State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP); Redistribution of Unexpended SCHIP Funds From the Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2002, 56901-56909 [05-19481]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 188 / Thursday, September 29, 2005 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 05–19451 Filed 9–28–05; 8:45 am]
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[FR Doc. 05–19452 Filed 9–28–05; 8:45 am]
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State Children’s Health Insurance
Program (SCHIP); Redistribution of
Unexpended SCHIP Funds From the
Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2002
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Final notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This final notice describes
and finalizes the procedure, which was
previously published in the Federal
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56901
Register on January 19, 2005 (70 FR
3036) as a notice with comment period,
for redistribution of States’ unexpended
Federal fiscal year (FY) 2002 SCHIP
allotments remaining at the end of FY
2004 to those States that fully expended
the allotments. These redistributed
allotments will be available through the
end of FY 2005 (September 30, 2005).
DATES: The provisions described in this
final notice are effective on September
29, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Strauss, (410) 786–2019.
I. Background
A. Extension of Availability and
Redistribution of SCHIP Fiscal Year
1998 Through 2001 Allotments
Title XXI of the Social Security Act
(the Act) sets forth the State Children’s
Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to
enable States, the District of Columbia,
and specified Commonwealths and
Territories to initiate and expand health
insurance coverage to uninsured, lowincome children. In this notice, unless
otherwise indicated, the terms ‘‘State’’
and ‘‘States’’ refer to any or all of the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and the
Commonwealths and Territories. States
may implement the SCHIP through a
separate child health program under
title XXI of the Act, an expanded
program under title XIX of the Act, or
a combination of both.
Under section 2104(e) of the Act, the
SCHIP allotments for a Federal fiscal
year are available to match expenditures
under an approved State child health
plan for an initial 3-fiscal year ‘‘period
of availability,’’ including the fiscal year
for which the allotment was provided.
After the initial period of availability,
the amount of unspent allotments is
reallotted and continues to be available
during a subsequent period of
availability, specified in SCHIP statute.
With the exception described below for
the allotments made in FYs 1998
through 2001, allotments that are
unexpended at the end of the initial 3year period of availability are
redistributed from the States that did
not fully spend the allotments to States
that fully spent their allotments for that
fiscal year.
The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP
Benefits Improvement and Protection
Act of 2000 (BIPA), enacted as part of
Pub. L. 106–554 on December 21, 2000,
amended title XXI of the Act in part by
establishing requirements for a
subsequent extended period of
availability with respect to the amounts
of States’ FY 1998 and FY 1999
allotments that were unspent during the
initial 3-year period of availability.
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Under the BIPA amendments, the
subsequent period of availability (after
the initial 3-year period of availability)
for States’ unspent FY 1998 and 1999
allotments was extended to the end of
FY 2002.
Section 1 of the Extension of
Availability of SCHIP Allotments Act,
Pub. L. 108–74, enacted on August 15,
2003, amended title XXI of the Act to
establish further requirements for the
subsequent period of availability
associated with the unexpended
amounts of States’ FYs 1998, 1999,
2000, and 2001 allotments during the
initial 3-year period of availability, or
subsequent period of availability,
relating to those fiscal years.
Specifically, Pub. L. 108–74 amended
section 2104(g) of the Act to extend the
subsequent period of availability
associated with the allotments and
redistribution of allotments for FYs
1998 through 2000 through the end of
fiscal year 2004. Pub. L. 108–74 also
extended the subsequent period of
availability for the redistributed and
extended FY 2001 allotments through
the end of fiscal year 2005.
As amended by Pub. L. 108–74,
section 2104(g) of the Act prescribes a
methodology and process that includes
the retention of certain amounts of
unspent FY 2000 and FY 2001
allotments that would remain available
to the States that did not fully expend
their FY 2000 or FY 2001 allotments
(retained allotments), and the
redistribution of unspent FY 2000 or FY
2001 allotments that would not be
retained but which would be
redistributed to those other States that
fully spent their FY 2000 or FY 2001
allotments (redistributed allotments).
B. Availability and Redistribution of
SCHIP Fiscal Year 2002 Allotments
Section 2104(e) of the Act provides
that amounts allotted to a State shall
remain available for expenditures by the
State through the end of the second
succeeding fiscal year, except that
amounts reallotted to a State are
available for expenditure by the State
through the end of the fiscal year in
which they are reallotted. Section
2104(f) of the Act requires the Secretary
to ‘‘determine an appropriate procedure
for redistribution of allotments’’ from
States that have not expended their
allotments for the fiscal year to States
that have fully expended their
allotments. Section 2104(g) of the Act,
as added by BIPA and amended by Pub.
L. 108–74, sets forth the process for
reallotting unexpended amounts of
SCHIP allotments for FY 1998 through
FY 2001 (as well as for the extension of
the period of time to expend
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allotments). Section 2104(g) of the Act
does not address the treatment of States’
unexpended SCHIP allotments for FY
2002 and the following fiscal years.
Under sections 2104(e) and (f) of the
Act, the Secretary is required to
establish a procedure that provides for
the treatment of States’ unused SCHIP
allotments for FY 2002 and following
fiscal years. In particular, in applying
section 2104(f) of the Act, following the
initial 3-year period of availability
referenced in section 2104(e) of the Act,
the Secretary must determine an
‘‘appropriate procedure for
redistribution’’ of the amounts of
States’’ FY 2002 SCHIP allotments from
States that did not expend the
allotments during the 3-year period of
availability for that fiscal year (that is,
FY 2002 through FY 2004) only to States
that fully expended their FY 2002
allotments during the 3-year period of
availability.
C. Expenditures, Authority for
Qualifying States To Use Available
SCHIP Allotments for Medicaid
Expenditures, and Ordering of
Allotments Elections
Under section 2105(a)(1)(A) through
(D) and (a)(2) of the Act and before
enactment of Pub. L. 108–74, only
Federal payments for the following
Medicaid and SCHIP expenditures were
applied against States’ available SCHIP
allotments in the following order: (1)
Medical assistance provided under title
XIX (Medicaid) at the SCHIP enhanced
Federal medical assistance percentage
(FMAP) matching rate with respect to
the States’ Medicaid SCHIP expansion
population; (2) medical assistance
provided on behalf of a child during
presumptive eligibility under section
1920A of the Act (these funds are
matched at the regular Medicaid FMAP
rate); (3) child health assistance to
targeted low income children that meets
minimum benefit requirements under
SCHIP; and (4) certain expenditures in
the SCHIP that are subject to the 10Percent Limit on non-primary
expenditures (including other child
health assistance for targeted lowincome children, health services
initiatives, outreach, and administrative
costs).
However, section 1(b) of Pub. L.
108’74, as amended by Pub. L. 108’127,
added new section 2105(g) to the Act
under which certain ‘‘Qualifying States’’
that met prescribed criteria may elect to
use up to 20 percent of any of the States’
available SCHIP allotments for FY 1998,
1999, 2000, or 2001 as additional
Federal financial participation for
expenditures under the State’s Medicaid
program, instead of expenditures under
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the State’s SCHIP. As described in the
Federal Register published on July 23,
2004 (69 FR 44013), if a Qualified State
submits both 20 percent allowance
expenditures and other ‘‘regular’’ SCHIP
expenditures at the same time in a
quarter, the 20 percent allowance
expenditures will be applied first
against the available fiscal year
reallotments. However, the 20 percent
allowance expenditures may be applied
only against the specified available
fiscal year allotment funds upon which
the 20 percent allowances were based.
II. Provisions of the Notice With
Comment Period
A. Appropriate Procedure for
Redistribution of Unexpended FY 2002
Allotments
The notice with comment period,
published in the Federal Register on
January 19, 2005 (70 FR 3036),
described our proposal for the
appropriate procedure for redistribution
of States’ unexpended FY 2002 SCHIP
allotments, as authorized and required
under section 2104(f) of the Act.
