Update to the Health Resources and Services Administration-Supported Women's Preventive Services Guidelines Relating to Screening for Urinary Incontinence, 472-473 [2023-28970]

Download as PDF 472 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 3 / Thursday, January 4, 2024 / Notices B. Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (Colette A. Fried, Assistant Vice President) 230 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60690–1414. Comments can also be sent electronically to Comments.applications@chi.frb.org: 1. First Busey Corporation, Champaign, Illinois; to merge with Merchants and Manufacturers Bank Corporation, Channahon, Illinois, and thereby indirectly acquire Merchants and Manufacturers Bank, Joliet, Illinois. C. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (Holly A. Rieser, Senior Manager) P.O. Box 442, St. Louis, Missouri 63166– 2034. Comments can also be sent electronically to Comments.applications@stls.frb.org: 1. Old National Bancorp, Evansville, Indiana; to merge with CapStar Financial Holdings, Inc., and thereby indirectly acquire CapStar Bank, both of Nashville, Tennessee. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Ann E. Misback, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. 2023–28966 Filed 1–3–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Update to the Health Resources and Services Administration-Supported Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines Relating to Screening for Urinary Incontinence Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: A Federal Register notice published on September 29, 2023, detailed and sought public comment on recommendations under development by the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI), regarding updates to the HRSA-supported Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines (Guidelines). The proposed updates specifically related to Screening for Urinary Incontinence. WPSI convenes health professionals to develop draft recommendations for HRSA’s consideration. Two public comments were received and considered as detailed below. On December 28, 2023, HRSA accepted as final WPSI’s recommended updates to the Screening for Urinary Incontinence guideline. Under applicable law, non- khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Jan 03, 2024 Jkt 262001 grandfathered group health plans and health insurance issuers offering nongrandfathered group and individual health insurance coverage must include coverage, without cost sharing, for certain preventive services, including those provided for in the HRSAsupported Guidelines. The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury have previously issued regulations describing how group health plans and health insurance issuers apply the coverage requirements. Please see https://www.hrsa.gov/womensguidelines for additional information. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Sherman, HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, telephone: (301) 443–8283, email: wellwomancare@ hrsa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111–148, the preventive care and screenings set forth in the Guidelines are required to be covered without cost-sharing by certain group health plans and health insurance issuers. HRSA established the Guidelines in 2011 based on expert recommendations by the Institute of Medicine, now known as the National Academy of Medicine, developed under a contract with the Department of Health and Human Services. Since 2016, HRSA has funded cooperative agreements with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) to convene a coalition representing clinicians, academics, and consumer-focused health professional organizations to conduct a rigorous review of current scientific evidence, solicit and consider public input, and make recommendations to HRSA regarding updates to the Guidelines to improve adult women’s health across the lifespan. HRSA then determines whether to support, in whole or in part, the recommended updates to the Guidelines. WPSI includes an Advisory Panel and two expert committees, the Multidisciplinary Steering Committee and the Dissemination and Implementation Steering Committee, which are comprised of a broad coalition of organizational representatives who are experts in disease prevention and women’s health issues. With oversight by the Advisory Panel, and with input from the Multidisciplinary Steering Committee, WPSI examines the evidence to develop new (and update existing) recommendations for women’s preventive services. WPSI’s Dissemination and Implementation PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Steering Committee takes HRSAapproved recommendations and disseminates them through the development of implementation tools and resources for both patients and practitioners. WPSI bases its recommended updates to the Guidelines on review and synthesis of existing clinical guidelines and new scientific evidence, following the National Academy of Medicine standards for establishing foundations for and rating strengths of recommendations, articulation of recommendations, and external reviews. Additionally, HRSA requires that WPSI incorporate processes to assure opportunity for public comment, including participation by patients and consumers, in the development of the updated Guidelines. WPSI proposed and HRSA has accepted recommended updates to the Guideline relating to Screening for Urinary Incontinence, which now reads, ‘‘The Women’s Preventive Services Initiative recommends screening women for urinary incontinence annually. Screening should assess whether women experience urinary incontinence and whether it impacts their activities and quality of life. If indicated, facilitating further evaluation and treatment is recommended.’’ Discussion of Recommended Updated Guideline Relating to Screening for Urinary Incontinence: WPSI recommended minor updates to the previous Guideline language. The first change is removal of the word ‘‘ideally’’ from the second sentence, for clarity. Removal of the word ‘‘ideally’’ does not substantively change the Guideline. The second change is in the final sentence, changing the word ‘‘referring’’ to ‘‘facilitating’’ to reflect that clinicians in practice, after screening for urinary incontinence, may decide to treat or manage urinary incontinence as part of standard primary care services or refer to specialists if specialist care is needed. The change in language from ‘‘referring’’ to ‘‘facilitating’’ does not substantively change the Guideline. Lastly, WPSI recommended minor editorial revisions to the language of the Guideline, for clarity. These minor editorial revisions have no substantive effect on the Guideline. A Federal Register notice published on September 29, 2023, sought public comment on these proposed updates (88 FR 67318).1 WPSI considered all public comments as part of its deliberative 1 See https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 2023/09/29/2023-21514/notice-of-request-forpublic-comments-on-a-draft-recommendation-toupdate-the-hrsa-supported-womens. E:\FR\FM\04JAN1.SGM 04JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 3 / Thursday, January 4, 2024 / Notices process and provided the comments to HRSA for its consideration. Two respondents provided comments during the public comment period. One commenter suggested improving reimbursement by including billing codes for screening and counseling. This comment falls outside the scope of the Guidelines. The other commenter suggested adding the word ‘‘comorbidities’’ to a WPSI list of potential research topics. This comment was not accepted as it does not address the recommendation itself, but rather supporting materials. After consideration of public comment, WPSI submitted the recommended updates for Screening for Urinary Incontinence as detailed above. On December 28, 2023, the HRSA Administrator accepted WPSI’s recommendations and, as such, updated the Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines. Non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage must cover without cost-sharing the services and screenings listed on the updated Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines for plan years (in the individual market, policy years) that begin 1 year after this date. Thus, for most plans, this update will take effect for purposes of the Section 2713 coverage requirement in 2025. Additional information regarding the Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines can be accessed at the following link: https://www.hrsa.gov/ womens-guidelines. Authority: Section 2713(a)(4) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 300gg–13(a)(4). Carole Johnson, Administrator. [FR Doc. 2023–28970 Filed 1–3–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4165–15–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program; List of Petitions Received Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: HRSA is publishing this notice of petitions received under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (the Program), as required by SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Jan 03, 2024 Jkt 262001 the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended. While the Secretary of HHS is named as the respondent in all proceedings brought by the filing of petitions for compensation under the Program, the United States Court of Federal Claims is charged by statute with responsibility for considering and acting upon the petitions. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about requirements for filing petitions, and the Program in general, contact Lisa L. Reyes, Clerk of Court, United States Court of Federal Claims, 717 Madison Place NW, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 357–6400. For information on HRSA’s role in the Program, contact the Director, National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 08W–25A, Rockville, Maryland 20857; 1–800–338– 2382, or visit our website at: https:// www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/ index.html. The Program provides a system of no-fault compensation for certain individuals who have been injured by specified childhood vaccines. Subtitle 2 of title XXI of the PHS Act, 42 U.S.C. 300aa– 10 et seq., provides that those seeking compensation are to file a petition with the United States Court of Federal Claims and to serve a copy of the petition to the Secretary of HHS, who is named as the respondent in each proceeding. The Secretary has delegated this responsibility under the Program to HRSA. The Court is directed by statute to appoint special masters who take evidence, conduct hearings as appropriate, and make initial decisions as to eligibility for, and amount of, compensation. A petition may be filed with respect to injuries, disabilities, illnesses, conditions, and deaths resulting from vaccines described in the Vaccine Injury Table (the table) set forth at 42 CFR 100.3. This table lists for each covered childhood vaccine the conditions that may lead to compensation and, for each condition, the time period for occurrence of the first symptom or manifestation of onset or of significant aggravation after vaccine administration. Compensation may also be awarded for conditions not listed in the table and for conditions that are manifested outside the time periods specified in the table, but only if the petitioner shows that the condition was caused by one of the listed vaccines. Section 2112(b)(2) of the PHS Act, 42 U.S.C. 300aa–12(b)(2), requires that ‘‘[w]ithin 30 days after the Secretary receives service of any petition filed SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 473 under section 2111 the Secretary shall publish notice of such petition in the Federal Register.’’ Set forth below is a list of petitions received by HRSA on November 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. This list provides the name of the petitioner, city, and state of vaccination (if unknown then the city and state of the person or attorney filing the claim), and case number. In cases where the Court has redacted the name of a petitioner and/or the case number, the list reflects such redaction. Section 2112(b)(2) also provides that the special master ‘‘shall afford all interested persons an opportunity to submit relevant, written information’’ relating to the following: 1. The existence of evidence ‘‘that there is not a preponderance of the evidence that the illness, disability, injury, condition, or death described in the petition is due to factors unrelated to the administration of the vaccine described in the petition,’’ and 2. Any allegation in a petition that the petitioner either: a. ‘‘[S]ustained, or had significantly aggravated, any illness, disability, injury, or condition not set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table but which was caused by’’ one of the vaccines referred to in the table, or b. ‘‘[S]ustained, or had significantly aggravated, any illness, disability, injury, or condition set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table the first symptom or manifestation of the onset or significant aggravation of which did not occur within the time period set forth in the Table but which was caused by a vaccine’’ referred to in the table. In accordance with section 2112(b)(2), all interested persons may submit written information relevant to the issues described above in the case of the petitions listed below. Any person choosing to do so should file an original and three (3) copies of the information with the Clerk of the United States Court of Federal Claims at the address listed above (under the heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT), with a copy to HRSA addressed to Director, Division of Injury Compensation Programs, Health Systems Bureau, 5600 Fishers Lane, 08W–25A, Rockville, Maryland 20857. The Court’s caption (Petitioner’s Name v. Secretary of HHS) and the docket number assigned to the petition should be used as the caption for the written submission. Chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, related to paperwork reduction, does not apply E:\FR\FM\04JAN1.SGM 04JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 3 (Thursday, January 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 472-473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28970]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Update to the Health Resources and Services Administration-
Supported Women's Preventive Services Guidelines Relating to Screening 
for Urinary Incontinence

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: A Federal Register notice published on September 29, 2023, 
detailed and sought public comment on recommendations under development 
by the Women's Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI), regarding updates 
to the HRSA-supported Women's Preventive Services Guidelines 
(Guidelines). The proposed updates specifically related to Screening 
for Urinary Incontinence. WPSI convenes health professionals to develop 
draft recommendations for HRSA's consideration. Two public comments 
were received and considered as detailed below. On December 28, 2023, 
HRSA accepted as final WPSI's recommended updates to the Screening for 
Urinary Incontinence guideline. Under applicable law, non-grandfathered 
group health plans and health insurance issuers offering non-
grandfathered group and individual health insurance coverage must 
include coverage, without cost sharing, for certain preventive 
services, including those provided for in the HRSA-supported 
Guidelines. The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and 
the Treasury have previously issued regulations describing how group 
health plans and health insurance issuers apply the coverage 
requirements. Please see https://www.hrsa.gov/womens-guidelines for 
additional information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Sherman, HRSA, Maternal and 
Child Health Bureau, telephone: (301) 443-8283, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act, Public Law 111-148, the preventive care and screenings set 
forth in the Guidelines are required to be covered without cost-sharing 
by certain group health plans and health insurance issuers. HRSA 
established the Guidelines in 2011 based on expert recommendations by 
the Institute of Medicine, now known as the National Academy of 
Medicine, developed under a contract with the Department of Health and 
Human Services. Since 2016, HRSA has funded cooperative agreements with 
the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for the Women's 
Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) to convene a coalition 
representing clinicians, academics, and consumer-focused health 
professional organizations to conduct a rigorous review of current 
scientific evidence, solicit and consider public input, and make 
recommendations to HRSA regarding updates to the Guidelines to improve 
adult women's health across the lifespan. HRSA then determines whether 
to support, in whole or in part, the recommended updates to the 
Guidelines.
