Department of Health and Human Services May 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule modernizes the Medicaid managed care regulations to reflect changes in the usage of managed care delivery systems. The final rule aligns, where feasible, many of the rules governing Medicaid managed care with those of other major sources of coverage, including coverage through Qualified Health Plans and Medicare Advantage plans; implements statutory provisions; strengthens actuarial soundness payment provisions to promote the accountability of Medicaid managed care program rates; and promotes the quality of care and strengthens efforts to reform delivery systems that serve Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries. It also ensures appropriate beneficiary protections and enhances policies related to program integrity. This final rule also implements provisions of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) and addresses third party liability for trauma codes.

The HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) is requesting a deviation from the competition requirements in order to provide a 1 year extension with funds to the Resource and Technical Assistance Center for HIV Prevention and Care for Black MSM cooperative agreement recipient, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. The purpose of the program is to develop a Resource and Technical Assistance Center for HIV prevention and care of models and interventions that increase the capacity, quality, and effectiveness of HIV/AIDS service providers to screen, diagnose, link, and retain, the adult and young Black MSM community in HIV clinical care. The 2-year project period ends June 30, 2016. The extension through June 30, 2017, for this project provides necessary funding and time to complete previously approved project activities, an orderly phase out, and transition to the next stage of evaluation for the models of HIV clinical care and best practices needed for HIV viral suppression. The next stage of planning by HAB is to use the models, tools, and best practices developed for improved health outcomes by this recipient for fiscal year 2017 competitive funding under the HAB Special Projects of National Significance Program.

The Department of Health and Human Services (Department), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), will host a Tribal Consultation to consult on ACF programs and tribal priorities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of its continuing efforts to reduce public burden and maximize the utility of government information, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on the Million Hearts[supreg] Hypertension Control Challenge, program designed to identify clinical practices and health systems that have been successful in achieving high rates of hypertension control and to develop models for dissemination.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on an information collection concerning CMS' Healthy Indiana Program (HIP) 2.0 Beneficiaries Survey. We are also announcing that the proposed information collection had been submitted to OMB and was approved under control number 0938-1300 through September 30, 2016. In accordance with the implementing regulations of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) we requested emergency review under 5 CFR 1320.13(a)(2)(i) because public harm is reasonably likely to result if the regular clearance procedures were followed. More specifically, the regular PRA clearance process would jeopardize the timely completion of CMS' evaluation of the State's upcoming non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) waiver and other important waivers. Most importantly, it would potentially cause significant harm by depriving Medicaid beneficiariesespecially those affected by the NEMT waiverof appropriate medical services and needed care. Although we have already received OMB approval to test/develop the survey instruments, we are now soliciting public comment for 30-days prior to implementing the survey in order to meet the conditions of OMB's Terms of Clearance that were issued on March 21, 2016. Under the PRA, federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed information collection request (ICR). Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this ICR, including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility of the proposed ICR for the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

As stipulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hereby giving notice that the National Preparedness and Response Science Board (NPRSB) will be holding a public teleconference.

This document corrects a notice that was published in the Federal Register on April 21, 2016, Volume 81, Number 77, page 23497. This meeting is cancelled in its entirety. Contact Person for More Information: Brenda Colley Gilbert, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., Director, Extramural Research Program Operations and Services, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway NE., Mailstop F-80, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, Telephone: (770) 488-6295, BJC4@cdc.gov. The Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, has been delegated the authority to sign Federal Register notices pertaining to announcements of meetings and other committee management activities, for both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of grant funds for the support of FDA's Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) Natural History Grants Program. The goal of the Orphan Products Natural History Grants Program is to support studies that advance rare disease medical product development through characterization of the natural history of rare diseases/conditions, identification of genotypic and phenotypic subpopulations, and development and/or validation of clinical outcome measures, biomarkers and/or companion diagnostics. The ultimate goal of these natural history studies is to support clinical development of products for use in rare diseases or conditions where no current therapy exists or where the proposed product will be superior to the existing therapy. FDA provides grants for natural history studies that will either assist or substantially contribute to market approval of these products. Applicants must include in the application's Background and Significance section documentation to support that the estimated prevalence of the orphan disease or condition in the United States is less than 200,000 (or in the case of a vaccine or diagnostic, information to support that the product will be administered to fewer than 200,000 people in the United States per year), and an explanation of how the proposed study will either help support product approval or provide essential data needed for product development.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing that a proposed collection of information has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled ``Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Developing Direct-Acting Antiviral Drugs for Treatment.'' The purpose of this draft guidance is to assist sponsors in all phases of development of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. This draft guidance revises the draft guidance of the same name that was issued on October 23, 2013.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) has determined that the drug products listed in this document were not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. This determination means that FDA will not begin procedures to withdraw approval of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) that refer to these drug products, and it will allow FDA to continue to approve ANDAs that refer to the products as long as they meet relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency or we) is amending the general biological products standards relating to dating periods and also removing certain standards relating to standard preparations and limits of potency. FDA is taking this action to update outdated requirements, and accommodate new and evolving technology and testing capabilities, without diminishing public health protections. This action is part of FDA's retrospective review of its regulations in response to an Executive order. FDA is issuing these amendments directly as a final rule because the Agency believes they are noncontroversial and FDA anticipates no significant adverse comments.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection requirements relating to an extension with no changes of a currently approved collection of the Title III and VII State Program Report.