Under section 2104(f) of the Act, the
Secretary must determine an
appropriate procedure to redistribute
the entire amount of States’ unexpended
SCHIP allotments following the end of
the related initial 3-year period of
availability only to those States that
fully expended the allotments by the
end of the initial 3-year period of
availability (referred to in this notice as
the redistribution States). In
determining the appropriate procedure
for reallocating the unused FY 2002
allotments, our primary consideration
was to address, to the greatest extent
possible, any projected State shortfalls
for each of the redistribution States that
would occur in FY 2005, the fiscal year
in which the FY 2002 redistribution
would occur. We determined these State
shortfalls in FY 2005 by considering for
each redistribution State: (1) The
projected SCHIP-related expenditures in
FY 2005, as reflected in the State’s
November 15, 2004 quarterly budget
submission (Forms CMS–37 and/or
CMS–21B); and (2) the total SCHIP
allotments available in FY 2005 for the
State, exclusive of any FY 2002
redistribution. For a redistribution State
whose FY 2005 projected SCHIP-related
expenditures are greater than its total
SCHIP allotments available in FY 2005,
the difference between the amounts
under (1) and (2) for a State represents
that State’s ‘‘shortfall’’ for FY 2005.
In the procedure for redistributing the
unexpended FY 2002 allotments
described in the January 19, 2005
Federal Register notice (70 FR 3036),
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only after accounting for the FY 2005
shortfall amounts of the Redistribution
States did we further redistribute any
remaining unexpended FY 2002
allotments to the Redistribution States.
For purposes of consistency with
previous fiscal year redistribution
methodologies, we based the
redistribution of the remaining
unexpended FY 2002 allotments (that is,
only after first accounting for the total
shortfalls for each Redistribution State)
on the same redistribution methodology
as set forth in the Medicare, Medicaid,
and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and
Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA, Pub. L.
106–554, enacted on December 21,
2000) amending section 2104(g)(1) of
the Act. Specifically, we allocated the
remaining amounts of the unexpended
FY 2002 allotments based on the
difference between each of the
Redistribution States’ total SCHIPrelated expenditures for the 3-year
period of availability related to FY 2002
(that is, FY 2002 through FY 2004) and
the State’s FY 2002 allotment. The
allocation basis is the percentage
determined by dividing this difference
for each Redistribution State (including
those Redistribution States with a FY
2005 shortfall) by the total of those
differences for all Redistribution States.
III. Analysis and Responses to
Comments on the Notice With Comment
Period
We received three comments with
respect to the January 19, 2005 Federal
Register notice, two from States, and
one from an organization representing
American Indian/Alaska Natives for
substance abuse services. The following
describes the comments and provides
our responses.
Comment: One comment from a State
Office of Health and Human Services
agreed with the methodology used to
determine the FY 2002 redistribution
amounts, but requested that they be
recalculated based on updated
information. In particular, the
commenter indicated that the use of the
expenditure projections for FY 2005
from the State’s November 15, 2004
submission to the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services did not adequately
reflect its actual expenditures for FY
2005. In that regard, the State requested
that the FY 2002 redistribution amounts
be recalculated based on revised
reporting of the State’s expenditures
projections that more accurately
represented the State’s expenditures for
FY 2005.
Response: We agree with the
commenter and, in this notice, have
recalculated the States’ FY 2002
redistribution amounts using States’
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updated expenditure projections for FY
2005 from the States’ August 15, 2005
submissions to CMS of Forms CMS–37
and CMS–21B. As indicated in the
January 19, 2005 Federal Register
notice, our primary consideration is to
address, to the greatest extent possible,
any projected State shortfalls for each of
the Redistribution States that would
occur in FY 2005, the fiscal year in
which the FY 2002 redistribution
occurs. Accordingly, we believe using
the States’ most recent expenditure
projections for FY 2005, contained in
their August 2005 submissions, will
provide the best reflection of this
information.
Comment: One comment received
from an organization representing
American Indian/Alaska Natives for
substance abuse services provided a
number of significant observations
regarding the SCHIP program with
respect to tribal issues. In particular, the
commenter recommended that the FY
2002 SCHIP redistribution should not be
redistributed without first consulting
tribes and tribal governments, and also
suggested that the Secretary has
discretion to require each State to have
meaningful consultation with tribal
governments and to develop a plan for
spending the redistributions.
Response: The commenter discussed
significant issues relating to tribal
concerns; however, those comments and
the related suggestions made are outside
the scope of the notice with comment
period. In particular, the comment did
not address the procedure for
calculating the redistribution of the
unexpended FY 2002 allotments.
Furthermore, with respect to the
commenter’s suggestion that the FY
2002 redistribution should not occur
without giving the tribes an opportunity
for consultation, we believe the public
comment period with respect to the
January 19, 2005 Federal Register notice
provided that opportunity. Therefore,
we have not revised the procedure for
redistribution of States’ unexpended FY
2002 allotments with respect to this
comment.
Comment: The third comment, from a
State Department of Health and Human
Services, commended CMS for
addressing the objectives of the program
and strongly supported the basic
procedure for calculating the FY 2002
redistribution amounts in addressing
the objectives of the SCHIP as described
in the January 19, 2005 Federal Register
notice.
Response: We appreciate the support
expressed by the commenter. As
indicated in our response to the first
comment above, in this final notice, we
are retaining the same procedure for
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56903
calculating the States’ FY 2002
redistribution amounts methodology as
described in the January 19, 2005
Federal Register notice with comment
period. Again, the only revision we are
making to this procedure, in accordance
with our stated objective of addressing
States’ needs to the greatest extent
possible, is to base the calculation of the
FY 2002 redistribution amounts on the
States’ updated FY 2005 expenditure
projections as contained in States’
August 2005 submissions to CMS.
IV. Provisions of the Final Notice
The only change we are making in
this final notice, from the January 19,
2005 Federal Register notice with
comment period, is to recalculate States’
FY 2002 redistribution amounts using
States’ updated expenditure projections
for FY 2005 as provided in their August
15, 2005 submissions to CMS of Forms
CMS–37 and CMS–21B. Otherwise, the
procedure for calculating States’ FY
2002 redistribution amounts is exactly
the same as described in the January 19,
2005 Federal Register notice with
comment period. We believe using the
updated FY 2005 expenditure
projections most appropriately reflects
the States’ needs in funding their SCHIP
programs.
V. Final FY 2002 Redistribution
Amounts
A. Unexpended FY 2002 Allotments
In Table 1 of this final notice, we set
forth the shortfall calculation for the 50
States and the District of Columbia. In
Table 2 of this final notice, we set forth
the amount of States’ unexpended FY
2002 allotments as reflected by the
States’ expenditure submissions through
November 30, 2004. These amounts are
used in determining the States’ FY 2002
redistribution amounts. We established
the amount of States’ unexpended FY
2002 allotments at the end of the initial
3-year period of availability based on
the SCHIP-related expenditures, as
reported and certified by States to us on
the quarterly expenditure reports (Form
CMS–64 and/or Form CMS–21) by
November 30, 2004. These expenditures
are applied and tracked against the
States’ FY 2002 allotments (as published
in the Federal Register on October 26,
2001 (66 FR 54246), and on November
13, 2001 (correction notice (66 FR
56902)), and other available allotments,
on Form CMS–21C, Allocation of the
Title XIX and Title XXI Expenditures to
SCHIP Fiscal Year Allotment.
By November 30, 2004, all States
reported and certified their FY 2004
fourth quarter expenditures
(representing the last quarter of the 3-
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year period of availability for FY 2002).
Expenditures reflected in Table 2 below
were taken from our Medicaid Budget
and Expenditure System/State
Children’s Health Program Budget and
Expenditure System (MBES/CBES)
‘‘masterfile,’’ which represents the
State’s official certified SCHIP and
Medicaid expenditure reporting system
records related to FY 2002 allotments.
Based on States’ expenditure reports
submitted and certified through
November 30, 2004, the total amount of
States’ FY 2002 SCHIP allotments that
were unexpended at the end of the 3year period ending September 30, 2004,
is $642,617,724.
