81_FR_75299 81 FR 75090 - Medicare Program; Approval of 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 for Rockwall Regional Hospital, Limited Liability Company Doing Business as (d/b/a) Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall

81 FR 75090 - Medicare Program; Approval of 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 for Rockwall Regional Hospital, Limited Liability Company Doing Business as (d/b/a) Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall

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

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 209 (October 28, 2016)

Page Range75090-75092
FR Document2016-26119

This final notice announces our decision to approve the request of Rockwall Regional Hospital, Limited Liability Company (LLC) doing business as (d/b/a) Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall (Texas Health Rockwall) for an exception to the prohibition on expansion of facility capacity.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 209 (Friday, October 28, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 209 (Friday, October 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75090-75092]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26119]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1661-FN]


Medicare Program; Approval of 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 for Rockwall Regional Hospital, Limited Liability Company 
Doing Business as (d/b/a) Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall

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

ACTION: Final notice.

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

SUMMARY: This final notice announces our decision to approve the 
request of Rockwall Regional Hospital, Limited Liability Company (LLC) 
doing business as (d/b/a) Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall 
(Texas Health Rockwall) for an exception to the prohibition on 
expansion of facility capacity.

DATES: Effective Date: This notice is effective on October 28, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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, known as the 
rural provider exception, for physician ownership or investment 
interests in rural providers. 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)(D) 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. Since March 23, 2010, a physician-owned 
hospital that seeks to 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 facility 
expansion 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 request for the 
exception. Section 1877(i)(3)(H) of the Act states that the Secretary 
shall publish in the Federal Register the final decision with respect 
to the request for an exception to the prohibition against facility 
expansion not later than 60 days after receiving a complete 
application.

II. Exception Approval 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

[[Page 75091]]

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 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (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. Public Response to Notice With Comment Period

    On February 2, 2016, we published a notice in the Federal Register 
(81 FR 5463) entitled ``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.'' In 
the notice, we stated that, as permitted by section 1877(i)(3) of the 
Act and our regulations at Sec.  411.362(c), the following physician-
owned hospital 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.
    Address: 3150 Horizon Road, Rockwall County, Texas 75032-7805.
    County: Rockwall County, Texas
    Basis for Exception Request: Applicable Hospital.
    In the notice, we solicited comments from individuals and entities 
in the community in which Texas Health Rockwall is located. We received 
43 comments during the 30-day public comment period. Forty-two comments 
were in favor of the request and one was in opposition.
    The commenter that opposed the expansion request asserted that 
Texas Health Rockwall did not meet the inpatient Medicaid admissions 
criterion at Sec.  411.362(c)(2)(ii). The commenter expressed concern 
that the HCRIS, the data source used by Texas Health Rockwall to 
demonstrate satisfaction of the inpatient Medicaid admissions 
criterion, does not accurately reflect all Medicaid admissions and 
discharges. The commenter expressed its belief that information from a 
different source, the Texas Health Care Information Collection (THCIC), 
does not indicate that Texas Health Rockwall's satisfied the inpatient 
Medicaid admissions criterion.
    On April 13, 2016, Texas Health Rockwall submitted a rebuttal 
statement in response to the comment opposing its request. The 
statement satisfactorily rebutted the commenters' assertions regarding 
the inpatient Medicaid admissions criterion and addressed the concerns 
expressed by the commenter regarding HCRIS and THCIC data.

