Department of Health and Human Services July 14, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is amending the Agency's regulations by removing certain regulations that include obsolete references. FDA is taking this action to improve the accuracy of the regulations.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) has determined that PARAFON FORTE DSC (chlorzoxazone) tablets, 500 milligrams (mg), were not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness.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 this drug product, and this determination will allow FDA to continue to approve ANDAs for chlorzoxane tablets, 500 mg, if all other legal and regulatory requirements are met.

This document amends the notice published in Federal Register, Friday July 8, 2016, volume 81, pages 44639-44640. This notice updates and extends the submission period to August 8, 2016, limits an investigator or co-investigator to one submission and adds prize details. The ``Use of Blockchain in Health IT and Health-related Research'' Ideation Challenge solicits white papers on the topic of Blockchain Technology and the potential use in Health IT to address privacy, security and scalability challenges of managing electronic health record and resources. Up to 15 winners will be awarded a cash prize and up to 8 winners may be invited to present their papers at an upcoming industry-wide workshop co-hosted with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The statutory authority for this Challenge is section 105 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-358).

This proposed rule would revise the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and the Medicare ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for CY 2017 to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. In this proposed rule, we describe the proposed changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment system. In addition, this proposed rule would update and refine the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program and the ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program. Further, in this proposed rule, we are proposing to make changes to tolerance thresholds for clinical outcomes for solid organ transplant programs; to Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) definitions, outcome measures, and organ transport documentation; and to the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs. We also are proposing to remove the HCAHPS Pain Management dimension from the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program. In addition, we are proposing to implement section 603 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 relating to payment for certain items and services furnished by certain off-campus outpatient departments of a provider.