B. FY 2002 Redistribution Amounts for
the Commonwealths and Territories
Section 2104(g)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act
specifies the methodology for
determining the FY 1998 through FY
2001 redistributed allotments for the
Commonwealths and Territories that
fully expended their SCHIP allotments
related to those fiscal years. We applied
the same methodology for purposes of
determining an appropriate procedure
under section 2104(f) of the Act to
redistribute the unexpended FY 2002
allotments remaining at the end of FY
2004. Under this procedure, the total FY
2002 allotment amount available for
redistribution to the Commonwealths
and Territories is determined by
multiplying the total amount of the
unexpended FY 2002 allotments
available for redistribution nationally by
1.05 percent. For the FY 2002
redistribution calculation, this amount
is $6,747,486 (1.05 percent of
$642,617,724). Only those
Commonwealths and Territories that
have fully expended their FY 2002
allotments will receive an allocation of
this amount, equal to a specified
percentage of the 1.05 percent amount;
with respect to the FY 2002 allotments,
all 5 Commonwealths and Territories
fully expended those allotments by the
end of FY 2004. This specified
percentage is the amount determined by
dividing the respective SCHIP FY 2002
allotment for each Commonwealth or
Territory (that has fully expended its FY
2002 allotment) by the total of all the FY
2002 allotments for those
Commonwealths and Territories that
fully expended their FY 2002
allotments.
C. FY 2002 Redistribution Amounts for
the States and the District of Columbia
Section 2104(f) of the Act requires the
Secretary to determine an appropriate
procedure for calculating the
redistribution amounts for each of those
States and the District of Columbia that
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have fully expended their allotments;
this final notice sets forth the procedure
for the redistribution of the unexpended
FY 2002 allotments. The attached tables
and table descriptions provide detailed
information on how the FY 2002
reallotment amounts are calculated.
Generally, the FY 2002 redistribution
amounts for the 50 States and the
District of Columbia were determined as
follows:
First, the total amount available for
FY 2002 redistribution nationally was
established by determining the total
amount of unexpended FY 2002
allotments remaining at the end of FY
2004, as reported by the States through
November 30, 2004.
Second, the total amount available for
the FY 2002 redistribution to the States
and the District of Columbia (not
including the Commonwealths and
Territories) was determined by
subtracting the total of the FY 2002
redistribution amounts for the
Commonwealths and Territories from
the total available nationally for
redistribution.
Third, the allocation of this total
amount available for redistribution to
the States and District of Columbia is
determined by determining the
‘‘shortfall’’ amounts (if any) for these
redistribution States that would occur in
FY 2005, the fiscal year in which the
unexpended FY 2002 allotments are
actually redistributed. The FY 2005
shortfall amount, described previously,
was determined as the excess (if any) of
the FY 2002 redistribution States’
projected FY 2005 expenditures (taken
from the States’ August 15, 2005 budget
quarterly budget report submissions)
over those States’ total SCHIP
allotments available in FY 2005 (not
including any potential FY 2002
redistribution amounts). In this regard,
the total available allotments in FY 2005
include the following: any remaining FY
2001 reallotments carried over from FY
2004 into FY 2005, any remaining 2003
allotments carried over from FY 2004
into FY 2005, any remaining 2004
allotments carried over from FY 2004
into FY 2005, and the FY 2005
allotments (available beginning with FY
2005).
Fourth, the amount of any
unexpended FY 2002 allotments
remaining after determining and
accounting for the shortfall amounts
was multiplied by a percentage specific
to each FY 2002 Redistribution State.
This percentage was determined for
each FY 2002 Redistribution State by
dividing the difference between that
State’s total reported applicable
expenditures for the FY 2002 3-year
period of availability and the State’s FY
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2002 allotment related to that period of
availability, by the total of these
differences for all Redistribution States.
D. Tables for Calculating the SCHIP FY
2002 Redistributed Allotments
The following is a description of
Table 1 and Table 2, which present the
calculation of each Redistribution
State’s FY 2002 SCHIP redistribution
amount.
A total of $3,115,200,000 was allotted
nationally for FY 2002, representing
$3,082,125,000 in allotments to the 50
States and the District of Columbia, and
$33,075,000 in allotments to the
Commonwealths and Territories. Based
on the quarterly expenditure reports,
submitted and certified by November
30, 2003, 28 States fully expended their
FY 2002 allotments, 23 States and the
District of Columbia did not fully
expend their FY 2002 allotments, and
all 5 of the Commonwealths and
Territories fully expended their FY 2002
allotments. For the States and the
District of Columbia that did not fully
expend their FY 2002 allotments, their
total FY 2002 allotments were
$1,413,648,379 and the total
expenditures applied against their FY
2002 allotments were $771,030,655.
Therefore, the total amount of
unexpended FY 2002 allotments at the
end of FY 2004 equaled $642,617,724
($1,413,648,379 minus $771,030,655).
As discussed in the January 19, 2005
Federal Register notice with comment
period, no maintenance of effort (MOE)
reductions were necessary with respect
to the FY 2002 allotments. Therefore,
the total amount of the FY 2002
allotments unexpended at the end of FY
2004 equaled $642,617,724
($642,617,724 plus $0 related to the
MOE provision).
In accordance with the redistribution
calculation for FY 2002 described
above, $6,747,486 is redistributed to the
five Commonwealths and Territories,
and $635,870,238 redistributed to the 28
Redistribution States. The total
$642,617,724 in FY 2002 redistributed
allotment amounts will remain available
to these States through the end of FY
2005.
Key to Table 1—FY 2005 Shortfall
Calculation
Table 1 presents the FY 2005 shortfall
calculation for the 50 States and the
District of Columbia.
Column/Description
Column A = State. Name of State,
District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth or Territory. This is the
only column in Table 1 that includes
Commonwealths and Territories; the
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shortfall calculation in Table 1 is not
applicable to the Commonwealths and
Territories.
Column B = FY 2001 Retained/
Redistributed Allotments Carried Over
From FY 2004. This column contains
the amounts of States’ FY 2001
redistributed or retained allotments
carried over from FY 2004 and available
in FY 2005.
Column C = FY 2003 Allotments
Carried Over From FY 2004. This
column contains the amounts of States’
FY 2003 allotments carried over from
FY 2004 and available in FY 2005.
Column D = FY 2004 Allotments
Carried Over From FY 2004. This
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column contains the amounts of States’
FY 2004 allotments carried over from
FY 2004 and available in FY 2005.
Column E = FY 2005 Allotments
Initially Available Beginning FY 2005.
This column contains the FY 2005
SCHIP allotments, which are initially
available in FY 2005, and were
published in the Federal Register on
August 27, 2004 (69 FR 52700).
Column F = Total Available
Allotments In FY 2005 Not Including FY
2002 Redistribution. This column
contains the States’ total allotment
amounts (not including any FY 2002
redistribution amounts) available in FY
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2005. This amount is the sum of
Columns B through E.
Column G = Projected Expenditures
FY 2005. This column contains the
amounts of States’ projected FY 2005
SCHIP and SCHIP-related expenditures
as contained in the States’ August 15,
2005 quarterly budget submission.
Column H = Projected FY 2005
Shortfall Not Including FY 2002
Redistribution. This column contains
the States’ projected FY 2005 shortfall
amounts, calculated as Column G minus
Column F.
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BILLING CODE 4120–01–C
Key to Table 2—Calculation of the
Schip Redistribution of the Unexpended
Allotments for Fiscal Year: 2002
Table 2 Contains the calculation of
States’ FY 2002 redistribution.
Column/Description
Column A = State. Name of State,
District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth or Territory.
Column B = FY 2002 Allotment. This
column contains the FY 2002 SCHIP
allotments for all States, which were
published in the Federal Register on
October 26, 2001 (66 FR 54246) and in
the correction notice on November 13,
2001 (66 FR 56902).
Column C = Expenditures Applied
Against FY 2002 Allotment. This
column contains the cumulative
expenditures applied against the FY
2002 allotments, as reported and
certified by all States through November
30, 2004.
Column D = Unexpended FY 2002
Allotments Or ‘‘Redistribution.’’ This
column contains the amounts of
unexpended FY 2002 SCHIP allotments
for States that did not fully expend the
allotments during the 3-year period of
availability for FY 2002 (FYs 2002
through 2004), and is equal to the
difference between the amounts in
Column B and Column C. For States that
did fully expend their FY 2002
allotments during the period of
availability, the entry in this column is
‘‘REDISTRIBUTION.’’ The MOE amount
is added to the total of the amounts of
the States’ unexpended FY 2002
allotments in this column at the bottom
of Column D. However, since the MOE
is $0, $642,617,724 represents the total
amount available for the FY 2002
redistribution ($642,617,724, the total
unexpended FY 2002 allotments, plus
$0, the MOE provision amount).
