Rate of Payment for Medical Records Received Through Health Information Technology (IT) Necessary To Make Disability Determinations, 1446-1447 [2010-225]

Download as PDF 1446 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 6 / Monday, January 11, 2010 / Notices SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION [Docket No. SSA–2010–0001] Future Systems Technology Advisory Panel Meeting AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA). ACTION: Notice of sixth Panel meeting. DATES: February 3, 2010, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m. and February 4, 2010, 8:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Location: The Latham Hotel Georgetown. 3000 M Street, Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20007. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Type of meeting: The meeting is open to the public. Purpose: The Panel, under the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, as amended, (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘the FACA’’) shall report to and provide the Commissioner of Social Security independent advice and recommendations on the future of systems technology and electronic services at the agency five to ten years into the future. The Panel will recommend a road map to aid SSA in determining what future systems technologies may be developed to assist in carrying out its statutory mission. Advice and recommendations can relate to SSA’s systems in the area of internet application, customer service, or any other arena that would improve SSA’s ability to serve the American people. Agenda: The Panel will meet on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Thursday, February 4, 2010, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The agenda will be available on the Internet at https://www.ssa.gov/fstap/ index.htm or available by e-mail or fax on request, one week prior to the starting date. During the sixth meeting, the Panel may have experts address items of interest and other relevant topics to the Panel. This additional information will further the Panel’s deliberations and the effort of the Panel subcommittees. Public comments will be heard on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, from 4:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. Persons interested in providing comments in person should contact the Panel staff as outlined below to schedule a time slot. Members of the public must schedule a time slot in order to comment. In the event public comments do not take the entire scheduled time period, the Panel may use that time to deliberate or conduct other Panel business. Each person providing public comment will be acknowledged by the Chair in the order srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES ADDRESSES: VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:06 Jan 08, 2010 Jkt 220001 in which they are scheduled to provide comments and is limited to a maximum five-minute, verbal presentation. In addition to or in lieu of public comments provided in person, written comments may be provided to the panel for their review and consideration. Comments in written or oral form are for informational purposes only for the Panel. Public comments will not be specifically addressed or receive a written response by the Panel. For hearing impaired persons and those in need of sign language services please contact the Panel staff as outlined below at least 10 business days prior to the meeting so that timely arrangements can be made to provide this service. Contact Information: Records are kept of all proceedings and will be available for public inspection by appointment at the Panel office. Anyone requiring information regarding the Panel should contact the staff by: Mail addressed to SSA, Future Systems Technology Advisory Panel, Room 800, Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235–0001; Telephone at 410–965– 9951; Fax at 410–965–0201; or E-mail to FSTAP@ssa.gov. Dated: January 4, 2010. Dianne L. Rose, Designated Federal Officer, Future Systems Technology Advisory Panel. [FR Doc. 2010–244 Filed 1–8–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4191–02–P SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION [Docket No. SSA–2009–0088] Rate of Payment for Medical Records Received Through Health Information Technology (IT) Necessary To Make Disability Determinations Social Security Administration. Notice of a uniform national rate of Federal payment for medical records received through health IT. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: We have set $15 as the reasonable reimbursement to nonFederal medical providers for their costs in supplying medical records through health IT in response to a request. We will pay the uniform national rate to a medical provider that satisfies a medical records request through health IT. We are establishing this uniform national rate under our authority in sections 205(a), 223(d)(5)(A) and 1631(e) of the Social Security Act (Act). DATES: We are establishing the reasonable rate for medical records received through health IT in response to our requests on or after the date of PO 00000 Frm 00114 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 publication of this notice. We will periodically review this rate and publish updates in the Federal Register. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Elksnis, Office of Disability Programs, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235–6401, 410–966–0497, for information about this notice. For information on eligibility or filing for benefits, call our national toll-free number, 1–800–772– 1213 or TTY 1–800–325–0778, or visit our Internet site, Social Security Online, at https://www.socialsecurity.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are experiencing a significant increase in the number of initial claims for disability insurance benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments on the basis of disability, and we expect this trend to continue. The increasing volume of claims, coupled with the backlog of disability cases in the hearings process, underscores our need to process cases more efficiently by using advanced technologies. Applicants for disability insurance benefits and SSI payments on the basis of disability must provide medical evidence to support their claims for benefits. We assist these applicants in obtaining medical records. We use these medical records to make disability determinations for more than 2.6 million people who apply each year for benefits. We rely on medical providers such as doctors, hospitals, clinics, and others in the healthcare field to respond to our requests for medical records in a timely manner. We are now in a position to use health IT to transform the disability process. Health IT is an electronic system that provides for a secure exchange of data between health care consumers and providers. We intend to use health IT in developing medical evidence and requesting, receiving, and managing medical information. By using health IT, we will be able to request and receive medical information within minutes, rather than the days or months it may take to receive medical evidence by traditional methods. With the advent of health IT, we will be able to replace a largely paper-based, labor intensive, manual process with system-to-system data exchange transactions. We have set $15 as the reasonable reimbursement to non-Federal medical providers for their costs in supplying medical records through health IT in response to a request. The $15 rate is based on our average payment for medical records obtained through nonhealth IT processes. As increasing numbers of medical providers E:\FR\FM\11JAN1.SGM 11JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 6 / Monday, January 11, 2010 / Notices incorporate health IT and the market for health IT records exchanges develops, we anticipate that we will develop more detailed information about the reasonable costs for obtaining medical records through health IT. Consequently, we will periodically review the uniform national rate for reimbursing all non-federal medical providers for the reasonable costs of supplying health IT medical records. When we revise the uniform national rate, we will publish another notice in the Federal Register. Dated: January 4, 2010. Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security. [FR Doc. 2010–225 Filed 1–8–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4191–02–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [STB Finance Docket No. 34658] srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES Alaska Railroad Corporation— Construction and Operation Exemption—Rail Line Between North Pole and Delta Junction, AK By petition filed on July 6, 2007, Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC), a Class III rail carrier incorporated in, and owned by, the State of Alaska, seeks an exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502 from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10901 for authority to construct and operate approximately 80 miles of new main line track, referred to as the Northern Rail Extension (NRE), in the State of Alaska. The proposed NRE would extend southeasterly from Mile 20 on ARRC’s existing Eielson Branch near the community of North Pole (located just south of Fairbanks) to the southern side of the community of Delta Junction. In a decision served on October 4, 2007, the Board instituted a proceeding under 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). The Board’s Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has conducted an environmental review of the proposed construction and alternatives. A detailed Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by SEA together with eight cooperating agencies 1 was issued for public review and comment on February 2, 2009. SEA then prepared a Final EIS that was issued on September 1 U.S. Department of Defense Alaskan Command, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Air Force 354th Fighter Wing Command from Eielson Air Force Base, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, and State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources. VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:06 Jan 08, 2010 Jkt 220001 18, 2009. The Final EIS considered all the comments received on the Draft EIS, reflects SEA’s further independent analysis, and sets forth SEA’s preferred rail alignments and final recommended environmental mitigation measures. After considering the entire record, including both the transportation aspects of the petition and the potential environmental issues, we granted the requested construction and operation exemption in a decision served on January 6, 2010, permitting ARRC to build any of the preferred rail alignments set out in the decision, subject to compliance with the environmental mitigation measures listed in Appendix 1 of the decision. Vice Chairman Mulvey dissented with a separate expression. Petitions to reopen must be filed by February 5, 2010. Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at www.stb.dot.gov. Decided: January 5, 2010. By the Board, Chairman Elliott, Vice Chairman Mulvey, and Commissioner Nottingham. Vice Chairman Mulvey dissented with a separate expression. Kulunie L. Cannon, Clearance Clerk. [FR Doc. 2010–217 Filed 1–8–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4915–01–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Receipt of Noise Compatibility Program Update and Request for Review for Modesto City-County Airport, Modesto, CA AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT. ACTION: Notice, correction. SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a notice in the Federal Register on December 18, 2009. (74 FR 67305). This action corrects an error in a date in that document. The notice announced that the FAA is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program update that was submitted for Modesto City-County Airport under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et seq. (the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act) and 14 CFR Part 150 by City of Modesto. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Camille Garibaldi, Telephone number: (650) 876–2778, extension 613. Correction In Notice document (Federal Register Doc. E9–30186) published on December PO 00000 Frm 00115 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 1447 18, 2009 (74 FR 67305) make the following correction: On page 67305 in the second column, in the fourth line of the third paragraph under the heading SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION; the date December 6, 2009, is corrected to read, December 9, 2009. Issued in Hawthorne, California on December 29, 2009. Mark A. McClardy, Manager, Airports Division, AWP–600, Western-Pacific Region. [FR Doc. 2010–114 Filed 1–8–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–M DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Petition for Exemption From the Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard; Hyundia-Kia America Technical Center, Inc. AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Grant of petition for exemption. SUMMARY: This document grants in full the petition of Hyundai-Kia Motors Corporation (HATCI) in accordance with § 543.9(c)(2) of 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard, for the Kia Amanti vehicle line beginning with model year (MY) 2009. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard. HATCI requested confidential treatment for its information and attachments submitted in support of its petition. In a letter dated January 30, 2008, the agency denied HATCI’s request for confidential treatment. Subsequently, HATCI requested reconsideration of the determination. In a letter dated September 25, 2008, the agency granted the petitioner’s request for reconsideration of confidential treatment of the indicated areas of its petition. DATES: The exemption granted by this notice is effective beginning with model year (MY) 2009. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Deborah Mazyck, International Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Mazyck’s telephone number is (202) 366–0846. Her fax number is (202) 493–2290. E:\FR\FM\11JAN1.SGM 11JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 6 (Monday, January 11, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1446-1447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-225]


