Control of communicable diseases; restrictions on African rodents, prairie dogs, and certain other animals. Interim final rule; opportunity for public comment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are issuing this interim final rule to amend their regulations to establish new restrictions and modify existing restrictions on the import, capture, transport, sale, barter, exchange, distribution, and release of African rodents, prairie dogs, and certain other animals. We are taking this action to prevent the spread of monkeypox, a communicable disease, in the United States.     

Medicare program; physician fee schedule update for calendar year 2003. Final rule

This final rule revises the estimates used to establish the sustainable growth rates (SGRs) for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for the purposes of determining future updates to the physician fee schedule and announces a 1.6 percent increase in the calendar year (CY) 2003 physician fee schedule conversion factor (CF) for March 1 to December 31, 2003. The physician fee schedule CF from March 1 to December 31, 2003, will be $36.7856. The anesthesia CF for this period will be $17.05. Any information contained in this final rule related to the CY 2003 physician or anesthesia CFs takes the place of the information contained in the December 31, 2002, final rule. All other provisions of the December 31, 2002, final rule are unchanged by this final rule.     

与行政许可相关的年检制度研究

《行政许可法》从颁布实施至今已近两年,其运作曾被喻为中国政府的一场自我革命和瘦身运动,起初的各种赞誉之声仍绕樑未绝,然而,近期以来,针对该部法律的各式批评与责备却呈愈来愈烈之势,有的学者甚至对其缺陷作了掘地三尺般的梳理,反差之大,在我国立法史上并不多见。太多的批判或许源自当初过高的期许,不可能期望一部法律的施行就可以瞬间在中国实现行政法治。批判本身无可厚非,但无论如何还是应当注入更多的理性成份,要明辨为何批判,怎样批判,批判之后又当如何?基于此,本刊特约请国内知名学者、该部法律的最初起草人、政府法制部门工作人员三类人士对该法律的功效、运作机理和障碍做一次深入研讨。     

把中国特色社会主义理论体系的学习贯彻推向深入

中国特色社会主义理论体系是马克思主义中国化最新成果.深入学习贯彻中国特色社会主义理论体系,关系党和国家工作的全局,关系中国特色社会主义事业的长远发展,关系中华民族的伟大复兴.把中国特色社会主义理论体系的学习贯彻推向深入,必须充分认识学习贯彻中国特色社会主义理论体系的重大意义.全面把握中国特色社会主义理论体系的立场、观点和方法,不断提高学习贯彻中国特色社会主义理论体系的水平.     

深化行政改革需要深入思考的三个问题

本文讨论新形势下推进我国行政改革深化涉及的三个重大问题。首先是动力机制创新,在对相关理论、国际实践和我国动力机制特征和困境系统分析的基础上,提出动力机制创新的三个转变。其次,针对有关市场化改革的争论,提出并论证了需要反思的不是市场化改革的大方向,而是市场化的具体形式。第三,围绕改革侧重点,提出并论证了机构改革与运作管理改革的合理平衡。     

Medicare program; hospice wage index for fiscal year 2009. Final rule

This final rule sets forth the hospice wage index for fiscal year 2009. In addition, this final rule finalizes the policy to phase out the Medicare hospice budget neutrality adjustment factor, and clarifies two wage index issues pertaining to the definition of rural and urban areas and multi-campus hospital facilities.     

Medicare program; appeals of CMS or CMS contractor determinations when a provider or supplier fails to meet the requirements for Medicare billing privileges. Final rule

This final rule implements a number of regulatory provisions that are applicable to all providers and suppliers, including durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers. This final rule establishes appeals processes for all providers and suppliers whose enrollment, reenrollment or revalidation application for Medicare billing privileges is denied and whose Medicare billing privileges are revoked. It also establishes timeframes for deciding enrollment appeals by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB), or Board, within the DHHS; and processing timeframes for CMS' Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) contractors. In addition, this final rule allows Medicare FFS contractors to revoke Medicare billing privileges when a provider or supplier submits a claim or claims for services that could not have been furnished to a beneficiary. This final rule also specifies that a Medicare contractor may establish a Medicare enrollment bar for any provider or supplier whose billing privileges have been revoked. Lastly, the final rule requires that all providers and suppliers receive Medicare payments by electronic funds transfer (EFT) if the provider or supplier, is submitting an initial enrollment application to Medicare, changing their enrollment information, revalidating or re-enrolling in the Medicare program.     

Medicaid Integrity Program; eligible entity and contracting requirements for the Medicaid Integrity audit program. Final rule

Section 1936 of the Social Security Act (the Act) (as added by section 6034 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) established the Medicaid Integrity Program to promote the integrity of the Medicaid program by requiring CMS to enter into contracts with eligible entities to: (1) Review the actions of individuals or entities furnishing items or services (whether on a fee-for-service, risk, or other basis) for which payment may be made under an approved State plan and/or any waiver of such plan approved under section 1115 of the Act; (2) audit claims for payment of items or services furnished, or administrative services rendered, under a State plan; (3) identify overpayments to individuals or entities receiving Federal funds; and (4) educate providers of services, managed care entities, beneficiaries, and other individuals with respect to payment integrity and quality of care. This final rule will provide requirements for an eligible entity to enter into a contract under the Medicaid integrity audit program. The final rule will also establish the contracting requirements for eligible entities. The requirements will include procedures for identifying, evaluating, and resolving organizational conflicts of interest that are generally applicable to Federal acquisition and procurement; competitive procedures to be used; and procedures under which a contract may be renewed.