Federal employees health benefits program; medically underserved areas for 1998--OPM. Notice of medically underserved areas for 1998

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has completed its annual calculation of the States that qualify as Medically Underserved Areas under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for the calendar year 1998. This is necessary to comply with a provision of FEHB law that mandates special consideration for enrollees of certain FEHB plans who receive covered health services in states with critical shortages of primary care physicians. Accordingly, for calendar year 1998, OPM's calculations show that the following States are Medically Underserved Areas under the FEHB Program: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming. North Dakota has been removed from that list, with no new additions for 1998.     

Federal universal service support mechanisms--FCC. Proposed rule; request for comments

In this document, the Commission seeks comment on the Report and Proposed Plan of Reorganization (Plan) filed on July 1, 1998 by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), the Schools and Libraries Corporation (SLC), and the Rural Health Care Corporation (RHCC). The Plan proposes a revised adminstrative structure of the federal universal service support mechanisms. RHCC filed a Separate Statement of the Rural Health Care Corporation and Request for Three Changes in the Plan, dissenting from certain provisions of the proposed Plan. In this document, the Commission also seeks comment on other issues regarding the administration of the federal universal service support mechanisms, including processes for Commission review of actions by USAC, SLC, and RHCC.     

Federal Trade Commission drops challenge to California hospital acquisition

The significance of patient outmigration patterns, third-party payor reaction, and post-merger cost savings have been regularly argued by defense counsel and hospitals as important consideration in the antitrust evaluation of hospital mergers. The reliance placed by the Commission on these factors in its Ukiah decision is a welcome confirmation that the antitrust agencies are increasingly sensitive to these aspects of hospital mergers, reflecting a more sophisticated understanding of the health care market than was suggested by the staff's more mechanical evaluative approach. Hospitals and their counsel should therefore prepare for and document these factors if they anticipate antitrust agency scrutiny of a proposed acquisition or merger.     

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: medically underserved areas for 1992--Office of Personnel Management. Notice of medically underserved areas for 1992

The Office of Personnel Management has completed its annual determination of the States that qualify as Medically Underserved Areas under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for calendar year 1992. This determination is necessary to comply with a provision of FEHB law that mandates special consideration for enrollees of certain FEHB plans who receive covered health services in States with critical shortages of primary care physicians. Accordingly, for calendar year 1992, OPM has determined that the following States are Medically Underserved Areas under the FEHB Program: Alabama, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming. This list is the same as that for 1991, with the exception of the addition of Alabama.     

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, Medically Underserved Areas for 1999--OPM. Notice of medically underserved areas for 1999

The Office of Personnel Management has completed its annual calculation of the States that qualify as Medically Underserved Areas under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for the calendar year 1999. This is necessary to comply with a provision of FEHB law that mandates special consideration for enrollees of certain FEHB plans who receive covered health services in states with critical shortages of primary care physicians. Accordingly, for calendar year 1999, OPM's calculations show that the following States are Medically Underserved Areas under the FEHB Program: Alabama, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming. West Virginia has been removed from the 1998 list, and Idaho and North Dakota have been added.     

农村人口问题与新农村建设

人口问题是事关新农村经济建设发展的关键问题。解决我国农村人口失控的问题必须从转变农村的生产方式、生活方式、教育方式及社会保障入手，逐步消除城乡生存方式上的差异，以此促进新农村建设，达到社会和谐。     

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: limitation on inpatient hospital charges and FEHB program payments--OPM. Interim regulation with request for comments

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing an interim regulation that implements section 7002(f) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (5 U.S.C. 8904(b)). The law sets a limit on the charges and Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program benefit payments for certain inpatient hospital services received by a retired enrolled individual. This regulation defines a retired enrolled individual and sets forth the circumstances under which the limit on charges and FEHB Program benefit payments takes effect.     

The Federal Gendarmerie in Austria

Editor's Note: Mr. Robert Harnischmacher is a West German free-lance writer and lecturer in the Legal Sciences and Police Affairs, with a background in the German military and the Japanese martial arts. The author has been involved in developing unarmed combat skills for various German police forces and a number of foreign countries. His articles on self-defense, criminology and police history and administration have been published in the police publications of Germany, Austria, Australia, Canada, the United States, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland and Britain. Mr. Harnischmacher has also written some judicial books regarding the police in West Germany. He has traveled widely and delivered many speeches and lectures including highly selective and sensitive topics to highly selected audiences. He is currently an Honorary Deputy Sheriff of San Diego County in California as well as an Honor member of the San Diego Crime Commission. The Editor takes this opportunity to thank Mr. Harnischmacher for his contributions to the journal and anticipates his further cooperation in disseminating his experiences and expertise through the journal. Mr. Harnischmacher has published several articles through this journal in previous volumes.     

Federal employees health benefits program; limitation on inpatient hospital charges and FEHB program payments--OPM. Final rule

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations that implement section 7002(f) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. The law sets a limit on the charges and Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) benefit payments for certain inpatient hospital services received by a retired enrolled individual. These regulations finalize interim regulations that defined a retired enrolled individual and set forth the circumstances under which the limit on charges and FEHBP benefit payments take effect.     

欠发达地区地方政府在新农村建设中的路径选择

建设社会主义新农村是摆在各级地方政府面前的重要任务,特别是对于欠发达地区的地方政府显得尤为艰巨。本文客观地分析了欠发达地区新农村建设面临的主要困境,寻找了冲出困境破解难题的路径,提出了路径选择的一些合理化建议。