IV. Decision

    This final notice announces our decision to approve Texas Health 
Rockwall's request for an exception to the prohibition against 
expansion of facility capacity. As required by the November 30, 2011 
final rule (76 FR 74122) and our public guidance documents, Texas 
Health Rockwall submitted the data and certifications necessary to 
demonstrate that it satisfies the criteria to qualify as an applicable 
hospital. In accordance with section 1877(i)(3) of the Act, we are 
granting Texas Health Rockwall's request for an exception to the 
expansion of facility capacity prohibition based on the following 
criteria:
     Texas Health Rockwall is located in a county that had 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 submitted its request;
     Texas Health Rockwall had 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 fiscal year for which data are available as of the date that the 
hospital submitted its request;
     Texas Health Rockwall certified that it does not 
discriminate against beneficiaries of Federal health care programs and 
does not permit physicians practicing at the hospital to discriminate 
against such beneficiaries;
     Texas Health Rockwall is located in a State in which the 
average bed capacity in the State was less than the national average 
bed capacity during the most recent fiscal year for which data are 
available as of the date that the hospital submitted its request; and
     Texas Health Rockwall had an average bed occupancy rate 
that was greater than the average bed occupancy rate in the State in 
which the hospital is located during the most recent fiscal year for 
which data are available as of the date that the hospital submitted its 
request.
    Our decision grants Texas Health Rockwall's request to add a total 
of 60 operating rooms, procedure rooms, and beds. Pursuant to Sec.  
411.362(c)(6), 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 Texas Health Rockwall is 
licensed to exceed 200 percent of its baseline number of operating 
rooms, procedure rooms, and beds. Texas Health Rockwall certified that 
its baseline number of operating rooms, procedure rooms, and beds is 
60. Accordingly, we find that granting an additional 60 operating 
rooms, procedure rooms, and beds will not exceed the limitation on a 
permitted expansion.

V. 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.).


[[Page 75092]]


    Dated: October 3, 2016.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2016-26119 Filed 10-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P



                                                  75090                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 209 / Friday, October 28, 2016 / Notices

