Grants to states for construction or acquisition of state home facilities--VA. Final regulations

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its medical care regulations, Grants to States for Construction or Acquisition of State Home Facilities (38 CFR part 17), to implement section 206 of the Veterans' Benefits and Services Act of 1988 enacted on May 20, 1988. This section changes from July 1 to August 15, the date on which VA will determine the priority of applications for construction or acquisition grants for State Extended Care Facilities for purposes of the priority list. Section 206 also provides the Secretary authority to conditionally approve an application and obligate funds for a grant is the Secretary determines that the State can meet all remaining Federal requirements within 90 days. At the same time, VA is updating the States home grant standards and veteran population of the various States set forth in these regulations. These revisions will assist the States in meeting deadlines for the priority list and subsequent grant awards.     

Area health education center programs--Public Health Service. Final regulations

These regulations set forth requirements for cooperative agreements entered into by the Secretary of Health and Human Services with schools of medicine or osteopathy for the planning, development, and operation of area health education center programs. The regulations conform provisions in 42 CFR Part 57, Subpart MM--Area Health Education Center Programs to Nurse Training Amendments of 1979 Pub. L. 96-76), the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act (Pub. L. 95-224), and the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Pub. L. 97-35). Also in response to public comments to the interim final regulations published in the Federal Register on November 27, 1978, clarification of several provisions were made to the final regulations.     

Public Health Service-Criteria for designation of health manpower shortage areas. Final regulations

These regulations set forth the criteria for designation of health manpower shortage areas under section 332 of the Public Health Services Act. Entities in these areas are eligible to apply for assignment of National Health Service Corps Personnel. These areas are also eligible areas for certain loan repayment, scholarship, and other Public Health Service programs.     

Grants for nurse practitioner traineeship programs--PHS. Interim final regulations

These regulations set forth requirements for grants to schools of nursing, medicine, and public health, to public or nonprofit private hospitals, and to other public or nonprofit private entities to meet the costs of traineeships for training nurse practitioners. A trainee must sign a commitment with the Secretary to practice full-time as a nurse practitioner in a primary medical care health manpower shortage area, designated under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (the Act), for a period equal to 1 month for each month of traineeship support, after completion of the training. If this obligation is not fulfilled, a trainee must pay back traineeship support. The purpose of these regulations is to respond to the comments on the 1980 interim final regulations and to conform 42 CFR Part 57, Subpart AA, with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. 96-511, and with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Pub. L. 97-35, which requires, among other provisions, that the Secretary provide, by regulation, for the waiver or suspension of the repayment obligation under certain conditions. In addition, other minor changes have been made and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) numbers are cited in those sections which have approved reporting and recordkeeping requirements.     

Final regulations for health coverage portability for group health plans and group health insurance issuers under HIPAA Titles I & IV. Final regulation

This document contains final regulations governing portability requirements for group health plans and issuers of health insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan. The rules contained in this document implement changes made to the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and the Public Health Service Act enacted as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.     

Public Health Service--financial distress grants to health profession schools. Final regulations

The Public Health Service is issuing regulations to implement the program of financial distress grants to health professions schools to assist them in meeting their costs of operation, if they are in serious financial distress, or in meeting accreditation requirements, if they have a special need for assistance in meeting these requirements, and to carry out appropriate operational, managerial, and financial reforms. These grants are authorized under the Public Health Service Act.     

Health maintenance organizations--PHS. Final regulations

This rule amends the Public Health Service regulations on qualification of health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Changes are made in the procedural requirements for entities to obtain qualification as federally qualified HMOs. These changes include requirements relating to Freedom of Information requests and deletion of the fair hearing provision. Adoption of these amendments will update the requirements for HMOs seeking Federal qualification.     

Public Health Service--Health maintenance organizations; requirements for a health maintenance organization. Final regulations

This rule amends the Public Health Service regulations by setting forth revised requirements for the organization and operation of federally qualified health maintenance organizations (HMOs). These amendments are made as a result of (1) public comments on the interim regulations published on July 18, 1979, and (2) public comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) governing relationships between federally qualified HMOs and other parties, also published on July 18, 1979.     

Public Health Service--Health maintenance organizations; employees' health benefits plans. Final regulations

This rule amends the Public Health Service regulations by setting forth revised requirements for certain employers, States, and political subdivisions of States to include in any health benefits plans offered to their employees the option of membership in qualified health maintenance organizations (HMOs). These changes are made as a result of public comments received on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on July 18, 1979. Certain minor technical and editorial changes have also been made.     

