Health Resources and Services Administration 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

HRSA will be awarding non-competitively Part C funds to support comprehensive primary care services for persons living with HIV/AIDS, including primary medical care, laboratory testing, oral health care, outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment, specialty and subspecialty care, referrals for health and support services and adherence monitoring/education services to the Rural Health Group in order to ensure continuity of critical HIV medical care and treatment services, and to avoid a disruption of HIV clinical care to clients in Henderson, North Carolina, and the surrounding counties.

``Government agencies,'' as defined in section 1128E(g)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7e(g)(3)), that are not in compliance with the reporting requirements of the HIPDB will have their names published in a report on the HRSA and Data Bank Web sites (http:/ /www.hrsa.gov and https://www.npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov) by July 1, 2010. This listing of non-compliant Government agencies will be reviewed and updated on a periodic basis.

As required by Section 5602 of Public Law 111-148, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, HRSA plans to establish a comprehensive methodology and criteria for Designation of Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs) and Primary Care Health Professions Shortage Areas (HPSAs) [under sections 330(b)(3) and 332 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, respectively], using a Negotiated Rulemaking process. To do this, HRSA intends to establish a Negotiated Rulemaking Committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

The Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (SACHDNC) was established under Section 1111 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, 42 U.S.C. 300b-10, as amended in the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2008 (Act). The SACHDNC is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees. The SACHDNC provides advice to the Secretary about aspects of newborn and childhood screening and technical information for the development of policies and priorities that will enhance the ability of the State and local health agencies to provide for newborn and child screening, counseling and health care services for newborns and children having or at risk for heritable disorders.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is publishing notice of a proposal to substantially revise ``Public Health Service (PHS) and National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship/Loan Repayment Participants Records System, HHS/HRSA/BPHC,'' HRSA Systems of Records No. 09-15-0037, to reflect organizational and physical location changes, and to update the categories of individuals and records covered by the system. HRSA is also proposing to (a) delete the Nursing Student Education Direct Loan Program, which is not administered by HRSA; (b) add records pertaining to the Nursing Scholarship Program and the Student/Resident Experiences and Rotations in Community Health (SEARCH) Program; and (c) incorporate the Faculty Loan Repayment Program and the Physician Shortage Area Scholarship Program, which previously had their own System of Records Notices (09-15-0058, and 09- 15-0042 respectively). These changes will require renaming the system of records and expanding the Authority to maintain the system. HRSA has updated the section on maintenance and storage of records to reflect current technologies, as well as Purpose(s), Safeguards, Retention and Disposal (of records), Notification Procedures, and Records source categories to detail current operations. HRSA is proposing to delete routine uses that are obsolete and to add new routine uses that cover disclosures of information needed for effective program operations.

HRSA will be providing supplemental funds to support activities for a regional Pacific Primary Care Organization to represent the six U.S.-affiliated Pacific Basin jurisdictions. The supplemental funds will be used to augment the grantee's current

HRSA is publishing a Final Agency Guidance (``Policy Information Notice'' (PIN) 2010-01) to describe the documentation that will be considered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in confirming public agency status for organizations that self- identify as public agencies (also referred to in previous PINs as ``public entities'' or ``public applicants'') for Health Center Program grant funding authorized under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, and/or for Federally Qualified Health Center Look- Alike designation. The PIN, ``Confirming Public Agency Status under the Health Center Program and FQHC Look-Alike Program,'' and the Agency's ``Response to Public Comments'' are available on the Internet at http:/ /bphc.hrsa.gov/policy/pin1001/and https://bphc.hrsa.gov/policy/pin1001/ PublcCommentsPIN2010-01.pdf, respectively.

Section 602 of Public Law 102-585, the ``Veterans Health Care Act of 1992'' enacted Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act (PHS). Section 340B implements a drug pricing program by which manufacturers who sell covered outpatient drugs to particular covered entities listed in the statute must agree to charge a price that will not exceed the amount determined under a statutory formula. The purpose of this Final Notice is to inform interested parties of final guidelines regarding the utilization of multiple contract pharmacies and suggested contract pharmacy provisions, which had been previously limited to the Alternative Methods Demonstration Project program.

The HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) Policy Notice 99-02 established general policies regarding the use of Title XXVI of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funds for housing referral services and short-term or emergency housing needs. Amendment 1 to Policy Notice 99-02, effective March 27, 2008, modified Policy Notice 99-02 by imposing a 24-month cumulative cap on short-term and emergency housing assistance. HRSA's Administrator is undertaking a comprehensive review of the Housing Policy, and is therefore directing that Amendment 1 to Policy Notice 99-02 be rescinded, effective immediately.