Privacy Act of 1974; proposed implementation. Office of the Secretary, HHS. Final rule

The Department of Health and Human Services is exempting a new system of records, 09-25-0213, "Administration: Investigative Records, HHS/NIH/OM/OA/OMA," from certain requirements of the Privacy Act to protect records compiled in the course of an inquiry and/or investigation and to protect the identity of confidential sources who furnish information to the Government under an express promise that the identity of such source would be held in confidence.     

The Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986: its history, provisions, applications and implications

Congress granted qualified immunity from liability for peer review participation to physicians, osteopaths and dentists, created a national practitioner data bank to track inept, incompetent or unprofessional physicians, and enacted procedural rules for due process, privilege restrictions, and reporting and disbursement of information. The Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 is now in full force, and peer review participants are anxious to cloak themselves with immunity from actions brought by health care professionals. Although its goals are worthy, HCQIA's effects remain to be seen. Serious loopholes appear to exist, warranting close monitoring and possibly early amendment of the Act. Cautious judicial assessment is needed, in order to prevent not only circumvention of the Act's requirements by artful litigants, but also use of the national data bank by health care entities as a pretext for denying privileges and escaping antitrust liability.     

National guidelines for health planning: Public Health Service, HHS. Notice of proposed rulemaking

This Notice proposes to add national health planning goals to the National Guidelines for Health Planning under section 1501 of the Public Health Service Act. These goals concern health status outcomes, disease prevention and health promotion and personnel resources and systems of care. They supplement Subparts A and C of the Guidelines published as final regulations on March 28, 1978, which addressed standards for nine types of health services and facilities. Later issuances will provide additional goals and standards.     

Medical devices; various proposed rules for device classification; withdrawal of proposed rules. Food and Drug Administration. Withdrawal of proposed rules

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is withdrawing various proposed rules related to classification of general hospital and personal use devices, anesthesiology devices, and immunology and microbiology devices to eliminate unnecessary regulations.     

Request for planning ideas. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, HHS. Notice

The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) invites recommendations for future initiatives in areas identified as priorities in the Agency's current strategic plan. This plan describes the framework that the Agency will use to guide the development of budget proposals for Fiscal Years 2000, 2001, and 2002 as well as decisions on resource allocations for research, translation (including tool development), dissemination, and evaluation activities that will facilitate the implementation of research findings at all levels of the health care system.     

Special report on reimbursement. HCFA publishes proposed rule establishing new payment system for physicians

Whether any or all of these effects actually occur is presently a matter of conjecture. Over the long term, however, it is likely that RBRVS will lead to new opportunities to structure relationships between hospitals and physicians. In practical effect, DRG payments to hospitals, coupled with RBRVS fee schedules, are designed to promote patient care in outpatient settings. This means there will be new opportunities for joint ventures and practice/management arrangements between hospitals and physicians. As these new arrangements come to fruition, both hospitals and physicians must be aware of the financial implications of the new RBRVS codes.     

Block grant programs--Office of the Secretary, HHS. Final rules

These rules implement seven block grant programs established by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Pub. L. 97-35). The block grants replace a large number of programs now administered by the Federal Government, transfer primary responsibility for their administration to the States, and confer substantial discretion on the States as to use of the block grant funds.