to provide input                    rebuttal period if CMS receives written               population that is at least 150 percent of
                                             with respect to the provider’s                          comments from the community,                          the percentage increase in population of
                                             application for the exception. For                      regardless of whether the physician-                  the State in which the hospital is
                                             further information, we refer readers to                owned hospital submitting the request                 located during the most recent 5-year
                                             the CMS Web site at: http://                            submits a rebuttal statement                          period for which data are available as of
                                             www.cms.gov/Medicare/Fraud-and-                         (§ 411.362(c)(5)(i)).                                 the date that the hospital submits its
                                             Abuse/PhysicianSelfReferral/Physician_                     • If the request, any written                      request.
                                             Owned_Hospitals.html.                                   comments, or any rebuttal statement                      • The hospital has an annual percent
                                                                                                     include data from an external data                    of total inpatient admissions under
                                             II. Exception Request Process                                                                                 Medicaid that is equal to or greater than
                                                                                                     source, no later than: (1) 180 days after
                                                On November 30, 2011, we published                   the end of the 30-day comment period                  the average percent with respect to such
                                             a final rule in the Federal Register (76                if CMS receives no written comments                   admissions for all hospitals located in
                                             FR 74122, 74517 through 74525) that,                    from the community; and (2) 180 days                  the county in which the hospital is
                                             among other things, finalized                           after the end of the 30-day rebuttal                  located during the most recent 12-
                                             § 411.362(c), which specified the                       period if CMS receives written                        month period for which data are
                                             process for submitting, commenting on,                  comments from the community,                          available as of the date that the hospital
                                             and reviewing a request for an exception                regardless of whether the physician-                  submits its request. The most recent 12-
                                             to the prohibition on expansion of                      owned hospital submitting the request                 month period for which data are
                                             facility capacity. We published a                       submits a rebuttal statement                          available means the most recent 12-
                                             subsequent final rule in the Federal                    (§ 411.362(c)(5)(ii)).                                month period for which the data source
                                             Register on November 10, 2014 (79 FR                       If we grant the request for an                     used contains all data from the
                                             66770) that made certain revisions.                     exception to the prohibition on                       requesting hospital and each hospital
                                             These revisions include, among other                    expansion of facility capacity, the                   located in the same county as the
                                             things, permitting the use of data from                 expansion may occur only in facilities                requesting hospital.
                                             an external data source or data from the                on the hospital’s main campus and may                    • The hospital does not discriminate
                                             Hospital Cost Report Information                        not result in the number of operating                 against beneficiaries of Federal health
                                             System (HCRIS) for specific eligibility                 rooms, procedure rooms, and beds for                  care programs and does not permit
                                             criteria.                                               which the hospital is licensed to exceed              physicians practicing at the hospital to
                                                As stated in regulations at                          200 percent of the hospital’s baseline                discriminate against such beneficiaries.
                                             § 411.362(c)(5), we will solicit                        number of operating rooms, procedure                     • The hospital is located in a State in
                                             community input on the request for an                   rooms, and beds (§ 411.362(c)(6)). The                which the average bed capacity in the
                                             exception by publishing a notice of the                 CMS decision to grant or deny a                       State is less than the national average
                                             request in the Federal Register.                        hospital’s request for an exception to the            bed capacity during the most recent
                                             Individuals and entities in the hospital’s              prohibition on expansion of facility                  fiscal year for which HCRIS, as of the
                                             community will have 30 days to submit                   capacity must be published in the                     date that the hospital submits its
                                             comments on the request. Community                      Federal Register in accordance with our               request, contains data from a sufficient
                                             input must take the form of written                     regulations at § 411.362(c)(7).                       number of hospitals to determine a
                                             comments and may include                                                                                      State’s average bed capacity and the
                                             documentation demonstrating that the                    III. Hospital Exception Request                       national average bed capacity.
