Office of the Secretary July 30, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice is to advise interested parties of an expansion of a Military Health System (MHS) demonstration project entitled TRICARE Provider Reimbursement Demonstration Project for the State of Alaska. The original demonstration notice was published on November 20, 2006 (71 FR 67112-67113) and described a demonstration project to increase reimbursement for individual providers in the State of Alaska. The demonstration project will now also include increased reimbursement for health care services by hospitals that have been designated as Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) in the State of Alaska. TRICARE, under the demonstration project, will reimburse CAHs in a similar manner as they are reimbursed under Medicare. The expansion of the demonstration project will test the effect of this change on CAH provider participation in TRICARE, beneficiary access to care, cost of health care services, military medical readiness, morale and welfare. In particular, the demonstration will test whether the increased costs of provider payments are offset in whole or part by savings in travel costs, lost duty time, and other factors. This demonstration will be conducted under statutory authority provided in 10 U.S.C. 1092.

The Defense Science Board Task Force on Defense Industrial Structure for Transformation will meet in closed session on August 14, 2007, at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), 4001 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA. This meeting will characterize the degree of changed needed in industry due to the changing nature of DoD and the industrial Base. It will also examine the effectiveness of existing mitigation measures and make recommendations to ensure future competition and innovation throughout all tiers of the defense industrial base. The briefing will contain proprietary material and ensuing discussions will be at the collateral secret level. The mission of the Defense Science Board is to advise the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics on scientific and technical matters as they affect the perceived needs of the Department of Defense. At the meeting, the Defense Science Board Task Force will: describe the defense industry required to cope with the international security environment in the 21st century. Additionally, the task force will address the implications for the industrial base of increased DoD acquisition of services, as well as the implications for the financial viability of the defense industrial base as the sector adapts to changing DoD needs for defense-related products and services. The task force's findings and recommendations, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.140 through 102-3.165, will be presented and discussed by the membership of the Defense Science Board prior to being present to the Government's decisionmaker. Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.120 and 102-3.150, the Designated Federal Officer for the Defense Science Board will determine and announce in the Federal Register when the findings and recommendations of the May 31, 2007 meeting are deliberated by the Defense Science Board. Interested persons may submit a written statement for consideration by the Defense Science Board. Individuals submitting a written statement must submit their statement to the Designated Federal Official at the address detailed below, at any point, however, if a written statement is not received at least 10 calendar days prior to the meeting, which is the subject of this notice, then it may not be provided to or considered by the Defense Science Board. The Designated Federal Official will review all timely submissions with the Defense Science Board Chairperson, and ensure they are provided to members of the Defense Science Board before the meeting that is the subject of this notice.