                                                  county in which the hospital is located;                ACTION:   Final notice.                               investment in hospitals. Since March
                                                  and                                                                                                           23, 2010, a physician-owned hospital
                                                     • The Women’s Hospital certified that                SUMMARY:   This final notice announces                that seeks to avail itself of either
                                                  it does not discriminate against                        our decision to approve the request of                exception is prohibited from expanding
                                                  beneficiaries of Federal health care                    Rockwall Regional Hospital, Limited                   facility capacity unless it qualifies as an
                                                  programs and does not permit                            Liability Company (LLC) doing business                ‘‘applicable hospital’’ or ‘‘high Medicaid
                                                  physicians practicing at the hospital to                as (d/b/a) Texas Health Presbyterian                  facility’’ (as defined in sections
                                                  discriminate against such beneficiaries.                Hospital Rockwall (Texas Health                       1877(i)(3)(E), (F) of the Act and 42 CFR
                                                     Our decision grants The Women’s                      Rockwall) for an exception to the                     411.362(c)(2), (3) of our regulations) and
                                                  Hospital’s request to add a total of 75                 prohibition on expansion of facility                  has been granted an exception to the
                                                  operating rooms, procedure rooms, and                   capacity.                                             facility expansion prohibition by the
                                                  beds. Pursuant to § 411.362(c)(6), the                  DATES:  Effective Date: This notice is                Secretary of the Department of Health
                                                  expansion may occur only in facilities                  effective on October 28, 2016.                        and Human Services (the Secretary).
                                                  on the hospital’s main campus and may                                                                         Section 1877(i)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act
                                                                                                          FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                  not result in the number of operating                                                                         provides that individuals and entities in
                                                                                                          POH-ExceptionRequests@cms.hhs.gov.
                                                  rooms, procedure rooms, and beds for                                                                          the community in which the provider
                                                  which The Women’s Hospital is                           SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                                                                                requesting the exception is located must
                                                  licensed to exceed 200 percent of its                   I. Background                                         have an opportunity to provide input
                                                  baseline number of operating rooms,                                                                           with respect to the provider’s request for
                                                  procedure rooms, and beds. The                             Section 1877 of the Social Security
                                                                                                                                                                the exception. Section 1877(i)(3)(H) of
                                                  Women’s Hospital certified that its                     Act (the Act), also known as the
                                                                                                                                                                the Act states that the Secretary shall
                                                  baseline number of operating rooms,                     physician self-referral law—(1) prohibits
                                                                                                                                                                publish in the Federal Register the final
                                                  procedure rooms, and beds is 81.                        a physician from making referrals for
                                                                                                                                                                decision with respect to the request for
                                                  Accordingly, we find that granting an                   certain ‘‘designated health services’’
                                                                                                                                                                an exception to the prohibition against
                                                  additional 75 operating rooms,                          (DHS) payable by Medicare to an entity
                                                                                                                                                                facility expansion not later than 60 days
                                                  procedure rooms, and beds will not                      with which he or she (or an immediate
                                                                                                                                                                after receiving a complete application.
                                                  exceed the limitation on a permitted                    family member) has a financial
                                                  expansion.                                              relationship (ownership or                            II. Exception Approval Process
                                                                                                          compensation), unless the requirements                   On November 30, 2011, we published
                                                  V. Collection of Information                            of an applicable exception are satisfied;             a final rule in the Federal Register (76
                                                  Requirements                                            and (2) prohibits the entity from filing              FR 74122, 74517 through 74525) that,
                                                    This document does not impose                         claims with Medicare (or billing another              among other things, finalized
                                                  information collection requirements,                    individual, entity, or third party payer)             § 411.362(c), which specified the
                                                  that is, reporting, recordkeeping or                    for those DHS furnished as a result of a              process for submitting, commenting on,
                                                  third-party disclosure requirements.                    prohibited referral.                                  and reviewing a request for an exception
                                                  Consequently, there is no need for                         Section 1877(d)(2) of the Act provides             to the prohibition on expansion of
                                                  review by the Office of Management and                  an exception, known as the rural                      facility capacity. We published a
                                                  Budget under the authority of the                       provider exception, for physician                     subsequent final rule in the Federal
                                                  Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44                     ownership or investment interests in                  Register on November 10, 2014 (79 FR
                                                  U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).                                   rural providers. In order for an entity to            66770) that made certain revisions.
                                                    Dated: October 3, 2016.                               qualify for the rural provider exception,             These revisions include, among other
                                                                                                          the DHS must be furnished in a rural                  things, permitting the use of data from
                                                  Andrew M. Slavitt
                                                                                                          area (as defined in section 1886(d)(2)(D)             an external data source or data from the
                                                  Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare
                                                  & Medicaid Services.
                                                                                                          of the Act) and substantially all the DHS             Hospital Cost Report Information
                                                                                                          furnished by the entity must be                       System (HCRIS) for specific eligibility
                                                  [FR Doc. 2016–26117 Filed 10–27–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                          furnished to individuals residing in a                criteria.
                                                  BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
                                                                                                          rural area.                                              As stated in regulations at
                                                                                                             Section 1877(d)(3) of the Act provides             § 411.362(c)(5), we will solicit
                                                                                                          an exception, known as the hospital                   community input on the request for an
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
                                                                                                          ownership exception, for physician                    exception by publishing a notice of the
                                                  HUMAN SERVICES
                                                                                                          ownership or investment interests held                request in the Federal Register.
                                                  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid                         in a hospital located outside of Puerto               Individuals and entities in the hospital’s
                                                  Services                                                Rico, provided that the referring                     community will have 30 days to submit
                                                                                                          physician is authorized to perform                    comments on the request. Community
                                                  [CMS–1661–FN]                                           services at the hospital and the                      input must take the form of written
                                                                                                          ownership or investment interest is in                comments and may include
                                                  Medicare Program; Approval of
                                                                                                          the hospital itself (and not merely in a              documentation demonstrating that the
                                                  Request for an Exception to the
                                                                                                          subdivision of the hospital).                         physician-owned hospital requesting
                                                  Prohibition on Expansion of Facility
                                                                                                             Section 6001(a)(3) of the Patient                  the exception does or does not qualify
                                                  Capacity Under the Hospital
                                                                                                          Protection and Affordable Care Act                    as an applicable hospital or high
                                                  Ownership and Rural Provider
                                                                                                          (Pub. L. 111–148) as amended by the                   Medicaid facility, as such terms are
                                                  Exceptions to the Physician Self-
                                                                                                          Health Care and Education                             defined in § 411.362(c)(2) and (3). In the
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                  Referral Prohibition for Rockwall
                                                                                                          Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111–              November 30, 2011 final rule (76 FR
                                                  Regional Hospital, Limited Liability
                                                                                                          152) (hereafter referred to together as               74522), we gave examples of community
                                                  Company Doing Business as (d/b/a)
                                                                                                          ‘‘the Affordable Care Act’’) amended the              input, such as documentation
                                                  Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital
                                                                                                          rural provider and hospital ownership                 demonstrating that the hospital does not
                                                  Rockwall
                                                                                                          exceptions to the physician self-referral             satisfy one or more of the data criteria
                                                  AGENCY: Centers for Medicare &                          prohibition to impose additional                      or that the hospital discriminates
                                                  Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.                           restrictions on physician ownership and               against beneficiaries of Federal health