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Column E = Projected FY 2005
Shortfall. This column contains the
projected ‘‘shortfall’’ amounts for the
redistribution States, taken from
Column H, Table 1. If there is no
projected shortfall for the Redistribution
State, the entry in this column is ‘‘NO
Shortfall.’’ If the State is not a
Redistribution State, the entry in this
column is ‘‘NA.’’ For the
Commonwealths and Territories, the
entry in Column E is ‘‘NA.’’
Column F = For Redistribution States
Only FY 2002—FY 2004 Expenditures.
For the Redistribution States only
(States that have fully expended their
FY 2002 allotments), this column
contains the total amounts of those
States’ reported SCHIP/SCHIP-related
expenditures for the years FY 2002
through FY 2004, representing the FY
2002 3-year period of availability. For
those States, Commonwealths, and
Territories that did not fully expend
their FY 2002 allotments during the
period of availability, the entry in
Column F is ‘‘NA.’’
Column G = Redistribution States
Only FY 02–04 Expenditures Minus FY
02 Allotment. This column contains the
amounts of Redistribution States’
reported SCHIP/SCHIP-related
expenditures for each of the years FY
2002 through FY 2004 minus the FY
2002 allotment, calculated as the entry
in Column F minus the entry in Column
B.
Column H = For Redistribution States
Percent Of Total Redistribution. This
column contains each Redistribution
State’s redistribution percentage of the
total amount available for redistribution,
calculated as the entry in Column G
divided by the total (for Redistribution
States only, and exclusive of the
Commonwealths and Territories) of
Column G.
Column I = FY 2002 Redistributed
Allotment Amounts. This column
contains the amounts of States’
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unexpended FY 2002 SCHIP allotments
that are being redistributed to the
Redistribution States in addition to any
shortfall amounts being provided to
those States. The amount in Column I is
calculated as the percentage for each
redistribution State in Column H
multiplied by the total additional
amount available for redistribution. For
the 28 States that have fully expended
their FY 2002 allotments, the total
additional FY 2002 redistribution is
$382,163,614. For the Commonwealths
and Territories that have fully expended
their FY 2002 allotments, the amounts
in Column I represent their respective
proportionate shares (allocated based on
their FY 2002 allotments) of the total
amount available for redistribution to
the Commonwealths and Territories,
$6,747,486 (representing 1.05 percent of
the total amount for redistribution of
$642,617,724). For those States and the
District of Columbia that did not fully
expend their FY 2002 allotments during
the 3-year period of availability, the
entry in Column I is ‘‘NA.’’
Column J = FY 2005 Shortfall
Amount. This column contains the
shortfall amounts for the Redistribution
States; the amounts in this column are
the same as the entries in Column E.
The total shortfall amount is
$253,706,624.
Column K = Total FY 2002
Redistribution Including FY 2005
Shortfall. For the Redistribution States,
this column reflects the total FY 2002
redistribution calculated as the sum of
Column I and Column J. For the States
and the District of Columbia, the total
FY 2002 redistribution amount in FY
2005 is $635,870,238. For the
Commonwealths and Territories, the
total FY 2002 redistribution amount in
FY 2005 is $6,747,486. The total FY
2002 redistribution amount available
nationally is $642,617,724.
CODE 4120–01–P
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BILLING CODE 4120–01–C
VI. Regulatory Impact Statement
We have examined the impact of this
rule as required by Executive Order
12866 (September 1993, Regulatory
Planning and Review), the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (RFA) (September 19,
1980 Pub. L. 96–354), section 1102(b) of
the Social Security Act, the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L.
104–4), and Executive Order 13132.
Executive Order 12866 directs
agencies to assess all costs and benefits
of available regulatory alternatives and,
if regulation is necessary, to select
regulatory approaches that maximize
net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health
and safety effects, distributive impacts,
and equity). A regulatory impact
analysis (RIA) must be prepared for
major rules with economically
significant effects ($100 million or more
in any one year). We have determined
that this final notice is not a major rule.
The States’ FY 2002 SCHIP allotments,
totaling $3,115,200,000 were originally
published in a notice in the Federal
Register (66 FR 54246) and allotted to
States in FY 2002. This final notice does
not revise the amount of the 2002
allotment originally made available to
the States, but rather, sets forth the
procedure for redistributing those FY
2002 allotments, which were
unexpended at the end of FY 2004 (the
end of the 3-year period of availability
referenced in section 2104(e) of the Act),
and announces the amount of the FY
2002 allotments to be redistributed to
the redistribution States and the
availability of the unexpended FY 2002
allotment amounts to the end of 2005.
Because participation in the SCHIP
program on the part of States is
voluntary, any payments and
expenditures States make or incur on
behalf of the program that are not
reimbursed by the Federal Government
are made voluntarily.
The RFA requires agencies to analyze
options for regulatory relief of small
businesses. For purposes of the RFA,
small entities include small businesses,
nonprofit organizations, and small
governmental jurisdictions. Most
hospitals and most other providers and
suppliers are small entities, either by
nonprofit status or by having revenues
of $6 million to $29 million in any 1
year. Individuals and States are not
included in the definition of a small
entity. We are not preparing an analysis
for the RFA because we have
determined that this final notice will
not have a significant economic impact
on a substantial number of small
entities.
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In addition, section 1102(b) of the Act
requires us to prepare a regulatory
impact analysis if a rule may have a
significant impact on the operations of
a substantial number of small rural
hospitals. This analysis must conform to
the provisions of section 604 of the
RFA. For purposes of section 1102(b) of
the Act, we define a small rural hospital
as a hospital that is located outside of
a Core-Based Statistical Area and has
fewer than 100 beds. We are not
preparing an analysis for section 1102(b)
of the Act because we have determined
that this final notice will not have a
significant impact on the operations of
a substantial number of small rural
hospitals.
Section 202 of the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 also
requires that agencies assess anticipated
costs and benefits before issuing any
rule whose mandates require spending
in any 1 year of $100 million in 1995
dollars, updated annually for inflation.
That threshold level is currently
approximately $120 million. This final
notice will not create an unfunded
mandate on States, tribal, or local
governments. Therefore, we are not
required to perform an assessment of the
costs and benefits of this notice.
Executive Order 13132 establishes
certain requirements that an agency
must meet when it publishes a proposed
rule (and subsequent final rule) that
imposes substantial direct requirement
costs on State and local governments,
preempts State law, or otherwise has
Federalism implications. We have
reviewed this final notice and have
determined that it does not significantly
affect States’ rights, roles, and
responsibilities.
Low-income children will benefit
from payments under this program
through increased opportunities for
health insurance coverage. We believe
this final notice will have an overall
positive impact by informing States, the
District of Columbia, and
Commonwealths and Territories of the
extent to which they are permitted to
expend funds under their child health
plans using the FY 2002 allotment’s
redistribution amounts.
In accordance with the provisions of
Executive Order 12866, this final notice
was reviewed by the Office of
Management and Budget.
such delay is impracticable,
unnecessary, or contrary to the public
interest, and incorporates a statement of
the finding and the reasons in the rule
issued. 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
The provisions of this final notice
need to be effective before September
30, 2005, the end of FY 2005, because
with respect to the redistribution of
unused allotments under section
2104(e) of the Act, ‘‘amounts reallotted
to a State under subsection (f) [on
redistribution of unused allotments]
shall be available for expenditure by the
State through the end of the fiscal year
in which they are reallotted.’’ Because
CMS needed to receive and analyze the
States’ expenditure estimates as
contained in the States’ August 15, 2005
submissions, it was impracticable to
publish this final notice earlier.