    WPSI includes an Advisory Panel and two expert committees, the 
Multidisciplinary Steering Committee and the Dissemination and 
Implementation Steering Committee, which are comprised of a broad 
coalition of organizational representatives who are experts in disease 
prevention and women's health issues. With oversight by the Advisory 
Panel, and with input from the Multidisciplinary Steering Committee, 
WPSI examines the evidence to develop new (and update existing) 
recommendations for women's preventive services. WPSI's Dissemination 
and Implementation Steering Committee takes HRSA-approved 
recommendations and disseminates them through the development of 
implementation tools and resources for both patients and practitioners.
    WPSI bases its recommended updates to the Guidelines on review and 
synthesis of existing clinical guidelines and new scientific evidence, 
following the National Academy of Medicine standards for establishing 
foundations for and rating strengths of recommendations, articulation 
of recommendations, and external reviews. Additionally, HRSA requires 
that WPSI incorporate processes to assure opportunity for public 
comment, including participation by patients and consumers, in the 
development of the updated Guidelines.
    WPSI proposed and HRSA has accepted recommended updates to the 
Guideline relating to Screening for Urinary Incontinence, which now 
reads, ``The Women's Preventive Services Initiative recommends 
screening women for urinary incontinence annually. Screening should 
assess whether women experience urinary incontinence and whether it 
impacts their activities and quality of life. If indicated, 
facilitating further evaluation and treatment is recommended.''
    Discussion of Recommended Updated Guideline Relating to Screening 
for Urinary Incontinence: WPSI recommended minor updates to the 
previous Guideline language. The first change is removal of the word 
``ideally'' from the second sentence, for clarity. Removal of the word 
``ideally'' does not substantively change the Guideline. The second 
change is in the final sentence, changing the word ``referring'' to 
``facilitating'' to reflect that clinicians in practice, after 
screening for urinary incontinence, may decide to treat or manage 
urinary incontinence as part of standard primary care services or refer 
to specialists if specialist care is needed. The change in language 
from ``referring'' to ``facilitating'' does not substantively change 
the Guideline. Lastly, WPSI recommended minor editorial revisions to 
the language of the Guideline, for clarity. These minor editorial 
revisions have no substantive effect on the Guideline.
    A Federal Register notice published on September 29, 2023, sought 
public comment on these proposed updates (88 FR 67318).\1\ WPSI 
considered all public comments as part of its deliberative

[[Page 473]]

process and provided the comments to HRSA for its consideration. Two 
respondents provided comments during the public comment period. One 
commenter suggested improving reimbursement by including billing codes 
for screening and counseling. This comment falls outside the scope of 
the Guidelines. The other commenter suggested adding the word ``co-
morbidities'' to a WPSI list of potential research topics. This comment 
was not accepted as it does not address the recommendation itself, but 
rather supporting materials.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/09/29/2023-21514/notice-of-request-for-public-comments-on-a-draft-recommendation-to-update-the-hrsa-supported-womens.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    After consideration of public comment, WPSI submitted the 
recommended updates for Screening for Urinary Incontinence as detailed 
above. On December 28, 2023, the HRSA Administrator accepted WPSI's 
recommendations and, as such, updated the Women's Preventive Services 
Guidelines. Non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance 
issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage must 
cover without cost-sharing the services and screenings listed on the 
updated Women's Preventive Services Guidelines for plan years (in the 
individual market, policy years) that begin 1 year after this date. 
Thus, for most plans, this update will take effect for purposes of the 
Section 2713 coverage requirement in 2025. Additional information 
regarding the Women's Preventive Services Guidelines can be accessed at 
the following link: https://www.hrsa.gov/womens-guidelines.
    Authority: Section 2713(a)(4) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 
U.S.C. 300gg-13(a)(4).

Carole Johnson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-28970 Filed 1-3-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P

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