                                             VerDate Sep<11>2014   18:12 Oct 27, 2016   Jkt 241001   PO 00000   Frm 00065   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\28OCN1.SGM   28OCN1


                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 209 / Friday, October 28, 2016 / Notices                                          75091

                                                  programs; however, we noted that these                  at § 411.362(c), the following physician-             of the percentage increase in population
                                                  were examples only and that we will                     owned hospital requested an exception                 of the State in which the hospital is
                                                  not restrict the type of community input                to the prohibition on expansion of                    located during the most recent 5-year
                                                  that may be submitted. If we receive                    facility capacity:                                    period for which data are available as of
                                                  timely comments from the community,                        Name of Facility: Rockwall Regional                the date that the hospital submitted its
                                                  we will notify the hospital, and the                    Hospital, LLC, d/b/a Texas Health                     request;
                                                  hospital will have 30 days after such                   Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall.                          • Texas Health Rockwall had an
                                                  notice to submit a rebuttal statement                      Address: 3150 Horizon Road,                        annual percent of total inpatient
                                                  (§ 411.362(c)(5)(ii)).                                  Rockwall County, Texas 75032–7805.                    admissions under Medicaid that is equal
                                                     A request for an exception to the                       County: Rockwall County, Texas                     to or greater than the average percent
                                                  facility expansion prohibition is                          Basis for Exception Request:                       with respect to such admissions for all
                                                  considered complete as follows:                         Applicable Hospital.                                  hospitals located in the county in which
                                                     • If the request, any written                           In the notice, we solicited comments               the hospital is located during the most
                                                  comments, and any rebuttal statement                    from individuals and entities in the                  recent fiscal year for which data are
                                                  include only HCRIS data: (1) The end of                 community in which Texas Health                       available as of the date that the hospital
                                                  the 30-day comment period if the                        Rockwall is located. We received 43                   submitted its request;
                                                  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid                         comments during the 30-day public                        • Texas Health Rockwall certified
                                                  Services (CMS) receives no written                      comment period. Forty-two comments                    that it does not discriminate against
                                                  comments from the community; or (2)                     were in favor of the request and one was              beneficiaries of Federal health care
                                                  the end of the 30-day rebuttal period if                in opposition.                                        programs and does not permit
                                                  CMS receives written comments from                         The commenter that opposed the                     physicians practicing at the hospital to
                                                  the community, regardless of whether                    expansion request asserted that Texas                 discriminate against such beneficiaries;
                                                  the physician-owned hospital                            Health Rockwall did not meet the                         • Texas Health Rockwall is located in
                                                  submitting the request submits a                        inpatient Medicaid admissions criterion               a State in which the average bed
                                                  rebuttal statement (§ 411.362(c)(5)(i)).                at § 411.362(c)(2)(ii). The commenter                 capacity in the State was less than the
                                                     • If the request, any written                        expressed concern that the HCRIS, the                 national average bed capacity during the
                                                  comments, or any rebuttal statement                     data source used by Texas Health                      most recent fiscal year for which data
                                                  include data from an external data                      Rockwall to demonstrate satisfaction of               are available as of the date that the
                                                  source, no later than: (1) 180 days after               the inpatient Medicaid admissions                     hospital submitted its request; and
                                                  the end of the 30-day comment period                    criterion, does not accurately reflect all               • Texas Health Rockwall had an
                                                  if CMS receives no written comments                     Medicaid admissions and discharges.                   average bed occupancy rate that was
                                                  from the community; and (2) 180 days                    The commenter expressed its belief that               greater than the average bed occupancy
                                                  after the end of the 30-day rebuttal                    information from a different source, the              rate in the State in which the hospital
                                                  period if CMS receives written                          Texas Health Care Information                         is located during the most recent fiscal
