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.     

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 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.     

In the matter of Christine B. Biersach. In the Ohio Court of Appeals

HOLDING: Before withdrawal of tube feeding may be permitted, a guardian must establish, by clear and convincing evidence, the treating and consulting physicians' education, training, and experience; the physician's history and experience with the patient; the fact that the physician personally examined the patient; and the opinions required by statute. Each physician should also testify to his opinion that the other physician in the matter is qualified, by reason of advanced education or training, limited practice, experience, or certification as a specialist, to make the findings and provide the opinions about the patient which are required by the statute. The consulting physician's opinion should be more than a conclusory adoption of the attending physician's opinion. Rather, it should be independently stated and, ideally, should include the reasons upon which it is based.     

Road Closed: Evaluating the Judicial Bypass Provision of the Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act

This paper examines the extent to which Pennsylvania county courts are prepared to implement the judicial bypass provision of the state's abortion statute. Under the Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act it is illegal for physicians to perform abortions on pregnant minors without parental consent. The constitutionality of this requirement has been upheld, but only when states provide a mechanism allowing a minor to bypass parental involvement. The Pennsylvania statute includes a judicial bypass provision that is formally consistent with legal precedent. However, based on a study of how county courts respond to inquiries into the judicial bypass procedure, this paper demonstrates that most courthouses are not prepared to implement or provide accurate information on bypass proceedings. Since the constitutionality of parental involvement requirements is conditioned on the availability of a bypass option, the paper argues that the courts' lack of readiness poses a significant threat to the rights of pregnant minors.     

南非难民保护制度研究——对难民地位、权利和义务的分析

南非难民保护制度建立在南非《宪法》的基本价值基础之上,国家现行难民立法的概念明显向移民法转移。《难民法案》重构先前压制性的难民制度,代之以人权文化为基础的难民法,其颁布标志着国际法和国内法的有意识的融合,是与其宪政体制相符的。本文着眼于当前各种难民法规关于难民权利和自由的细节规定,如《联合国难民地位公约》和非洲统一组织的难民定义,重点讨论难民地位的定性、难民地位的确定和难民的权利与义务问题,并强调对难民法或者权利的任何解释都必须推进开放和民主社会下有关人格尊严、平等和自由的价值观。     

The role of the sociologist as mitigation expert in a sentencing hearing

This paper examines Louisiana’s habitual offender statute and the role of a sociologist as a mitigation expert/criminologist in a specific case. The paper includes a summary of the habitual offender statute; the literature/theories used by the sociologist in his testimony; the trial judge’s decision; and the decision of the three-judge panel of the appellant court, particularly the minority opinion. The case has been returned to the district court for re-sentencing and the trial judge is under no obligation to accept the panel’s decision; but in practice must justify any lenient sentence. The use of sociology as mitigation in criminal cases generally is discussed. The author has worked in over 300 criminal cases since 1988, most of which were capital murder, but also include second-degree murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, rape, and habitual offender hearings.     

Medicare program; self-implementing coverage and payment provisions: 1993 legislation--HCFA. Final rule with comment period

This rule updates Medicare regulations to conform them to certain self-implementing provisions on coverage of services and payment requirements under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA 93). OBRA 93 was enacted on August 10, 1993 and several of the cited changes to the statute are already in effect and the others will be shortly. We are also implementing a related provision of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA 90) as necessary for consistency and clarity of the OBRA 93 provisions.     

Tensions in the Regulation of Abortion in Britain

This article discusses policy and practice in abortion provision, paying particular attention to the provision of counselling before abortion. It discusses the way the Abortion Act 1967 constructs the woman seeking abortion, the reasons for the development of a policy about abortion counselling in the 1970s, and that policy's relationship to the assumptions about women underlying the statute. The ways in which policy has developed since 1977 are considered, and how policy and practice have come to view women seeking abortion in a way that contrasts with the construction of them that emerges from the law. Thus, the article argues, given that the 1967 Act and other rules that regulate abortion provision seem to rest on contradictory assumptions, the law should be reformed in line with policy and practice.     

Medicare and state health care programs: fraud and abuse; safe harbors for protecting health plans--HHS. Interim final rule with request for comment

In accordance with section 14 of the Medicare and Medicaid Patient and Program Protection Act of 1987, this interim final rule establishes two new safe harbors and amends one existing safe harbor to provide protection for certain health care plans, such as health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations. The first new provision protects certain incentives to enrollees (including waiver of coinsurance and deductible amounts) paid by health care plans. The second new provision protects certain negotiated price reduction agreements between health care plans and contract health care providers. Finally, an existing safe harbor has been amended to protect certain agreements entered into between hospitals and Medicare SELECT insurers. These safe harbors specifically set forth various standards and guidelines that, if met, will result in the particular arrangement being protected from criminal prosecution or civil sanctions under the anti-kickback provisions of the statute.     

Issues raised by respiratory therapy arrangements

In large part due to the foregoing issues, Medicare program officials have focused on respiratory therapy as an area with great potential for abuse, and may well introduce significant reforms in the near future. Accordingly, any contractual arrangements for respiratory therapy programs of the type discussed above should be carefully reviewed for compliance with Medicare requirements and for a realistic assessment of the parties' potential exposure to liability under the anti-kickback statute. At a minimum, these agreements should provide for short "without cause" termination provisions, or include a so-called "jeopardy" provision that permits the parties to renegotiate or terminate their contract if significant changes occur in, or if the current arrangement is found or threatened to be found to violate, applicable law.     