                                             physician-owned hospital requesting                        As permitted by section 1877(i)(3) of                 • The hospital has an average bed
                                             the exception does or does not qualify                  the Act and our regulations at                        occupancy rate that is greater than the
                                             as an ‘‘applicable hospital’’ or ‘‘high                 § 411.362(c), the following physician-                average bed occupancy rate in the State
                                             Medicaid facility,’’ as such terms are                  owned hospital has requested an                       in which the hospital is located during
                                             defined in § 411.362(c)(2) and (3). In the              exception to the prohibition on                       the most recent fiscal year for which
                                             November 30, 2011 final rule (76 FR                     expansion of facility capacity:                       HCRIS, as of the date that the hospital
                                             74522), we gave examples of community                      Name of Facility: Rockwall Regional                submits its request, contains data from
                                             input, such as documentation                            Hospital, LLC, d/b/a Texas Health                     a sufficient number of hospitals to
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                                             demonstrating that the hospital does not                Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall.                       determine the requesting hospital’s
                                             satisfy one or more of the data criteria                   Location: 3150 Horizon Road,                       average bed occupancy rate and the
                                             or that the hospital discriminates                      Rockwall County, Texas 75032–7805.                    relevant State’s average bed occupancy
                                             against beneficiaries of Federal health                    Basis for Exception Request:                       rate.
                                             programs; however, we noted that these                  Applicable Hospital.                                     Individuals and entities wishing to
                                             were examples only and that we will                        We seek comments on this request                   submit comments on the hospital’s
                                             not restrict the type of community input                from individuals and entities in the                  request should review the DATES and


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                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 21 / Tuesday, February 2, 2016 / Notices                                           5465

                                             ADDRESSES sections above and state                      extension of an existing collection of                Applications for Food and Drug
                                             whether or not they are in the                          information, and to allow 60 days for                 Administration Approval to Market a
                                             community in which the hospital is                      public comment in response to the                     New Drug: Patent Submission and
                                             located.                                                notice. This notice solicits comments on              Listing Requirements and Application
                                                                                                     the reporting requirements for                        of 30-Month Stays on Approval of
                                             IV. Collection of Information
                                                                                                     submission and listing of patent                      Abbreviated New Drug Applications.’’
                                             Requirements
                                                                                                     information associated with a new drug                Received comments will be placed in
                                               This document does not impose                         application (NDA), an amendment, or a                 the docket and, except for those
                                             information collection requirements,                    supplement.                                           submitted as ‘‘Confidential
                                             that is, reporting, recordkeeping or                    DATES: Submit either electronic or                    Submissions,’’ publicly viewable at
                                             third-party disclosure requirements.                    written comments on the collection of                 http://www.regulations.gov or at the
                                             Consequently, there is no need for                      information by April 4, 2016.                         Division of Dockets Management
                                             review by the Office of Management and                                                                        between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
                                                                                                     ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
                                             Budget under the authority of the                                                                             through Friday.
                                                                                                     as follows:
                                             Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44                                                                              • Confidential Submissions—To
                                             U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).                                   Electronic Submissions                                submit a comment with confidential
                                             V. Response to Public Comments                            Submit electronic comments in the                   information that you do not wish to be
                                                                                                     following way:                                        made publicly available, submit your
                                               Because of the large number of public                                                                       comments only as a written/paper
                                             comments we normally receive on                           • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://
                                                                                                     www.regulations.gov. Follow the                       submission. You should submit two
                                             Federal Register documents, we are not                                                                        copies total. One copy will include the
                                             able to acknowledge or respond to them                  instructions for submitting comments.
