[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 96 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12149]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 19, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
 

Final Minimum Percentage Rates for ``High Rate'' and 
``Significant Increase in the Rate'' for Implementation of the 
Statutory General Funding Preference, Funding Preference and Priority 
for Grants for Programs for Physician Assistants--Fiscal Year l994

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces 
the final minimum percentage rates for ``high rate'' and ``significant 
increase in the rate'' for implementation of the statutory general 
funding preference, funding preference and priority for fiscal year 
(FY) 1994 Grants for Programs for Physician Assistants authorized under 
the authority of section 750 title VII of the Public Health Service 
(PHS) Act, as amended by the Health Professions Education Extension 
Amendments of 1992, Public Law 102-408, dated October 13, 1992.

Purpose

    Section 750 of the PHS Act authorizes the award of grants to 
accredited schools of medicine or osteopathic medicine and other public 
or nonprofit private entities to assist in meeting the cost of 
planning, developing and operating or maintaining programs for the 
training of physician assistants as defined under section 799(3) of the 
Public Health Service Act.

Statutory General Funding Preference

    As provided in section 791(a) of the PHS Act, preference will be 
given to any qualified applicant that--
    (A) Has a high rate for placing graduates in practice settings 
having the principal focus of serving residents of medically 
underserved communities; or
    (B) During the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year for which an 
award is sought, has achieved a significant increase in the rate of 
placing graduates in such settings. This preference will only be 
applied to applications that rank above the 20th percentile that have 
been recommended for approval by the peer review group.

Final Minimum Percentages for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant Increase 
in the Rate'', Funding Preference and Priority

    A proposed notice was published in the Federal Register on February 
17, 1994, at 59 FR 8007, for public comment. No comments were received 
during the 30-day comment period. Therefore, the minimum percentages 
for ``high rate'' and ``significant increase in the rate,'' funding 
preference and priority will be retained as follows;
    ``High rate'' means that 20 percent of the physician assistant 
program graduates in academic year 1991-92 or academic year 1992-93, 
whichever is greater, are spending at least 50 percent of their work 
time in these settings.
    ``Significant increase in the rate'' means that, between academic 
years 1991-92 and 1992-93, the rate of physician assistant program 
graduates in these settings has increased by at least 50 percent and 
that not less than 15 percent of the academic year 1992-93 graduates 
are working in these settings.

Final Funding Preference

    In addition, a funding preference will be given to established 
physician assistant training programs which can demonstrate that: (a) 
More than 50 percent of their graduates in 1993 entered a generalist 
specialty (family medicine, general internal medicine, general 
pediatrics); or (b) an average of 40 percent of graduates over the last 
3 years (1991, 1992, and 1993) entered a generalist specialty.

Final Funding Priority

    A funding priority will be given to approved applications that can 
demonstrate either substantial progress over the last 3 years or a 
significant experience of 10 or more years in enrolling and graduating 
trainees from those minority or low-income populations identified as at 
risk of poor health outcomes.

Additional Information

    Questions regarding programmatic information should be directed to: 
Mrs. Joyce Emelio, Program Specialist, Multidisciplinary Centers and 
Programs Branch, Division of Medicine, Bureau of Health Professions, 
Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 
4C-03, Parklawn Building, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 
443-6950, FAX: (301) 443-8890.
    This program is listed at 93.886 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance. It is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (as implemented 
through 45 CFR part 100).
    This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements.

    Dated: May 12, 1994.
John H. Kelso,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-12149 Filed 5-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P