[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 170 (Thursday, September 2, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 48213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22911]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program:


Medically Underserved Areas for 2000

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Notice of Medically Underserved Areas for 2000.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has completed its 
annual determination of the States that qualify as Medically 
Underserved Areas under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) 
Program for the calendar year 2000. This is necessary to comply with a 
provision of FEHB law that mandates special consideration for enrollees 
of certain FEHB plans who receive covered health services in States 
with critical shortages of primary care physicians. Accordingly, for 
calendar year 2000, OPM's calculations show that the following States 
are Medically Underserved Areas under the FEHB Program: Alabama, Idaho, 
Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, 
South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Kentucky, Missouri, 
and Utah are new for 2000.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Leibach, 202-606-0004.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEHB law (5 U.S.C. 8902(m)(2)) mandates 
special consideration for enrollees of certain FEHB plans who receive 
covered health services in States with critical shortages of primary 
care physicians. Such States are designated as Medically Underserved 
Areas for purposes of the FEHB Program, and the law requires plan 
payments to all qualified providers in these States.
    FEHB regulations (5 CFR 890.701) require OPM to make an annual 
determination of the States that qualify as Medically Underserved Areas 
for the next calendar year by comparing the latest Department of Health 
and Human Services State-by-State population counts on primary medical 
care manpower shortage areas with U.S. Census figures on State resident 
populations.

Office of Personnel Management.
Janice R. Lachance,
Director.
[FR Doc. 99-22911 Filed 9-1-99; 8:45 am]
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