National Institutes of Health Center Grants. Final rule

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is amending its regulations governing center grants to reflect their applicability to several new grant programs, including research on autism, Alzheimer's disease, fragile X disease, and minority health disparities and other types of health disparities.     

Grants and subgrants to for-profit organizations--HHS. Final rules

This announces HHS's final decision to make for-profit organizations eligible for grants in all programs in which grants to those organizations are consistent with legislative intent and program purposes. For all such programs which we have identified and which still have regulatory bars to grants to for-profit organizations, this removes the bars. This also (1) makes HHS's Department-wide grants administration regulations, 45 CFR Part 74, apply to grants and subgrants to for-profit organizations and (2) adds to those regulations additional provisions for grants and subgrants to for-profit organizations. These actions reflect a reversal of the long standing HHS policy of not making grants to for-profit organizations even in programs where they are not barred by law. The new policy is intended to increase competition. This is likely to help the affected HHS programs achieve their objectives better, because they will be able to select from among a greater number of proposed projects.     

Grants for the establishment of Departments of Family Medicine--HRSA. Final rule

This final regulation amends the existing regulations governing the program for Grants for the Establishment of Departments of Family Medicine authorized by section 747(b) of the Public Health Service Act (the Act), to bring the regulations into conformity with technical amendments made by the Health Professions Extension Amendments of 1992 and to include other changes for consistency with current grant program policies.     

Employer comparable contributions to health savings accounts under section 4980G. Final regulations

This document contains final regulations providing guidance on employer comparable contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) under section 4980G in instances where an employee has not established an HSA by December 31st and in instances where an employer accelerates contributions for the calendar year for employees who have incurred qualified medical expenses. These final regulations affect employers that contribute to employees' HSAs and their employees.     

Grants to states for operation of qualified high risk pools. Final rule

This rule finalizes the interim final rule with comment period that was published on July 27, 2007, regarding extended funding for seed and operational grants for State High Risk Pools under the Public Health Service Act.     

Grants to states for operation of qualified high risk pools. Final rule

This final rule implements a provision of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 2002 by providing $40 million in Federal fiscal year 2003 and $40 million in Federal fiscal year 2004 to States that have incurred losses in connection with the operation of qualified high risk pools that meet certain criteria. This final rule also addresses comments received in response to the interim final rule that was published on May 2, 2003. This grant program implements section 2745 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 2002.     

Health maintenance organizations--Public Health Service. Final regulations

These rules amend the Public Health Service (PHS) regulations on health maintenance organizations (HMOs) by implementing certain changes made by the Health Maintenance Organization Amendments of 1981. The provision governing repayment of grant funds under certain circumstances is also amended. In addition, this rule amends the requirements for the award of loans or loan guarantees to qualified HMOs for the acquisition or construction of ambulatory health care facilities and the acquisition of equipment for those facilities (Subpart J). The amendments to Subpart J are made as a result of public comments on the interim regulations published on April 9, 1980.     

Fair credit reporting medical information regulations. Final rules

The OCC, Board, FDIC, OTS, and NCUA (Agencies) are publishing final rules to implement section 411 of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACT Act). The final rules create exceptions to the statute's general prohibition on creditors obtaining or using medical information pertaining to a consumer in connection with any determination of the consumer's eligibility, or continued eligibility, for credit for all creditors. The exceptions permit creditors to obtain or use medical information in connection with credit eligibility determinations where necessary and appropriate for legitimate purposes, consistent with the Congressional intent to restrict the use of medical information for inappropriate purposes. The final rules also create limited exceptions to permit affiliates to share medical information with each other without becoming consumer reporting agencies. The final rules are substantially similar to the rules adopted by the Agencies on an interim final basis in June 2005.     

Records and reports regulations for radiation emitting electronic products--FDA. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its regulations regarding the requirements for recordkeeping and reporting of adverse experiences and other information relating to radiation emitting electronic products. This rule reduces recordkeeping and reporting requirements for some products, requires only abbreviated reporting for other products, and clarifies certain requirements. The timing and content of certain reports will be revised to enhance the usefulness of the information. These amendments will improve protection of the public health while reducing regulatory burdens on manufacturers, dealers, and distributors of radiation emitting electronic products.     

Early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Final regulations

The Secretary issues final regulations governing the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities. These regulations are needed to reflect changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (Act or IDEA).