Medicare program; revision of the deadline for submission of emergency graduate medical education affiliation agreements. Final rule

This final rule responds to comments on and revises the deadline for submission of the 2006 emergency Medicare graduate medical education (GME) affiliation agreements. The deadlines to submit the emergency Medicare GME affiliation agreements for the 2005 through 2006 and 2006 through 2007 academic years are changed from on or before June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2006, respectively, to on or before October 9, 2006.     

Medicare program; establishment of the Medicare Advantage Program; interpretation. Final rule; interpretation

This final rule clarifies our interpretation of the meaning of "entity" in the final rule titled "Medicare Program; Establishment of the Medicare Advantage Program" published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2005 (70 FR 4588). Subsequent to the publication of the Medicare Advantage (MA) final rule on January 28, 2005, we have received inquiries from parties interested in offering an MA Regional Plan concerning whether they could jointly enter into a contract with us to offer a single MA Regional Plan in a multistate region. The participating health plans wish to contract with each other to create a single "joint enterprise." They have asked us whether such a joint enterprise could be considered an "entity" under sections 1859(a)(1)and 1855(a)(1) of the Social Security Act, for purposes of offering an MA Regional Plan. The MA final rule is scheduled to take effect on March 22, 2005. Our interpretation of the word "entity" that follows in the "Supplementary Information" section of this final rule is deemed to be included in that final rule.     

Possession, use, and transfer of select agents and toxins. Final rule

This document establishes a final rule regarding possession, use, and transfer of select agents and toxins. The final rule implements provisions of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 and is designed to protect public health and safety. In a companion document published in this issue of the Federal Register, the United States Department of Agriculture has established corresponding final rules designed to protect animal and plant health and animal and plant products.