Sharing information between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. Final rule

This document adopts as final, without change, the interim final rule published in the Federal Register on October 20, 2011. This final rule removes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulatory restriction on the sharing of certain medical information with the Department of Defense (DoD) that is not required by the applicable statute and is inconsistent with the intent and purpose of that statute.     

Traumatic injury protection rider to Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance. Final rule

This document adopts with changes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) interim final rule that implemented section 1032 of Public Law 109-13, the "Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005." Section 1032 of Public Law 109-13 established an automatic traumatic injury protection rider to Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) for any SGLI insured who sustains a serious traumatic injury that results in certain losses as prescribed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense. Section 1032(a) is codified at 38 U.S.C. 1980A. Section 1032(c)(1) of Public Law 109-13 also authorized the payment of this traumatic injury benefit (TSGLI) to members of the uniformed services who incurred a qualifying loss between October 7, 2001, and the effective date of section 1032 of Public Law 109-13, i.e., December 1, 2005, provided the loss was a direct result of injuries incurred in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). This document modifies Sec. 9.20 of the interim rule to provide that a service member must suffer a scheduled loss within 2 years after a traumatic injury, rather than one year as provided in current Sec. 9.20(d)(4). This document also amends Sec. 9.20(d)(1) to clarify that a service member does not have to be insured under SGLI in order to be eligible for TSGLI based upon incurrence of a traumatic injury between October 7, 2001, and December 1, 2005, if the member's loss was a direct result of injuries incurred in OEF or OIF.     

Regulations implementing the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as amended. Employment Standards Administration, Labor. Final rule

On January 22, 1997, the Department issued a proposed rule to amend the regulations implementing the Black Lung Benefits Act. 62 FR 3338-3435 (Jan. 22, 1997). When the comment period closed on August 21, 1997, the Department had received written submissions from almost 200 interested persons, including coal miners, coal mine operators, insurers, physicians, and attorneys. The Department also held hearings in Charleston, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. at which over 50 people testified. The Department carefully reviewed the testimony and the comments and, on October 8, 1999, issued a second notice of proposed rulemaking. 64 FR 54966-55072 (Oct. 8, 1999). In its second notice, the Department proposed changing several of the most important provisions in its initial proposal. The Department also explained its decision not to alter the original proposal with respect to other key regulations based on the comments received to date. Finally, the Department prepared an initial regulatory flexibility analysis. In order to ensure that small businesses that could be affected by the Department's proposal received appropriate notice of the Department's proposed changes, the Department mailed a copy of the second notice of proposed rulemaking to all coal mine operators contained in the databases maintained by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. The Department initially allowed interested parties until December 7, 1999 to file comments to its second proposal, but extended that period until January 6, 2000. The Department received 37 written submissions before the close of the comment period, from groups representing both coal miners and coal mine operators. The Department also received comments from individual miners, various coal mining and insurance companies, as well as from claims processing organizations, attorneys, and various professional organizations. The Department has carefully reviewed all of the comments, and is issuing its final rule. The rule contains a final regulatory flexibility analysis as required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act.     

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); FY 96 updates--DoD. Amendment to notice

On October 3, 1995, 60 FR 51779, the Department of Defense published the "Notice of DRG Revised Rates" without Tables 1 and 2. These tables provide the rates and weights to be used under the CHAMPUS DRG-based payment system during FY 1996. This amendment is to display the updated rates and weights for Tables 1 and 2.     

Department of Defense--Implementation of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services; Amendment No. 4. Final rule

This amendment extends benefits under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) for abortion services, and adds an exclusion in the provisions for cosmetic, reconstructive, and/or plastic surgery procedures. This amendment also implements language contained in Public Law 96-154, Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 1980, and Public Law 96-173, effective October 1, 1979, which deletes the CHAMPUS exclusion of benefits for Military Service-connected disabilities.     

Comparing Justice and Labor Department lawyers: ten years of occupational safety and health litigation

Federal regulatory programs are strongly influenced by the outcome of litigation seeking to challenge or to enforce those programs. Competition exists between the Department of Justice and numerous federal agencies for control of that litigation. This article proposes several measures for comparing litigation conducted by the Justice Department with that done by the agency whose program is being-litigated. It then uses case data to compare the Justice Department's and the Labor Department's handling of litigation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act from 1972 through 1980. The findings show relatively little difference attributable to the identity of the litigator in the types or numbers of cases brought, the appeal rates, or the success rates. This suggests that further research, including other measures of difference, are needed to discern whether who controls the litigation matters as much as theory predicts it might and the lawyers involved believe it does.     

Are UK undergraduate Forensic Science degrees fit for purpose?

