[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10664-10665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5466]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: Revised Amount of 
the Average Cost of a Health Insurance Policy

    The Health Resources and Services Administration is publishing an 
updated monetary amount of the average cost of a health insurance 
policy as it relates to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation 
Program (VICP).
    Subtitle 2 of Title XXI of the Public Health Service Act, as 
enacted by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 and as 
amended, governs the VICP. The VICP, administered by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services (the Secretary), provides that a proceeding 
for compensation for a vaccine-related injury or death shall be 
initiated by service upon the Secretary and the filing of a petition 
with the United States Court of Federal Claims. In some cases, the 
injured individual may receive compensation for future lost earnings, 
less appropriate taxes and the ``average cost of a health insurance 
policy, as determined by the Secretary.''
    Section 100.2 of the VICP's implementing regulations (42 CFR Part 
100) provides that revised amounts of an average cost of a health 
insurance policy, as determined by the Secretary, are to be published 
from time to time in a notice in the Federal Register. The previously 
published amount of an average cost of a health insurance policy was 
$236.18 per month (63 FR 16264, April 2, 1998); this amount was based 
on data from a survey by the Health Insurance Association of America, 
updated by a formula using changes in the medical care component of the 
Consumer Price Index (CPI) (All Urban Consumers, U.S. City average) for 
the period January 1, 1997, through December 31, 1997.
    The Secretary announces that for the 12-month period, January 1, 
1998, through December 31, 1998, the medical care component of the CPI 
increased 3.4 percent. According to the regulatory formula 
(Sec. 100.2), 2 percent is added to the actual CPI change for each 
year. This adjustment to the CPI change results in an increase of 5.4 
percent. Applied to the baseline amount of $236.18, this results in a 
new amount of $248.93.
    Therefore, the Secretary announces that the revised average cost of 
a health insurance policy under the VICP is $248.93 per month. In 
accordance with Sec. 100.2, the revised amount was

[[Page 10665]]

effective upon its delivery by the Secretary to the United States Court 
of Federal Claims (formerly known as the United States Claims Court). 
Such notice was delivered to the Court on January 27, 1999.

    Dated: March 1, 1999.
Claude Earl Fox,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-5466 Filed 3-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P