                                                                                                     Comments submitted electronically,                    information you claim to be confidential
                                             individually. We will consider all                                                                            with a heading or cover note that states
                                             comments we receive by the date and                     including attachments, to http://
                                                                                                     www.regulations.gov will be posted to                 ‘‘THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS
                                             time specified in the DATES section of                                                                        CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION’’. The
                                             this preamble, and, when we proceed                     the docket unchanged. Because your
                                                                                                     comment will be made public, you are                  Agency will review this copy, including
                                             with a subsequent document, we will                                                                           the claimed confidential information, in
                                             respond to the comments in the                          solely responsible for ensuring that your
                                                                                                     comment does not include any                          its consideration of comments. The
                                             preamble to that document.                                                                                    second copy, which will have the
                                                                                                     confidential information that you or a
                                               Dated: January 6, 2016.                                                                                     claimed confidential information
                                                                                                     third party may not wish to be posted,
                                             Andrew M. Slavitt,                                      such as medical information, your or                  redacted/blacked out, will be available
                                             Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare              anyone else’s Social Security number, or              for public viewing and posted on http://
                                             & Medicaid Services.                                    confidential business information, such               www.regulations.gov. Submit both
                                             [FR Doc. 2016–01830 Filed 2–1–16; 8:45 am]              as a manufacturing process. Please note               copies to the Division of Dockets
                                             BILLING CODE 4120–01–P                                  that if you include your name, contact                Management. If you do not wish your
                                                                                                     information, or other information that                name and contact information to be
                                                                                                     identifies you in the body of your                    made publicly available, you can
                                             DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND                                comments, that information will be                    provide this information on the cover
                                             HUMAN SERVICES                                          posted on http://www.regulations.gov.                 sheet and not in the body of your
                                                                                                       • If you want to submit a comment                   comments and you must identify this
                                             Food and Drug Administration                                                                                  information as ‘‘confidential.’’ Any
                                                                                                     with confidential information that you
                                             [Docket No. FDA–2013–N–0662]                            do not wish to be made available to the               information marked as ‘‘confidential’’
                                                                                                     public, submit the comment as a                       will not be disclosed except in
                                             Agency Information Collection                           written/paper submission and in the                   accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other
                                             Activities: Proposed Collection;                        manner detailed (see ‘‘Written/Paper                  applicable disclosure law. For more
                                             Comment Request; Applications for                       Submissions’’ and ‘‘Instructions’’).                  information about FDA’s posting of
                                             Food and Drug Administration                                                                                  comments to public dockets, see 80 FR
                                             Approval to Market a New Drug: Patent                   Written/Paper Submissions                             56469, September 18, 2015, or access
                                             Submission and Listing Requirements                        Submit written/paper submissions as                the information at: http://www.fda.gov/
                                             and Application of 30-Month Stays on                    follows:                                              regulatoryinformation/dockets/
                                             Approval of Abbreviated New Drug                           • Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for                  default.htm.
                                             Applications Certifying That a Patent                   written/paper submissions): Division of                  Docket: For access to the docket to
                                             Claiming a Drug Is Valid or Will Not Be                 Dockets Management (HFA–305), Food                    read background documents or the
                                             Infringed                                               and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers                 electronic and written/paper comments
                                                                                                     Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.                  received, go to http://
                                             AGENCY:    Food and Drug Administration,
                                             HHS.                                                       • For written/paper comments                       www.regulations.gov and insert the
                                                                                                     submitted to the Division of Dockets                  docket number, found in brackets in the
                                             ACTION:   Notice.                                                                                             heading of this document, into the
                                                                                                     Management, FDA will post your
                                             SUMMARY:  The Food and Drug                             comment, as well as any attachments,                  ‘‘Search’’ box and follow the prompts
                                             Administration (FDA) is announcing an                   except for information submitted,                     and/or go to the Division of Dockets
                                             opportunity for public comment on the                   marked and identified, as confidential,               Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm.
wgreen on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                             proposed collection of certain                          if submitted as detailed in                           1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
                                             information by the Agency. Under the                    ‘‘Instructions.’’                                     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FDA
                                             Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the                       Instructions: All submissions received             PRA Staff, Office of Operations, Food
                                             PRA), Federal Agencies are required to                  must include the Docket No. FDA–                      and Drug Administration, 8455
                                             publish notice in the Federal Register                  2013–N–0662 for ‘‘Agency Information                  Colesville Rd., COLE–14526, Silver
                                             concerning each proposed collection of                  Collection Activities: Proposed                       Spring, MD 20993–0002, PRAStaff@
                                             information, including each proposed                    Collection; Comment Request;                          fda.hhs.gov.


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Document Created: 2016-02-02 00:32:02
Document Modified: 2016-02-02 00:32:02
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice with request for comment.
Contact[email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 5463 

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