In October 2009 Skills for Justice published the social research paper ‘Fit for purpose?: Research into the provision of Forensic Science degree programmes in UK Higher Education Institutions.’ The research engaged employers representing 95% of UK Forensic Science providers and 79% of UK universities offering Forensic Science or Crime Scene degree programmes. In addition to this, the research collected the views of 430 students studying these degrees. In 2008 there were approximately 9000 people working in the Forensic Science sector in the UK. The research found that the numbers of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees in the UK have more than doubled since 2002–03, from 2191 in to 5664 in 2007–08. Over the same period there were twice as many females as males studying for these degrees. The research concluded that Forensic Science degree programmes offered by UK universities were of a good quality and they provided the student with a positive learning experience but the content was not relevant for Forensic Science employers. This echoed similar research by the former Government Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on graduates from wider science, technology, engineering and mathematics degree programmes. The research also found that 75% of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees expected to have a career in the Forensic Science sector, meaning that ensuring these courses are relevant for employers is a key challenge for universities. This paper reflects on the original research and discusses the implications in light of recent government policy.     

Uniform administrative requirements for grants and agreements with institutions of higher education, hospitals and other non-profit organizations--OMB Circular A-110 (revised)--HUD. Final rule

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 provides standards for obtaining consistency and uniformity among Federal agencies in the administration of grants and agreements with institutions of higher education, hospitals, and other non-profit organizations. On September 13, 1994, the Department published a final rule which adopted the revised circular as it pertains to HUD. However, the September 13, 1994 rule contained, in subpart E, special provisions relating to the use of lump sum grants. Therefore, subpart E was treated as an interim rule, and the public was invited to submit comments on subpart E. This final rule addresses the public comments received on subpart E and makes final the provisions of subpart E.     

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities; play areas. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. Final rule

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) is issuing final accessibility guidelines to serve as the basis for standards to be adopted by the Department of Justice for new construction and alterations of play areas covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The guidelines include scoping and technical provisions for ground level and elevated play components, accessible routes, ramps and transfer systems, ground surfaces, and soft contained play structures. The guidelines will ensure that newly constructed and altered play areas meet the requirements of the ADA and are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. The Department of Justice must adopt the guidelines as standards for them to be enforceable under the ADA.     

Asphyxial deaths: a retrospective study and review of the literature

An increasing death rate as a result of violence constitutes a large group in medicolegal autopsies. Specially, deaths due to asphyxia are one of the most important causes in violence deaths.During the 21-year period from January 1984 to October 2004, there were 134 asphyxial deaths autopsied by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey. Asphyxial deaths comprise 15.7% of all forensic autopsies; 20.8% of the cases are aged between 30 and 39 years, and the average age was 41.9 years. Males constitute 79.8% of all the cases.The most frequent method of asphyxiation death is hanging (56 cases, 41.8%), followed by drowning (30.5%) and carbon monoxide poisoning (8.2%). More violent methods, such as ligature or manual strangulations, constitute 2.9% and 2.3% of all asphyxial deaths, respectively. Although it was varying according to the methods of asphyxiation, suicide was found to be the manner of death in the majority of the cases.     

Indian Health Service; statement of organization, functions, and delegations of authority--PHS

Part H, chapter HG (Indian Health Service) of the Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service (PHS), chapter HG, Indian Health Service (IHS), 52 FR 47053-67, December 11, 1987, as most recently amended at 56 FR 22015-16, May 13, 1991, is amended to reflect the establishment of an organizational substructure for the Bemidji Area Office to more accurately reflect current activities in the Area Office.     

首席大法官、首席大检察官履新语摘

新任最高人民法院院长王胜俊 王胜俊．男，汉族，1946年10月生，安徽宿州人，1972年12月加入中国共产党．1968年9月参加工作，合肥师范学院历史系毕业，大学学历。现任中共中央委员，最高人民法院院长，中央政法委员会秘书长。     

窒息死亡的法医病理学分析

目的探讨窒息死亡的法医病理学特点。方法对四川大学华西法医学鉴定中心1982年10月1日～2006年9月30日所作160例窒息死亡尸体剖验病理材料进行统计分析。结果窒息死亡案例占整个法医学检案的9.9%,年龄:30～39岁的死者占整个研究对象的29.4%,平均年龄为31.25岁。性别:男性103例,女性57例。男女比例1.81∶1。死亡方式:意外死亡最多(63.1%),其次为自杀(24.4%)和他杀(12.5%)。死亡原因:缢死最多(21.9%),其次为CO中毒(17.5%)、溺死(16.25%)等。医疗纠纷共计39例,均为新生儿窒息,主要发生在乡镇医院和县级医院(76.92%)。结论加强法制教育,提高安全隐患意识等是减少窒息死亡的重要手段。提高城乡医疗水平,加强窒息急诊抢救的临床技能是防止窒息引起医疗纠纷的关键。     

