[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3048-3049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1404]
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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 the elimination of
the discount 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 on
February 8, 1996 (61 FR 4788). The user fee is $3.00 less $1.00
discount per name per query fee for queries submitted via
telecommunications network and paid via an electronic funds transfer or
credit card, with query response sent via the telecommunications
network. Six dollars is charged for queries submitted electronically on
a diskette to pay for the extra handling and mailing costs for these
queries. An additional $4.00 is charged for all queries which are paid
for by check or money order rather than by electronic funds transfer or
credit card 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 defines the terms used in this
announcement.
In determining any changes in the amount of the user fee, the
Department uses the criteria set forth in Sec. 60.12 (b) of the
regulations, as well as allowable costs pursuant to the DHHS
Appropriations Act of 1997, P.L. 104-208, enacted September 30, 1996.
This Act requires that the Department recover the full costs of
operating the Data Bank through user fees. Paragraph (b) of the
regulations states:
``The amount of each fee will be determined based on the
following criteria:
(1) Use of electronic data processing equipment to obtain
information--the actual cost for the service, including computer
search time, runs, printouts, and time of computer programmers and
operators, or other employees,
(2) Photocopying or other forms of reproduction, such as
magnetic tapes--actual cost of the operator's time, plus the cost of
the machine time and the materials used,
(3) Postage--actual cost, and
(4) Sending information by special methods requested by the
applicant, such as express mail or electronic transfer--the actual
cost of the special service.''
Based on analysis of the comparative costs of the various methods
for filing and paying for queries, the Department is eliminating the
$1.00 discount fee for users who: (1) query and receive responses via
the telecommunications network, and (2) pay query fees by credit card,
electronic funds transfer or such other electronic transfer options as
may be offered in the future.
Despite the elimination of the discount, electronic querying
(telecom network) and electronic payment continue to be the most cost-
effective methods for requesting information from the Data Bank.
Consequently, the fee for querying the Data Bank by diskette with
electronic payment continues to be $6.00. The new fee for electronic
queries (telecom network) with electronic payment will be $3.00. This
change is effective February 20, 1997.
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 (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. All other fees remain the
same. For examples, see the table below.
The Department will review the user fee periodically, and will
revise it as necessary. Any changes in the fee and their effective date
will be announced in the Federal Register.
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Fee per name in
Query method query, by method of Examples
payment
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Electronic query (Telecom $3.00 (if paid 10 names in
network) with electronic electronically via query. 10x$3 =
payment. credit card or other $30.00.
electronic means and
response received
electronically).\1\.
Electronic query (Diskette) $6.00 (if paid 10 names in
with electronic payment. electronically via query. 10x$6 =
credit card or other $60.00.
electronic means and
response received on
paper) ($3.00 fee
plus $3.00
surcharge).
Electronic query (Telecom $7.00 (if not paid 10 names in
network) with non-electronic via credit card or query. 10x$7 =
payment. other electronic $70.00.
means) ($3.00 fee
plus $4.00
surcharge).
[[Page 3049]]
Electronic query (Diskette) $10.00 (if not paid 10 names in
with non-electronic payment. via credit card or query. 10x$10 =
other electronic $100.00.
means) ($3.00 fee
plus $3.00 and $4.00
surcharges).
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\1\ This new fee represents the elimination of the $1.00 discount.
Dated: January 14, 1997.
Ciro V. Sumaya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-1404 Filed 1-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P