Furthermore, we believe that the most
up-to-date expenditure projections for
FY 2005 from the States’ August 2005
budget submissions best reflect the
needs of the States in FY 2005. In order
to redistribute the FY 2002 allotments
by the end of FY 2005 (that is, by
September 30, 2005) based on the most
recent FY 2005 estimates, this final
notice needs to be effective before the
end of September 2005, which requires
a waiver of the 30-day delay in the
effective date. We believe it is contrary
to the public interest not to waive the
30-day delay in effective date.
Therefore, on the basis that it would be
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest, we find that good cause exists
to waive the requirement for a 30-day
delay in the effective date.
Authority: (Section 1102 of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1302) (Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance Program No.
93.767, State Children’s Health Insurance
Program))
Dated: September 15, 2005.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services.
Dated: September 26, 2005.
Michael O. Leavitt,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05–19481 Filed 9–26–05; 2:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
VII. Waiver of Delay in Effective Date
We ordinarily provide a 30-day delay
in the effective date of the provisions of
a rule in accordance with the
Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5
U.S.C. 553 (d)). However, we can waive
the 30-day delay in effective date if the
Secretary finds, for good cause, that
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 188 (Thursday, September 29, 2005)]
[NOT]
[Pages 56901-56909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19481]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-2230-FN]
State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP); Redistribution
of Unexpended SCHIP Funds From the Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2002
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Final notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This final notice describes and finalizes the procedure, which
was previously published in the Federal Register on January 19, 2005
(70 FR 3036) as a notice with comment period, for redistribution of
States' unexpended Federal fiscal year (FY) 2002 SCHIP allotments
remaining at the end of FY 2004 to those States that fully expended the
allotments. These redistributed allotments will be available through
the end of FY 2005 (September 30, 2005).
DATES: The provisions described in this final notice are effective on
September 29, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Strauss, (410) 786-2019.
I. Background
A. Extension of Availability and Redistribution of SCHIP Fiscal Year
1998 Through 2001 Allotments
Title XXI of the Social Security Act (the Act) sets forth the State
Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to enable States, the
District of Columbia, and specified Commonwealths and Territories to
initiate and expand health insurance coverage to uninsured, low-income
children. In this notice, unless otherwise indicated, the terms
``State'' and ``States'' refer to any or all of the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, and the Commonwealths and Territories. States may
implement the SCHIP through a separate child health program under title
XXI of the Act, an expanded program under title XIX of the Act, or a
combination of both.
Under section 2104(e) of the Act, the SCHIP allotments for a
Federal fiscal year are available to match expenditures under an
approved State child health plan for an initial 3-fiscal year ``period
of availability,'' including the fiscal year for which the allotment
was provided. After the initial period of availability, the amount of
unspent allotments is reallotted and continues to be available during a
subsequent period of availability, specified in SCHIP statute. With the
exception described below for the allotments made in FYs 1998 through
2001, allotments that are unexpended at the end of the initial 3-year
period of availability are redistributed from the States that did not
fully spend the allotments to States that fully spent their allotments
for that fiscal year.
The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and
Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA), enacted as part of Pub. L. 106-554 on
December 21, 2000, amended title XXI of the Act in part by establishing
requirements for a subsequent extended period of availability with
respect to the amounts of States' FY 1998 and FY 1999 allotments that
were unspent during the initial 3-year period of availability.
[[Page 56902]]
Under the BIPA amendments, the subsequent period of availability (after
the initial 3-year period of availability) for States' unspent FY 1998
and 1999 allotments was extended to the end of FY 2002.
Section 1 of the Extension of Availability of SCHIP Allotments Act,
Pub. L. 108-74, enacted on August 15, 2003, amended title XXI of the
Act to establish further requirements for the subsequent period of
availability associated with the unexpended amounts of States' FYs
1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 allotments during the initial 3-year period
of availability, or subsequent period of availability, relating to
those fiscal years. Specifically, Pub. L. 108-74 amended section
2104(g) of the Act to extend the subsequent period of availability
associated with the allotments and redistribution of allotments for FYs
1998 through 2000 through the end of fiscal year 2004. Pub. L. 108-74
also extended the subsequent period of availability for the
redistributed and extended FY 2001 allotments through the end of fiscal
year 2005.
As amended by Pub. L. 108-74, section 2104(g) of the Act prescribes
a methodology and process that includes the retention of certain
amounts of unspent FY 2000 and FY 2001 allotments that would remain
available to the States that did not fully expend their FY 2000 or FY
2001 allotments (retained allotments), and the redistribution of
unspent FY 2000 or FY 2001 allotments that would not be retained but
which would be redistributed to those other States that fully spent
their FY 2000 or FY 2001 allotments (redistributed allotments).
B. Availability and Redistribution of SCHIP Fiscal Year 2002 Allotments
Section 2104(e) of the Act provides that amounts allotted to a
State shall remain available for expenditures by the State through the
end of the second succeeding fiscal year, except that amounts
reallotted to a State are available for expenditure by the State
through the end of the fiscal year in which they are reallotted.
Section 2104(f) of the Act requires the Secretary to ``determine an
appropriate procedure for redistribution of allotments'' from States
that have not expended their allotments for the fiscal year to States
that have fully expended their allotments. Section 2104(g) of the Act,
as added by BIPA and amended by Pub. L. 108-74, sets forth the process
for reallotting unexpended amounts of SCHIP allotments for FY 1998
through FY 2001 (as well as for the extension of the period of time to
expend allotments). Section 2104(g) of the Act does not address the
treatment of States' unexpended SCHIP allotments for FY 2002 and the
following fiscal years. Under sections 2104(e) and (f) of the Act, the
Secretary is required to establish a procedure that provides for the
treatment of States' unused SCHIP allotments for FY 2002 and following
fiscal years. In particular, in applying section 2104(f) of the Act,
following the initial 3-year period of availability referenced in
section 2104(e) of the Act, the Secretary must determine an
``appropriate procedure for redistribution'' of the amounts of States''
FY 2002 SCHIP allotments from States that did not expend the allotments
during the 3-year period of availability for that fiscal year (that is,
FY 2002 through FY 2004) only to States that fully expended their FY
2002 allotments during the 3-year period of availability.
C. Expenditures, Authority for Qualifying States To Use Available SCHIP
Allotments for Medicaid Expenditures, and Ordering of Allotments
Elections
Under section 2105(a)(1)(A) through (D) and (a)(2) of the Act and
before enactment of Pub. L. 108-74, only Federal payments for the
following Medicaid and SCHIP expenditures were applied against States'
available SCHIP allotments in the following order: (1) Medical
assistance provided under title XIX (Medicaid) at the SCHIP enhanced
Federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) matching rate with respect
to the States' Medicaid SCHIP expansion population; (2) medical
assistance provided on behalf of a child during presumptive eligibility
under section 1920A of the Act (these funds are matched at the regular
Medicaid FMAP rate); (3) child health assistance to targeted low income
children that meets minimum benefit requirements under SCHIP; and (4)
certain expenditures in the SCHIP that are subject to the 10-Percent
Limit on non-primary expenditures (including other child health
assistance for targeted low-income children, health services
initiatives, outreach, and administrative costs).
However, section 1(b) of Pub. L. 108'74, as amended by Pub. L.
108'127, added new section 2105(g) to the Act under which certain
``Qualifying States'' that met prescribed criteria may elect to use up
to 20 percent of any of the States' available SCHIP allotments for FY
1998, 1999, 2000, or 2001 as additional Federal financial participation
for expenditures under the State's Medicaid program, instead of
expenditures under the State's SCHIP. As described in the Federal
Register published on July 23, 2004 (69 FR 44013), if a Qualified State
submits both 20 percent allowance expenditures and other ``regular''
SCHIP expenditures at the same time in a quarter, the 20 percent
allowance expenditures will be applied first against the available
fiscal year reallotments. However, the 20 percent allowance
expenditures may be applied only against the specified available fiscal
year allotment funds upon which the 20 percent allowances were based.
II. Provisions of the Notice With Comment Period
A. Appropriate Procedure for Redistribution of Unexpended FY 2002
Allotments
The notice with comment period, published in the Federal Register
on January 19, 2005 (70 FR 3036), described our proposal for the
appropriate procedure for redistribution of States' unexpended FY 2002
SCHIP allotments, as authorized and required under section 2104(f) of
the Act.