                                                  comments from the community,                            Collection (THCIC), does not indicate                 year for which data are available as of
                                                  regardless of whether the physician-                    that Texas Health Rockwall’s satisfied                the date that the hospital submitted its
                                                  owned hospital submitting the request                   the inpatient Medicaid admissions                     request.
                                                  submits a rebuttal statement                            criterion.                                               Our decision grants Texas Health
                                                  (§ 411.362(c)(5)(ii)).                                     On April 13, 2016, Texas Health                    Rockwall’s request to add a total of 60
                                                     If we grant the request for an                       Rockwall submitted a rebuttal statement               operating rooms, procedure rooms, and
                                                  exception to the prohibition on                         in response to the comment opposing its               beds. Pursuant to § 411.362(c)(6), the
                                                  expansion of facility capacity, the                     request. The statement satisfactorily                 expansion may occur only in facilities
                                                  expansion may occur only in facilities                  rebutted the commenters’ assertions                   on the hospital’s main campus and may
                                                  on the hospital’s main campus and may                   regarding the inpatient Medicaid                      not result in the number of operating
                                                  not result in the number of operating                   admissions criterion and addressed the                rooms, procedure rooms, and beds for
                                                  rooms, procedure rooms, and beds for                    concerns expressed by the commenter                   which Texas Health Rockwall is
                                                  which the hospital is licensed to exceed                regarding HCRIS and THCIC data.                       licensed to exceed 200 percent of its
                                                  200 percent of the hospital’s baseline                                                                        baseline number of operating rooms,
                                                                                                          IV. Decision
                                                  number of operating rooms, procedure                                                                          procedure rooms, and beds. Texas
                                                  rooms, and beds (§ 411.362(c)(6)). The                    This final notice announces our                     Health Rockwall certified that its
                                                  CMS decision to grant or deny a                         decision to approve Texas Health                      baseline number of operating rooms,
                                                  hospital’s request for an exception to the              Rockwall’s request for an exception to                procedure rooms, and beds is 60.
                                                  prohibition on expansion of facility                    the prohibition against expansion of                  Accordingly, we find that granting an
                                                  capacity must be published in the                       facility capacity. As required by the                 additional 60 operating rooms,
                                                  Federal Register in accordance with our                 November 30, 2011 final rule (76 FR                   procedure rooms, and beds will not
                                                  regulations at § 411.362(c)(7).                         74122) and our public guidance                        exceed the limitation on a permitted
                                                                                                          documents, Texas Health Rockwall                      expansion.
                                                  III. Public Response to Notice With                     submitted the data and certifications
                                                  Comment Period                                          necessary to demonstrate that it satisfies            V. Collection of Information
                                                     On February 2, 2016, we published a                  the criteria to qualify as an applicable              Requirements
                                                  notice in the Federal Register (81 FR                   hospital. In accordance with section                    This document does not impose
                                                  5463) entitled ‘‘Request for an Exception               1877(i)(3) of the Act, we are granting                information collection requirements,
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                  to the Prohibition on Expansion of                      Texas Health Rockwall’s request for an                that is, reporting, recordkeeping or
                                                  Facility Capacity under the Hospital                    exception to the expansion of facility                third-party disclosure requirements.
                                                  Ownership and Rural Provider                            capacity prohibition based on the                     Consequently, there is no need for
                                                  Exceptions to the Physician Self-                       following criteria:                                   review by the Office of Management and
                                                  Referral Prohibition.’’ In the notice, we                 • Texas Health Rockwall is located in               Budget under the authority of the
                                                  stated that, as permitted by section                    a county that had a percentage increase               Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
                                                  1877(i)(3) of the Act and our regulations               in population that is at least 150 percent            U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).