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

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2009-0088]


Rate of Payment for Medical Records Received Through Health 
Information Technology (IT) Necessary To Make Disability Determinations

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of a uniform national rate of Federal payment for 
medical records received through health IT.

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

SUMMARY: We have set $15 as the reasonable reimbursement to non-Federal 
medical providers for their costs in supplying medical records through 
health IT in response to a request. We will pay the uniform national 
rate to a medical provider that satisfies a medical records request 
through health IT. We are establishing this uniform national rate under 
our authority in sections 205(a), 223(d)(5)(A) and 1631(e) of the 
Social Security Act (Act).

DATES: We are establishing the reasonable rate for medical records 
received through health IT in response to our requests on or after the 
date of publication of this notice. We will periodically review this 
rate and publish updates in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Elksnis, Office of Disability 
Programs, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, 410-966-0497, for information about this 
notice. For information on eligibility or filing for benefits, call our 
national toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778, or 
visit our Internet site, Social Security Online, at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are experiencing a significant increase 
in the number of initial claims for disability insurance benefits and 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments on the basis of disability, 
and we expect this trend to continue. The increasing volume of claims, 
coupled with the backlog of disability cases in the hearings process, 
underscores our need to process cases more efficiently by using 
advanced technologies.
    Applicants for disability insurance benefits and SSI payments on 
the basis of disability must provide medical evidence to support their 
claims for benefits. We assist these applicants in obtaining medical 
records. We use these medical records to make disability determinations 
for more than 2.6 million people who apply each year for benefits. We 
rely on medical providers such as doctors, hospitals, clinics, and 
others in the healthcare field to respond to our requests for medical 
records in a timely manner.
    We are now in a position to use health IT to transform the 
disability process. Health IT is an electronic system that provides for 
a secure exchange of data between health care consumers and providers. 
We intend to use health IT in developing medical evidence and 
requesting, receiving, and managing medical information. By using 
health IT, we will be able to request and receive medical information 
within minutes, rather than the days or months it may take to receive 
medical evidence by traditional methods. With the advent of health IT, 
we will be able to replace a largely paper-based, labor intensive, 
manual process with system-to-system data exchange transactions.
    We have set $15 as the reasonable reimbursement to non-Federal 
medical providers for their costs in supplying medical records through 
health IT in response to a request. The $15 rate is based on our 
average payment for medical records obtained through non-health IT 
processes. As increasing numbers of medical providers

[[Page 1447]]

incorporate health IT and the market for health IT records exchanges 
develops, we anticipate that we will develop more detailed information 
about the reasonable costs for obtaining medical records through health 
IT. Consequently, we will periodically review the uniform national rate 
for reimbursing all non-federal medical providers for the reasonable 
costs of supplying health IT medical records.
    When we revise the uniform national rate, we will publish another 
notice in the Federal Register.

    Dated: January 4, 2010.
Michael J. Astrue,
Commissioner of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 2010-225 Filed 1-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
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