Under section 2104(f) of the Act, the Secretary must determine an
appropriate procedure to redistribute the entire amount of States'
unexpended SCHIP allotments following the end of the related initial 3-
year period of availability only to those States that fully expended
the allotments by the end of the initial 3-year period of availability
(referred to in this notice as the redistribution States). In
determining the appropriate procedure for reallocating the unused FY
2002 allotments, our primary consideration was to address, to the
greatest extent possible, any projected State shortfalls for each of
the redistribution States that would occur in FY 2005, the fiscal year
in which the FY 2002 redistribution would occur. We determined these
State shortfalls in FY 2005 by considering for each redistribution
State: (1) The projected SCHIP-related expenditures in FY 2005, as
reflected in the State's November 15, 2004 quarterly budget submission
(Forms CMS-37 and/or CMS-21B); and (2) the total SCHIP allotments
available in FY 2005 for the State, exclusive of any FY 2002
redistribution. For a redistribution State whose FY 2005 projected
SCHIP-related expenditures are greater than its total SCHIP allotments
available in FY 2005, the difference between the amounts under (1) and
(2) for a State represents that State's ``shortfall'' for FY 2005.
In the procedure for redistributing the unexpended FY 2002
allotments described in the January 19, 2005 Federal Register notice
(70 FR 3036),
[[Page 56903]]
only after accounting for the FY 2005 shortfall amounts of the
Redistribution States did we further redistribute any remaining
unexpended FY 2002 allotments to the Redistribution States. For
purposes of consistency with previous fiscal year redistribution
methodologies, we based the redistribution of the remaining unexpended
FY 2002 allotments (that is, only after first accounting for the total
shortfalls for each Redistribution State) on the same redistribution
methodology as set forth in the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits
Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA, Pub. L. 106-554, enacted
on December 21, 2000) amending section 2104(g)(1) of the Act.
Specifically, we allocated the remaining amounts of the unexpended FY
2002 allotments based on the difference between each of the
Redistribution States' total SCHIP-related expenditures for the 3-year
period of availability related to FY 2002 (that is, FY 2002 through FY
2004) and the State's FY 2002 allotment. The allocation basis is the
percentage determined by dividing this difference for each
Redistribution State (including those Redistribution States with a FY
2005 shortfall) by the total of those differences for all
Redistribution States.
III. Analysis and Responses to Comments on the Notice With Comment
Period
We received three comments with respect to the January 19, 2005
Federal Register notice, two from States, and one from an organization
representing American Indian/Alaska Natives for substance abuse
services. The following describes the comments and provides our
responses.
Comment: One comment from a State Office of Health and Human
Services agreed with the methodology used to determine the FY 2002
redistribution amounts, but requested that they be recalculated based
on updated information. In particular, the commenter indicated that the
use of the expenditure projections for FY 2005 from the State's
November 15, 2004 submission to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services did not adequately reflect its actual expenditures for FY
2005. In that regard, the State requested that the FY 2002
redistribution amounts be recalculated based on revised reporting of
the State's expenditures projections that more accurately represented
the State's expenditures for FY 2005.
Response: We agree with the commenter and, in this notice, have
recalculated the States' FY 2002 redistribution amounts using States'
updated expenditure projections for FY 2005 from the States' August 15,
2005 submissions to CMS of Forms CMS-37 and CMS-21B. As indicated in
the January 19, 2005 Federal Register notice, our primary consideration
is to address, to the greatest extent possible, any projected State
shortfalls for each of the Redistribution States that would occur in FY
2005, the fiscal year in which the FY 2002 redistribution occurs.
Accordingly, we believe using the States' most recent expenditure
projections for FY 2005, contained in their August 2005 submissions,
will provide the best reflection of this information.
Comment: One comment received from an organization representing
American Indian/Alaska Natives for substance abuse services provided a
number of significant observations regarding the SCHIP program with
respect to tribal issues. In particular, the commenter recommended that
the FY 2002 SCHIP redistribution should not be redistributed without
first consulting tribes and tribal governments, and also suggested that
the Secretary has discretion to require each State to have meaningful
consultation with tribal governments and to develop a plan for spending
the redistributions.
Response: The commenter discussed significant issues relating to
tribal concerns; however, those comments and the related suggestions
made are outside the scope of the notice with comment period. In
particular, the comment did not address the procedure for calculating
the redistribution of the unexpended FY 2002 allotments. Furthermore,
with respect to the commenter's suggestion that the FY 2002
redistribution should not occur without giving the tribes an
opportunity for consultation, we believe the public comment period with
respect to the January 19, 2005 Federal Register notice provided that
opportunity. Therefore, we have not revised the procedure for
redistribution of States' unexpended FY 2002 allotments with respect to
this comment.
Comment: The third comment, from a State Department of Health and
Human Services, commended CMS for addressing the objectives of the
program and strongly supported the basic procedure for calculating the
FY 2002 redistribution amounts in addressing the objectives of the
SCHIP as described in the January 19, 2005 Federal Register notice.
Response: We appreciate the support expressed by the commenter. As
indicated in our response to the first comment above, in this final
notice, we are retaining the same procedure for calculating the States'
FY 2002 redistribution amounts methodology as described in the January
19, 2005 Federal Register notice with comment period. Again, the only
revision we are making to this procedure, in accordance with our stated
objective of addressing States' needs to the greatest extent possible,
is to base the calculation of the FY 2002 redistribution amounts on the
States' updated FY 2005 expenditure projections as contained in States'
August 2005 submissions to CMS.
IV. Provisions of the Final Notice
The only change we are making in this final notice, from the
January 19, 2005 Federal Register notice with comment period, is to
recalculate States' FY 2002 redistribution amounts using States'
updated expenditure projections for FY 2005 as provided in their August
15, 2005 submissions to CMS of Forms CMS-37 and CMS-21B. Otherwise, the
procedure for calculating States' FY 2002 redistribution amounts is
exactly the same as described in the January 19, 2005 Federal Register
notice with comment period. We believe using the updated FY 2005
expenditure projections most appropriately reflects the States' needs
in funding their SCHIP programs.
V. Final FY 2002 Redistribution Amounts
A. Unexpended FY 2002 Allotments
In Table 1 of this final notice, we set forth the shortfall
calculation for the 50 States and the District of Columbia. In Table 2
of this final notice, we set forth the amount of States' unexpended FY
2002 allotments as reflected by the States' expenditure submissions
through November 30, 2004. These amounts are used in determining the
States' FY 2002 redistribution amounts. We established the amount of
States' unexpended FY 2002 allotments at the end of the initial 3-year
period of availability based on the SCHIP-related expenditures, as
reported and certified by States to us on the quarterly expenditure
reports (Form CMS-64 and/or Form CMS-21) by November 30, 2004. These
expenditures are applied and tracked against the States' FY 2002
allotments (as published in the Federal Register on October 26, 2001
(66 FR 54246), and on November 13, 2001 (correction notice (66 FR
56902)), and other available allotments, on Form CMS-21C, Allocation of
the Title XIX and Title XXI Expenditures to SCHIP Fiscal Year
Allotment.
By November 30, 2004, all States reported and certified their FY
2004 fourth quarter expenditures (representing the last quarter of the
3-
[[Page 56904]]
year period of availability for FY 2002). Expenditures reflected in
Table 2 below were taken from our Medicaid Budget and Expenditure
System/State Children's Health Program Budget and Expenditure System
(MBES/CBES) ``masterfile,'' which represents the State's official
certified SCHIP and Medicaid expenditure reporting system records
related to FY 2002 allotments. Based on States' expenditure reports
submitted and certified through November 30, 2004, the total amount of
States' FY 2002 SCHIP allotments that were unexpended at the end of the
3-year period ending September 30, 2004, is $642,617,724.
