[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 7743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4073]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

42 CFR Parts 416, 482, 485, and 489

[HCFA-3745-N]
RIN 0938-AG79


Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Hospital Conditions of 
Participation; Provider Agreements and Supplier Approval; Extension of 
Comment Period

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period for proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This document extends the comment period for a proposed rule 
that generally would revise the hospital conditions of participation 
under Medicare and Medicaid, published in the Federal Register (62 FR 
66726) on December 19, 1997. The comment period is extended 60 days for 
all provisions except the proposed new requirements relating to 
interactions between hospitals and organ procurement organizations, 
which are extended for an additional 14 days.

DATES: The comment period for all provisions except the proposed 
requirements under Secs. 482.110(c) and 482.120(a)(8) is extended to 5 
p.m. on April 20, 1998. The comment period for Secs. 482.110(c) and 
482.120(a)(8) is extended until March 3, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Mail written comments (one original and three copies) to the 
following address: Health Care Financing Administration, Department of 
Health and Human Services, Attention: HCFA-3745-P, P.O. Box 7517, 
Baltimore, MD 21207-0517.
    If you prefer, you may deliver your written comments (one original 
and three copies) to one of the following addresses: Room 309-G, Hubert 
H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 
20201, or Room C5-09-26, Central Building, 7500 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    Because of staffing and resource limitations, we cannot accept 
comments by facsimile (FAX) transmission. In commenting, please refer 
to file code HCFA-3745-P. Comments received timely will be available 
for public inspection as they are received, generally beginning 
approximately 3 weeks after publication of a document, in Room 309-G of 
the Department's offices at 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 
DC, on Monday through Friday of each week from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
(phone: (202) 690-7890).
    For comments that relate to information collection requirements, 
mail a copy of comments to: Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, New Executive 
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503, Attn: Allison Herron Eydt, HCFA 
Desk Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Emerson, (410) 786-4656; Doris Jackson, RN, (410) 786-0095; 
Rachael Weinstein, RN, (410) 786-6775.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 19, 1997, we issued a proposed 
rulemaking in the Federal Register (62 FR 66726) that would revise the 
requirements that hospitals must meet to participate in the Medicare 
and Medicaid programs. In addition, in an effort to increase the number 
of organ donations, we proposed changes in the interaction between 
hospitals and organ procurement organizations. The proposed rule also 
specified that HCFA may terminate the participation agreement of a 
hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health agency, or other 
provider if the provider refuses to allow access to its facilities, or 
examination of its operations or records, by or on behalf of HCFA, as 
necessary to verify that it is complying with the Medicare law and 
regulations and the terms of its provider agreement. We announced that 
the public comment period would close at 5 p.m. on February 17, 1998.
    Due to the complexity of this proposed rule and because numerous 
commenters have requested more time to analyze the potential 
consequences of the proposed rule, we have decided to extend the 
comment period, for all but one provision specified below, for an 
additional 60 days. This document announces the extension of the public 
comment period to April 20, 1998 for all the provisions of the proposed 
rule, except those related to the proposed new requirements under 
Sec. 482.110(c) dealing with the responsibilities of hospitals with 
respect to organ donation and Sec. 482.120(a)(8) dealing with the 
mandatory submission of transplant-related data to the Organ 
Procurement and Transplantation Network, the Scientific Registry, the 
organ procurement organizations, and the Department of Health and Human 
Services if a hospital performs any type of transplants.
    Because of the importance this Administration places on improving 
organ donation and transplantation, we intend to separate out 
Secs. 482.110(c) and 482.120(a)(8) of the proposed regulations dealing 
with the responsibilities of hospitals for organ donations and the 
mandatory submission of transplant-related data to the Organ 
Procurement and Transplantation Network, the Scientific Registry, the 
organ procurement organizations, and the Department of Health and Human 
Services if a hospital performs any type of transplants and publish 
them as a separate final rule as promptly as possible. Therefore, we 
are extending the comment period for these provisions for only two 
weeks. The comment period for Secs. 482.110(c) and 482.120(a)(8) is 
extended until March 3, 1998.

    Authority: Secs. 1102 and 1871 of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.773, Medicare 
Hospital Insurance; Program No. 93.778, Medical Assistance Program)

    Dated: February 12, 1998.
Nancy-Ann Min DeParle,
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.

    Dated: February 12, 1998.
Donna E. Shalala,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-4073 Filed 2-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-M