[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 106 (Thursday, June 3, 1999)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 29831] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-13951] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 42 CFR Parts 5 and 51c RIN 0906-AA44 Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas
Agency
Health Resources and Services Administration, DHHS.
Action
Proposed rules; status.
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Summary
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is announcing its intention to issue a second Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Designation of Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs) and Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) following a period of evaluation of comments received, analysis of alternative approaches, and impact testing. This will involve a new 60-day public comment period for the revised proposal.
For Further Information Contact
Richard Lee, 301-594-4280.
Supplementary Information
Proposed rules for designation of MUPs and HPSAs were published on September 1, 1998 (63 FR 46538). The original comment period was extended for an additional 60 days (until January 4, 1999) (63 FR 58679, November 2, 1998), and over 800 comments on the proposed rules were received. Given the large volume of thoughtful comments and the high level of concern that has been voiced about the potential impact of the proposal as published, HRSA believes it is imperative to conduct further analyses before proceeding. This will include a thorough, updated analysis of the impact of the proposal as published, applied to current data for all counties and currently designated MUPs and HPSAs, followed by testing of a number of possible revisions to the proposal, based on HRSA's analysis of the comments received. HRSA also plans to have one or more independent outside organizations verify its impact testing. A new NPRM will then be published for public comment, with a goal of publishing the revised proposal by the end of 1999. The decision to publish another NPRM with its associated public comment period means that new final regulations likely will not be implemented prior to the fall of 2000.
(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 254c and 42 U.S.C. 254e).
Dated: March 12, 1999. Claude Earl Fox, Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration.
Approved: May 25, 1999. Donna E. Shalala, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services. [FR Doc. 99-13951 Filed 6-2-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-15-P