B. FY 2002 Redistribution Amounts for the Commonwealths and Territories
Section 2104(g)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act specifies the methodology for
determining the FY 1998 through FY 2001 redistributed allotments for
the Commonwealths and Territories that fully expended their SCHIP
allotments related to those fiscal years. We applied the same
methodology for purposes of determining an appropriate procedure under
section 2104(f) of the Act to redistribute the unexpended FY 2002
allotments remaining at the end of FY 2004. Under this procedure, the
total FY 2002 allotment amount available for redistribution to the
Commonwealths and Territories is determined by multiplying the total
amount of the unexpended FY 2002 allotments available for
redistribution nationally by 1.05 percent. For the FY 2002
redistribution calculation, this amount is $6,747,486 (1.05 percent of
$642,617,724). Only those Commonwealths and Territories that have fully
expended their FY 2002 allotments will receive an allocation of this
amount, equal to a specified percentage of the 1.05 percent amount;
with respect to the FY 2002 allotments, all 5 Commonwealths and
Territories fully expended those allotments by the end of FY 2004. This
specified percentage is the amount determined by dividing the
respective SCHIP FY 2002 allotment for each Commonwealth or Territory
(that has fully expended its FY 2002 allotment) by the total of all the
FY 2002 allotments for those Commonwealths and Territories that fully
expended their FY 2002 allotments.
C. FY 2002 Redistribution Amounts for the States and the District of
Columbia
Section 2104(f) of the Act requires the Secretary to determine an
appropriate procedure for calculating the redistribution amounts for
each of those States and the District of Columbia that have fully
expended their allotments; this final notice sets forth the procedure
for the redistribution of the unexpended FY 2002 allotments. The
attached tables and table descriptions provide detailed information on
how the FY 2002 reallotment amounts are calculated. Generally, the FY
2002 redistribution amounts for the 50 States and the District of
Columbia were determined as follows:
First, the total amount available for FY 2002 redistribution
nationally was established by determining the total amount of
unexpended FY 2002 allotments remaining at the end of FY 2004, as
reported by the States through November 30, 2004.
Second, the total amount available for the FY 2002 redistribution
to the States and the District of Columbia (not including the
Commonwealths and Territories) was determined by subtracting the total
of the FY 2002 redistribution amounts for the Commonwealths and
Territories from the total available nationally for redistribution.
Third, the allocation of this total amount available for
redistribution to the States and District of Columbia is determined by
determining the ``shortfall'' amounts (if any) for these redistribution
States that would occur in FY 2005, the fiscal year in which the
unexpended FY 2002 allotments are actually redistributed. The FY 2005
shortfall amount, described previously, was determined as the excess
(if any) of the FY 2002 redistribution States' projected FY 2005
expenditures (taken from the States' August 15, 2005 budget quarterly
budget report submissions) over those States' total SCHIP allotments
available in FY 2005 (not including any potential FY 2002
redistribution amounts). In this regard, the total available allotments
in FY 2005 include the following: any remaining FY 2001 reallotments
carried over from FY 2004 into FY 2005, any remaining 2003 allotments
carried over from FY 2004 into FY 2005, any remaining 2004 allotments
carried over from FY 2004 into FY 2005, and the FY 2005 allotments
(available beginning with FY 2005).
Fourth, the amount of any unexpended FY 2002 allotments remaining
after determining and accounting for the shortfall amounts was
multiplied by a percentage specific to each FY 2002 Redistribution
State. This percentage was determined for each FY 2002 Redistribution
State by dividing the difference between that State's total reported
applicable expenditures for the FY 2002 3-year period of availability
and the State's FY 2002 allotment related to that period of
availability, by the total of these differences for all Redistribution
States.
D. Tables for Calculating the SCHIP FY 2002 Redistributed Allotments
The following is a description of Table 1 and Table 2, which
present the calculation of each Redistribution State's FY 2002 SCHIP
redistribution amount.
A total of $3,115,200,000 was allotted nationally for FY 2002,
representing $3,082,125,000 in allotments to the 50 States and the
District of Columbia, and $33,075,000 in allotments to the
Commonwealths and Territories. Based on the quarterly expenditure
reports, submitted and certified by November 30, 2003, 28 States fully
expended their FY 2002 allotments, 23 States and the District of
Columbia did not fully expend their FY 2002 allotments, and all 5 of
the Commonwealths and Territories fully expended their FY 2002
allotments. For the States and the District of Columbia that did not
fully expend their FY 2002 allotments, their total FY 2002 allotments
were $1,413,648,379 and the total expenditures applied against their FY
2002 allotments were $771,030,655. Therefore, the total amount of
unexpended FY 2002 allotments at the end of FY 2004 equaled
$642,617,724 ($1,413,648,379 minus $771,030,655). As discussed in the
January 19, 2005 Federal Register notice with comment period, no
maintenance of effort (MOE) reductions were necessary with respect to
the FY 2002 allotments. Therefore, the total amount of the FY 2002
allotments unexpended at the end of FY 2004 equaled $642,617,724
($642,617,724 plus $0 related to the MOE provision).
In accordance with the redistribution calculation for FY 2002
described above, $6,747,486 is redistributed to the five Commonwealths
and Territories, and $635,870,238 redistributed to the 28
Redistribution States. The total $642,617,724 in FY 2002 redistributed
allotment amounts will remain available to these States through the end
of FY 2005.
Key to Table 1--FY 2005 Shortfall Calculation
Table 1 presents the FY 2005 shortfall calculation for the 50
States and the District of Columbia.
Column/Description
Column A = State. Name of State, District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth or Territory. This is the only column in Table 1 that
includes Commonwealths and Territories; the
[[Page 56905]]
shortfall calculation in Table 1 is not applicable to the Commonwealths
and Territories.
Column B = FY 2001 Retained/Redistributed Allotments Carried Over
From FY 2004. This column contains the amounts of States' FY 2001
redistributed or retained allotments carried over from FY 2004 and
available in FY 2005.
Column C = FY 2003 Allotments Carried Over From FY 2004. This
column contains the amounts of States' FY 2003 allotments carried over
from FY 2004 and available in FY 2005.
Column D = FY 2004 Allotments Carried Over From FY 2004. This
column contains the amounts of States' FY 2004 allotments carried over
from FY 2004 and available in FY 2005.
Column E = FY 2005 Allotments Initially Available Beginning FY
2005. This column contains the FY 2005 SCHIP allotments, which are
initially available in FY 2005, and were published in the Federal
Register on August 27, 2004 (69 FR 52700).
Column F = Total Available Allotments In FY 2005 Not Including FY
2002 Redistribution. This column contains the States' total allotment
amounts (not including any FY 2002 redistribution amounts) available in
FY 2005. This amount is the sum of Columns B through E.
Column G = Projected Expenditures FY 2005. This column contains the
amounts of States' projected FY 2005 SCHIP and SCHIP-related
expenditures as contained in the States' August 15, 2005 quarterly
budget submission.
Column H = Projected FY 2005 Shortfall Not Including FY 2002
Redistribution. This column contains the States' projected FY 2005
shortfall amounts, calculated as Column G minus Column F.
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[[Page 56907]]
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Key to Table 2--Calculation of the Schip Redistribution of the
Unexpended Allotments for Fiscal Year: 2002
Table 2 Contains the calculation of States' FY 2002 redistribution.
Column/Description
Column A = State. Name of State, District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth or Territory.
Column B = FY 2002 Allotment. This column contains the FY 2002
SCHIP allotments for all States, which were published in the Federal
Register on October 26, 2001 (66 FR 54246) and in the correction notice
on November 13, 2001 (66 FR 56902).
Column C = Expenditures Applied Against FY 2002 Allotment. This
column contains the cumulative expenditures applied against the FY 2002
allotments, as reported and certified by all States through November
30, 2004.
Column D = Unexpended FY 2002 Allotments Or ``Redistribution.''
This column contains the amounts of unexpended FY 2002 SCHIP allotments
for States that did not fully expend the allotments during the 3-year
period of availability for FY 2002 (FYs 2002 through 2004), and is
equal to the difference between the amounts in Column B and Column C.
For States that did fully expend their FY 2002 allotments during the
period of availability, the entry in this column is ``REDISTRIBUTION.''
The MOE amount is added to the total of the amounts of the States'
unexpended FY 2002 allotments in this column at the bottom of Column D.
However, since the MOE is $0, $642,617,724 represents the total amount
available for the FY 2002 redistribution ($642,617,724, the total
unexpended FY 2002 allotments, plus $0, the MOE provision amount).