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                                                  75092                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 209 / Friday, October 28, 2016 / Notices

                                                    Dated: October 3, 2016.                               Authorization for Roche Molecular                     attack with a biological, chemical,
                                                  Andrew M. Slavitt,                                      Systems, Inc., is effective as of August              radiological, or nuclear agent or agents;
                                                  Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare              26, 2016.                                             (3) a determination by the Secretary of
                                                  & Medicaid Services.                                    ADDRESSES: Submit written requests for                HHS that there is a public health
                                                  [FR Doc. 2016–26119 Filed 10–27–16; 8:45 am]            single copies of the EUAs to the Office               emergency, or a significant potential for
                                                  BILLING CODE 4120–01–P                                  of Counterterrorism and Emerging                      a public health emergency, that affects,
                                                                                                          Threats, Food and Drug Administration,                or has a significant potential to affect,
                                                                                                          10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 1,                    national security or the health and
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND                                Rm. 4338, Silver Spring, MD 20993–                    security of U.S. citizens living abroad,
                                                  HUMAN SERVICES                                          0002. Send one self-addressed adhesive                and that involves a biological, chemical,
                                                                                                          label to assist that office in processing             radiological, or nuclear agent or agents,
                                                  Food and Drug Administration                            your request or include a fax number to               or a disease or condition that may be
                                                  [Docket No. FDA–2016–N–3330]                            which the Authorizations may be sent.                 attributable to such agent or agents; or
                                                                                                          See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION                     (4) the identification of a material threat
                                                  Authorizations of Emergency Use of In                   section for electronic access to the                  by the Secretary of Homeland Security
                                                  Vitro Diagnostic Devices for Detection                  Authorizations.                                       under section 319F–2 of the Public
                                                  and/or Diagnosis of Zika Virus;                                                                               Health Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C.
                                                                                                          FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                  Availability                                                                                                  247d–6b) sufficient to affect national
                                                                                                          Michael Mair, Office of
                                                                                                                                                                security or the health and security of
                                                  AGENCY:    Food and Drug Administration,                Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats,
                                                                                                                                                                U.S. citizens living abroad.
                                                  HHS.                                                    Food and Drug Administration, 10903
                                                                                                                                                                   Once the Secretary of HHS has
                                                  ACTION:   Notice.                                       New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 1, Rm.
                                                                                                                                                                declared that circumstances exist
                                                                                                          4336, Silver Spring, MD 20993–0002,
                                                                                                                                                                justifying an authorization under
                                                  SUMMARY:    The Food and Drug                           301–796–8510 (this is not a toll-free
                                                                                                                                                                section 564 of the FD&C Act, FDA may
                                                  Administration (FDA) is announcing the                  number).
                                                                                                                                                                authorize the emergency use of a drug,
                                                  issuance of four Emergency Use                          SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            device, or biological product if the
                                                  Authorizations (EUAs) (the
                                                                                                          I. Background                                         Agency concludes that the statutory
                                                  Authorizations) for four in vitro
                                                                                                                                                                criteria are satisfied. Under section
                                                  diagnostic devices for detection and/or                    Section 564 of the FD&C Act (21                    564(h)(1) of the FD&C Act, FDA is
                                                  diagnosis of Zika virus in response to                  U.S.C. 360bbb–3) as amended by the
                                                  the Zika virus outbreak in the Americas.                                                                      required to publish in the Federal
                                                                                                          Project BioShield Act of 2004 (Pub L.                 Register a notice of each authorization,
                                                  FDA issued these Authorizations under                   108–276) and the Pandemic and All-
                                                  the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic                                                                          and each termination or revocation of an
                                                                                                          Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization                  authorization, and an explanation of the
                                                  Act (the FD&C Act), as requested by                     Act of 2013 (Pub L. 113–5) allows FDA
                                                  Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Inc.,                                                                         reasons for the action. Section 564 of the
                                                                                                          to strengthen the public health                       FD&C Act permits FDA to authorize the
                                                  Luminex Corporation, InBios                             protections against biological, chemical,
                                                  International, Inc., and Roche Molecular                                                                      introduction into interstate commerce of
                                                                                                          nuclear, and radiological agents. Among               a drug, device, or biological product
