[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 27 (Thursday, February 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 4788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2687]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration


National Practitioner Data Bank: Change in User Fee

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is announcing a discount in the 
fee charged to entities authorized to request information from the 
National Practitioner Data Bank (Data Bank) for queries which meet all 
requirements for fully automated processing.
    The current fee structure was announced in the Federal Register of 
June 7, 1995 (60 FR 30090). The user fee is $3.00 per name per query 
submitted via telecommunications network and paid via an electronic 
funds transfer or credit card, with query response sent via the 
telecommunications network. A $3.00 surcharge is charged for queries 
submitted electronically on diskette to pay for the extra handling and 
mailing costs for these queries. A $4.00 surcharge is charged for all 
queries which are paid for by check or money order to cover the cost of 
debt management.
    The Data Bank is authorized by the Health Care Quality Improvement 
Act of 1986 (the Act), title IV of Public Law 99-660, as amended (42 
U.S.C. 11101 et seq.). Section 427 (b)(4) of the Act authorizes the 
establishment of fees for the costs of processing requests for 
disclosure and of providing such information.
    Final regulations at 45 CFR part 60 set forth the criteria and 
procedures for information to be reported to and disclosed by the Data 
Bank. Section 60.3 of these regulations should be consulted for the 
definition of terms used in this announcement.
    A reassessment of the full operating costs related to processing 
requests for disclosure of Data Bank information, as required by the 
DHHS Appropriations Act of 1994 (title II of Pub. L. 103-112, dated 
October 21, 1993), as well as an analysis of the comparative costs of 
the various methods for filing and paying for queries, has resulted in 
a decision to further reduce fees for users when they both query and 
receive responses via the telecommunications network as well as pay 
query fees by credit card, electronic funds transfer or such other 
electronic transfer options as may be offered in the future. The 
options to query and pay user fees by these means facilitate the 
querying process and make it less costly to both users and the Data 
Bank than all other available options.
    Accordingly, the Department is implementing a $1.00 discount from 
the current $3.00 per name per query fee for queries submitted both 
electronically and paid via the methods described above, with receipt 
by electronic method. The discounted fee for such queries will be 
$2.00. This change is effective January 1, 1996.
    The criteria set forth in Sec. 60.12 (b) of the regulations and 
allowable costs required by the Appropriations Act of 1994 were used in 
determining the amount of this new fee. The criteria include such cost 
factors as: (1) Electronic data processing time, equipment, materials, 
computer programmers and operators or other employees; and (2) 
preparation of reports--materials, photocopying, postage, and 
administrative personnel.
    When a query is for information on one or more physicians, 
dentists, or other health care practitioners, the appropriate total fee 
will be $3.00 (less a $1.00 discount or plus a $3.00 and/or a $4.00 
surcharge for submission and payment as described above) multiplied by 
the number of individuals about whom information is being requested. 
For examples, see the table below.
    The fee charged will be reviewed periodically, and revised as 
necessary, based upon experience. Any changes in the fee, and the 
effective date of the change, will be announced in the Federal 
Register.

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                                Fee per name in query,                  
         Query method            by method of payment       Examples    
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Electronic query (Telecom       $2.00 (if paid          10 names in     
 network) with electronic        electronically via      query. 10 x    
 payment.                        credit card or other    $2=$20.00.     
                                 electronic means and                   
                                 response received                      
                                 electronically ($3.00                  
                                 fee less $1.00                         
                                 discount).                             
Electronic query (Diskette)     $6.00 (if paid          10 names in     
 with electronic payment.        electronically via      query. 10 x    
                                 credit card or other    $6=$60.00.     
                                 electronic means and                   
                                 response received on                   
                                 paper) ($3.00 fee                      
                                 plus $3.00 surcharge).                 
Electronic query (Telecom       $7.00 (if not paid via  10 names in     
 network) with non-electronic    credit card or other    query. 10 x    
 payment.                        electronic means)       $7=$70.00.     
                                 ($3.00 fee plus $4.00                  
                                 surcharge).                            
Electronic query (Diskette)     $10.00 (if not paid     10 names in     
 with non-electronic payment.    via credit card or      query. 10 x    
                                 other electronic        $10=$100.00    
                                 means) ($3.00 fee                      
                                 plus $3.00 and $4.00                   
                                 surcharges).                           
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    Dated: February 5, 1996.
Ciro V. Sumaya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-2687 Filed 2-7-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P