Column E = Projected FY 2005 Shortfall. This column contains the
projected ``shortfall'' amounts for the redistribution States, taken
from Column H, Table 1. If there is no projected shortfall for the
Redistribution State, the entry in this column is ``NO Shortfall.'' If
the State is not a Redistribution State, the entry in this column is
``NA.'' For the Commonwealths and Territories, the entry in Column E is
``NA.''
Column F = For Redistribution States Only FY 2002--FY 2004
Expenditures. For the Redistribution States only (States that have
fully expended their FY 2002 allotments), this column contains the
total amounts of those States' reported SCHIP/SCHIP-related
expenditures for the years FY 2002 through FY 2004, representing the FY
2002 3-year period of availability. For those States, Commonwealths,
and Territories that did not fully expend their FY 2002 allotments
during the period of availability, the entry in Column F is ``NA.''
Column G = Redistribution States Only FY 02-04 Expenditures Minus
FY 02 Allotment. This column contains the amounts of Redistribution
States' reported SCHIP/SCHIP-related expenditures for each of the years
FY 2002 through FY 2004 minus the FY 2002 allotment, calculated as the
entry in Column F minus the entry in Column B.
Column H = For Redistribution States Percent Of Total
Redistribution. This column contains each Redistribution State's
redistribution percentage of the total amount available for
redistribution, calculated as the entry in Column G divided by the
total (for Redistribution States only, and exclusive of the
Commonwealths and Territories) of Column G.
Column I = FY 2002 Redistributed Allotment Amounts. This column
contains the amounts of States' unexpended FY 2002 SCHIP allotments
that are being redistributed to the Redistribution States in addition
to any shortfall amounts being provided to those States. The amount in
Column I is calculated as the percentage for each redistribution State
in Column H multiplied by the total additional amount available for
redistribution. For the 28 States that have fully expended their FY
2002 allotments, the total additional FY 2002 redistribution is
$382,163,614. For the Commonwealths and Territories that have fully
expended their FY 2002 allotments, the amounts in Column I represent
their respective proportionate shares (allocated based on their FY 2002
allotments) of the total amount available for redistribution to the
Commonwealths and Territories, $6,747,486 (representing 1.05 percent of
the total amount for redistribution of $642,617,724). For those States
and the District of Columbia that did not fully expend their FY 2002
allotments during the 3-year period of availability, the entry in
Column I is ``NA.''
Column J = FY 2005 Shortfall Amount. This column contains the
shortfall amounts for the Redistribution States; the amounts in this
column are the same as the entries in Column E. The total shortfall
amount is $253,706,624.
Column K = Total FY 2002 Redistribution Including FY 2005
Shortfall. For the Redistribution States, this column reflects the
total FY 2002 redistribution calculated as the sum of Column I and
Column J. For the States and the District of Columbia, the total FY
2002 redistribution amount in FY 2005 is $635,870,238. For the
Commonwealths and Territories, the total FY 2002 redistribution amount
in FY 2005 is $6,747,486. The total FY 2002 redistribution amount
available nationally is $642,617,724.
.BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
[[Page 56908]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29SE05.050
[[Page 56909]]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-C
VI. Regulatory Impact Statement
We have examined the impact of this rule as required by Executive
Order 12866 (September 1993, Regulatory Planning and Review), the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (September 19, 1980 Pub. L. 96-354),
section 1102(b) of the Social Security Act, the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4), and Executive Order 13132.
Executive Order 12866 directs agencies to assess all costs and
benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety
effects, distributive impacts, and equity). A regulatory impact
analysis (RIA) must be prepared for major rules with economically
significant effects ($100 million or more in any one year). We have
determined that this final notice is not a major rule. The States' FY
2002 SCHIP allotments, totaling $3,115,200,000 were originally
published in a notice in the Federal Register (66 FR 54246) and
allotted to States in FY 2002. This final notice does not revise the
amount of the 2002 allotment originally made available to the States,
but rather, sets forth the procedure for redistributing those FY 2002
allotments, which were unexpended at the end of FY 2004 (the end of the
3-year period of availability referenced in section 2104(e) of the
Act), and announces the amount of the FY 2002 allotments to be
redistributed to the redistribution States and the availability of the
unexpended FY 2002 allotment amounts to the end of 2005. Because
participation in the SCHIP program on the part of States is voluntary,
any payments and expenditures States make or incur on behalf of the
program that are not reimbursed by the Federal Government are made
voluntarily.
The RFA requires agencies to analyze options for regulatory relief
of small businesses. For purposes of the RFA, small entities include
small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and small governmental
jurisdictions. Most hospitals and most other providers and suppliers
are small entities, either by nonprofit status or by having revenues of
$6 million to $29 million in any 1 year. Individuals and States are not
included in the definition of a small entity. We are not preparing an
analysis for the RFA because we have determined that this final notice
will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of
small entities.
In addition, section 1102(b) of the Act requires us to prepare a
regulatory impact analysis if a rule may have a significant impact on
the operations of a substantial number of small rural hospitals. This
analysis must conform to the provisions of section 604 of the RFA. For
purposes of section 1102(b) of the Act, we define a small rural
hospital as a hospital that is located outside of a Core-Based
Statistical Area and has fewer than 100 beds. We are not preparing an
analysis for section 1102(b) of the Act because we have determined that
this final notice will not have a significant impact on the operations
of a substantial number of small rural hospitals.
Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 also
requires that agencies assess anticipated costs and benefits before
issuing any rule whose mandates require spending in any 1 year of $100
million in 1995 dollars, updated annually for inflation. That threshold
level is currently approximately $120 million. This final notice will
not create an unfunded mandate on States, tribal, or local governments.
Therefore, we are not required to perform an assessment of the costs
and benefits of this notice.
Executive Order 13132 establishes certain requirements that an
agency must meet when it publishes a proposed rule (and subsequent
final rule) that imposes substantial direct requirement costs on State
and local governments, preempts State law, or otherwise has Federalism
implications. We have reviewed this final notice and have determined
that it does not significantly affect States' rights, roles, and
responsibilities.
Low-income children will benefit from payments under this program
through increased opportunities for health insurance coverage. We
believe this final notice will have an overall positive impact by
informing States, the District of Columbia, and Commonwealths and
Territories of the extent to which they are permitted to expend funds
under their child health plans using the FY 2002 allotment's
redistribution amounts.
In accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 12866, this
final notice was reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.
VII. Waiver of Delay in Effective Date
We ordinarily provide a 30-day delay in the effective date of the
provisions of a rule in accordance with the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553 (d)). However, we can waive the 30-day delay in
effective date if the Secretary finds, for good cause, that such delay
is impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest, and
incorporates a statement of the finding and the reasons in the rule
issued. 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
The provisions of this final notice need to be effective before
September 30, 2005, the end of FY 2005, because with respect to the
redistribution of unused allotments under section 2104(e) of the Act,
``amounts reallotted to a State under subsection (f) [on redistribution
of unused allotments] shall be available for expenditure by the State
through the end of the fiscal year in which they are reallotted.''
Because CMS needed to receive and analyze the States' expenditure
estimates as contained in the States' August 15, 2005 submissions, it
was impracticable to publish this final notice earlier. Furthermore, we
believe that the most up-to-date expenditure projections for FY 2005
from the States' August 2005 budget submissions best reflect the needs
of the States in FY 2005. In order to redistribute the FY 2002
allotments by the end of FY 2005 (that is, by September 30, 2005) based
on the most recent FY 2005 estimates, this final notice needs to be
effective before the end of September 2005, which requires a waiver of
the 30-day delay in the effective date. We believe it is contrary to
the public interest not to waive the 30-day delay in effective date.
Therefore, on the basis that it would be impracticable and contrary to
the public interest, we find that good cause exists to waive the
requirement for a 30-day delay in the effective date.
Authority: (Section 1102 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1302) (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.767,
State Children's Health Insurance Program))
Dated: September 15, 2005.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Dated: September 26, 2005.
Michael O. Leavitt,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-19481 Filed 9-26-05; 2:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P