                                                  Systems, Inc. The Authorizations                        other things, section 564 of the FD&C
                                                  contain, among other things, conditions                                                                       intended for use when the Secretary of
                                                                                                          Act allows FDA to authorize the use of                HHS has declared that circumstances
                                                  on the emergency use of the authorized                  an unapproved medical product or an
                                                  in vitro diagnostic devices. The                                                                              exist justifying the authorization of
                                                                                                          unapproved use of an approved medical                 emergency use. Products appropriate for
                                                  Authorizations follow the February 26,                  product in certain situations. With this
                                                  2016, determination by the Secretary of                                                                       emergency use may include products
                                                                                                          EUA authority, FDA can help assure                    and uses that are not approved, cleared,
                                                  Health and Human Services (HHS) that                    that medical countermeasures may be
                                                  there is a significant potential for a                                                                        or licensed under sections 505, 510(k),
                                                                                                          used in emergencies to diagnose, treat,               or 515 of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 355,
                                                  public health emergency that has a                      or prevent serious or life-threatening
                                                  significant potential to affect national                                                                      360(k), and 360e) or section 351 of the
                                                                                                          diseases or conditions caused by                      PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 262). FDA may issue
                                                  security or the health and security of                  biological, chemical, nuclear, or
                                                  U.S. citizens living abroad and that                                                                          an EUA only if, after consultation with
                                                                                                          radiological agents when there are no                 the HHS Assistant Secretary for
                                                  involves Zika virus. On the basis of such               adequate, approved, and available
                                                  determination, the Secretary of HHS                                                                           Preparedness and Response, the
                                                                                                          alternatives.                                         Director of the National Institutes of
                                                  declared on February 26, 2016, that                        Section 564(b)(1) of the FD&C Act
                                                  circumstances exist justifying the                                                                            Health, and the Director of the Centers
                                                                                                          provides that, before an EUA may be                   for Disease Control and Prevention (to
                                                  authorization of emergency use of in                    issued, the Secretary of HHS must
                                                  vitro diagnostic tests for detection of                                                                       the extent feasible and appropriate
                                                                                                          declare that circumstances exist                      given the applicable circumstances),
                                                  Zika virus and/or diagnosis of Zika                     justifying the authorization based on
                                                  virus infection, subject to the terms of                                                                      FDA 1 concludes: (1) That an agent
                                                                                                          one of the following grounds: (1) A
                                                  any authorization issued under the                                                                            referred to in a declaration of emergency
                                                                                                          determination by the Secretary of
                                                  FD&C Act. The Authorizations, which                                                                           or threat can cause a serious or life-
                                                                                                          Homeland Security that there is a
                                                  include an explanation of the reasons                                                                         threatening disease or condition; (2)
                                                                                                          domestic emergency, or a significant
                                                  for issuance, are reprinted in this                                                                           that, based on the totality of scientific
                                                                                                          potential for a domestic emergency,
                                                  document.                                                                                                     evidence available to FDA, including
                                                                                                          involving a heightened risk of attack
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                                                data from adequate and well-controlled
                                                  DATES: The Authorization for Siemens                    with a biological, chemical, radiological,
                                                                                                                                                                clinical trials, if available, it is
                                                  Healthcare Diagnostics, Inc., is effective              or nuclear agent or agents; (2) a
                                                                                                                                                                reasonable to believe that: (A) The
                                                  as of July 29, 2016; the Authorization for              determination by the Secretary of
                                                                                                                                                                product may be effective in diagnosing,
                                                  Luminex Corporation is effective as of                  Defense that there is a military
                                                  August 4, 2016; the Authorization for                   emergency, or a significant potential for               1 The Secretary of HHS has delegated the
                                                  InBios International, Inc., is effective as             a military emergency, involving a                     authority to issue an EUA under section 564 of the
                                                  of August 17, 2016; and the                             heightened risk to U.S. military forces of            FD&C Act to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs.



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Document Created: 2018-02-13 16:39:45
Document Modified: 2018-02-13 16:39:45
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
ActionFinal notice.
DatesEffective Date: This notice is effective on October 28, 2016.
Contact[email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 75090 

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