Medicaid program; citizenship documentation requirements. Interim final rule with comment period

This interim final rule with comment period amends Medicaid regulations to implement the provision of the Deficit Reduction Act that requires States to obtain satisfactory documentary evidence of an applicant's or recipient's citizenship and identity in order to receive Federal financial participation. This regulation provides States with guidance on the types of documentary evidence that may be accepted, including alternative forms of documentary evidence in addition to those described in the statute and the conditions under which this documentary evidence can be accepted to establish the applicant's declaration of citizenship. It also gives States guidance on the processes that may be used to help minimize the administrative burden on both States and applicants and recipients.     

关于保证期间的几个问题——兼评《担保法解释》关于保证期间之若干规定

保证期间制度的设立意在排除保证合同的诉讼时效的适用 ,不存在前者向后者的转化 ,也不存在二者的衔接问题 ;保证期间既非除斥期间 ,又非诉讼时效 ,但可准用诉讼时效中断的规定 ;保证期间是保证合同当事人双方利益平衡之结果 ,应尊重双方的约定。法定保证期间不是约定保证期间的最低限度 ,保证合同的诉讼时效也不是约定保证期间的最高限度。     

Case Baiting

In 2014, New Jersey passed the Sports Wagering Act, permitting sports betting at state casino and racetrack venues, in direct conflict with the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. In 2017, South Dakota passed Senate Bill 106, requiring that certain e-commerce retailers collect and remit sales tax, in violation of federal law. The two U.S. Supreme Court decisions arising from challenges to these state statutes—South Dakota v. Wayfair and Murphy v. NCAA—exemplify U.S. Supreme Court “case baiting.” Case baiting is a tactic states implement to challenge federal directives by passing state legislation that directly conflicts with federal law to lure the Court into granting certiorari and ruling in their favor. This article argues that South Dakota's and New Jersey's triumphs pave the way for other jurisdictions to pursue similar strategies across multiple legal issues such as abortion restrictions and immigration law. In addition, this article suggests that case baiting invites further scholarly exploration of important policy considerations, including the use of this tactic as a novel approach to the application of law and strategy, whether case baiting promotes the Court's progression toward a more quasi-legislative role, and whether passing conflict legislation violates state legislators’ oaths of office.     

专业法律知识的媒体供给与社会正义的维护——基于昆山案中舆论、司法、媒体互动的考察

维护社会正义是舆论、媒体与司法实践的共同目标。从系统论看,三者之间的良性互动有助于社会正义的实现。司法案件舆论引导是三者互动的一种常见状态。在司法案件舆论引导中,供给专业法律知识能够促进三者的良性互动。本文以极具代表性的昆山案为例展开案例研究,发现新闻媒体通过法学专家向公众供给专业法律知识、司法机关自媒体向公众供给专业法律知识,能够促进舆论与司法的良性互动,实现司法案件舆论引导效果。社会正义的维护并非仅靠法治实现,司法与舆论、媒体的互动能够更好地落实法治的正义精神。     

Medicaid program; citizenship documentation requirements. Final rule

This final rule amends Medicaid regulations to implement the provision of the Deficit Reduction Act that requires States to obtain satisfactory documentary evidence of an applicant's or recipient's citizenship and identity in order to receive Federal financial participation. It also incorporates changes made to these requirements through section 405(c)(1)(A) of Division B of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act (TRHCA), Pub. L. 109-432, enacted December 20, 2006. This regulation provides States with guidance on the types of documentary evidence that may be accepted, including alternative forms of documentary evidence in addition to those described in the statute and the conditions under which this documentary evidence can be accepted to establish the applicant's citizenship.     

中华法系的原生形态、发展轨迹和基本特征

古史传说时代的东夷民族,不仅发明了最初的法律制度,还酿造了丰富的法律观念,这些内容构成了中华法系的原生形态。中华法系自西周至唐代基本形成。西周法律的总体精神是礼而宏观样式是判例法。战国秦朝确立了集权政体和“成文法”同时开始将礼局部成文法化。汉代开始了儒法互补、礼法结合并初建“混合法”样式。《唐律疏议》标志着成文法对礼的全面吸收以及律与例的结合。这标志着中华法系发展到巅峰。中华法系的基本特征是伦理主义精神和成文法与判例、法律规范与非法律规范相结合的“混合法”。     

Speed Bumps On The Information Superhighway: A Study Of Federal Agency Compliance With The Electronic Freedom Of Information Act Of 1996

The Electronic Freedom of Information Act of 1996 amended the Freedom of Information Act of 1966 to clarify that computerized agency records are subject to disclosure under the FOIA. Congress passed the 1996 amendments because federal agencies for many years had been withholding computerized records and databases from the public. Another feature of the EFOIA requires agencies to publish their policies and rules on the Internet. The rationale behind this provision was to guard against the development of "secret law" known only to agency officials, but not to members of the public who deal with the agencies. The purpose of this article is to examine how federal agencies have complied with the EFOIA in its first few years of implementation. A look at the documented early history of EFOIA compliance reveals agency performance has been marked by slow starts, missed deadlines and general confusion over exactly what kinds of records qualify as disclosable records under the statute.