Medicare program: request for public comments on implementation of risk adjusted payment for the Medicare+Choice program and announcement of public meeting--HCFA. Solicitation of comments; announcement of meeting

This notice solicits further public comments on issues related to the implementation of risk adjusted payment of Medicare+Choice organizations. Section 1853(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (the Act) requires the Secretary to implement a risk adjustment methodology that accounts for variation in per capita costs based on health status and demographic factors for payments no later than January 1, 2000. The methodology is to apply uniformly to all Medicare+Choice plans. This notice outlines our proposed approach to implementing risk adjusted payment. In order to carry out risk adjustment, section 1853(a)(3) of the Act also requires Medicare+Choice organizations, as well as other organizations with risk sharing contracts, to submit encounter data. Inpatient hospital data are required for discharges on or after July 1, 1997. Other data, as the Secretary deems necessary, may be required beginning July 1998. The Medicare+Choice interim final rule published on June 26, 1998 (63 FR 34968) describes the general process for the collection of encounter data. We also included a schedule for the collection of additional encounter data. Physician, outpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, and home health data will be collected no earlier than October 1, 1999, and all other data we deem necessary no earlier than October 1, 2000. Given any start date, comprehensive risk adjustment will be made about three years after the year of initial collection of outpatient hospital and physician encounter data. Comments on the process for encounter data collection are requested in that interim final rule. We intend to consider comments received in response to this solicitation as we develop the final methodology for implementation of risk adjustment. This notice also informs the public of a meeting on September 17, 1998, to discuss risk adjustment and the collection of encounter data. The meeting will be held at the Health Care Financing Administration headquarters, located at 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Additional materials on the risk adjustment model will be available on or after October 15, 1998, and may be requested in writing from Chapin Wilson, Health Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S. W., Room 435-H, Washington, DC 20201.     

Attestations by facilities using nonimmigrant aliens as registered nurses--Employment and Training Administration and Employment Standards Administration, Labor--Final rule and amendment and announcement of effective date

On January 6, 1994, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Wage and Hour Division of the Employment Standards Administration of the Department of Labor published final regulations governing the filing and enforcement of attestations by health care facilities seeking to use the services of nonimmigrant aliens as registered nurses under H-1A visas. At that time, ETA submitted the information collection requirements to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980. This document amends the January 6, 1994, Federal Register document to display the OMB control numbers and announces the effective date for the sections containing information collection requirements for which OMB approval has been received.     

Specifications for medical examinations of underground coal miners. Final rule

This final rule modifies the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations for medical examinations of underground coal miners. Existing regulations established specifications for providing, interpreting, classifying, and submitting film-based roentgenograms (now commonly called chest radiographs or X-rays) of underground coal miners. The revised standards modify the requirements to permit the use of film-based radiography systems and add a parallel set of standards permitting the use of digital radiography systems. An additional amendment requires coal mine operators to provide the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) with employee rosters to assist the Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program in improving participation by miners.     

Medicare program; changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment systems and fiscal year 1999 rates--HCFA. Final rule

We are revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems for operating costs and capital-related costs to implement applicable statutory requirements, including section 4407 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA), as well as changes arising from our continuing experience with the systems. In addition, in the addendum to this final rule, we describe changes in the amounts and factors necessary to determine rates for Medicare hospital inpatient services for operating costs and capital-related costs. These changes are applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 1998. We also set forth rate-of-increase limits as well as changes for hospitals and hospital units excluded from the prospective payment systems. Finally, we are implementing the provisions of section 4625 of the BBA concerning payment for the direct costs of graduate medical education.     

Medicare program; changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment systems and fiscal year 1999 rates; corrections--HCFA. Final rule; correction notice

In the July 31, 1998 issue of the Federal Register (63 FR 40,594), we published a final rule revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems for operating costs and capital related costs to implement applicable statutory requirements, including the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA), as well as changes arising from our continuing experience with the system. In addition, in the addendum to that final rule, we announced the amounts and factors for determining prospective payment rates for Medicare hospital inpatient services for operating costs and capital-related costs applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 1998, and set forth rate-of-increases limits for hospitals and hospital units excluded from the prospective payment systems. This document corrects errors made in that document.     

Medicare program; changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment systems and fiscal year 1998 rates--HCFA. Final rule

This final rule responds to public comments received on those portions of a final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on August 29, 1997, that revised the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems for operating costs and capital-related costs to implement necessary changes resulting from the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997, Public Law 105-33. This rule also addresses public comments on other BBA changes relating to cost limits for hospitals and hospital units excluded from the prospective payment systems as well as direct graduate medical education payments that were included in the August 29, 1997 document. Generally, these BBA changes were applicable to hospital discharges occurring on or after October 1, 1997.