[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57612-57613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27995]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

42 CFR Parts 409, 410, 411, 413, 424 and 484

[HCFA-1103-N]


Medicare Program; Open Town Hall Meeting on November 8, 1999 To 
Present an Overview of the Home Health Prospective Payment System 
Proposed Rule Followed by a General Home Health Listening Session

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting to provide information 
on the home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) proposed rule. 
The proposed rule will be published in October 1999 in the Federal 
Register. In addition, there will be a general home health listening 
session.

DATES: The HH PPS town hall meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 
8, 1999, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., E.S.T. The HH PPS presentation will 
be followed by the general home health listening session, which is 
scheduled for Monday, November 8, 1999, from 3:15 p.m. until 5:15 p.m., 
E.S.T.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the HCFA Central Office Main 
Auditorium, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244 with satellite 
broadcast viewing areas located in Boston, Chicago, and Dallas. The 
general home health listening session will be held in the HCFA Central 
Office Main Auditorium only, and there will be no satellite broadcast 
of this session.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sharon Ventura, (410) 786-1985 (for information on the overview of the 
HH PPS proposed rule).
    Gina Perantoni, (410) 786-3219 (for information on the general home 
health listening session).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) proposed rule 
will be published in the Federal Register in October 1999. We are 
planning to hold a town hall meeting on Monday, November 8, 1999, which 
is during the 60-day comment period to brief the public on the proposed 
rule. We will not be accepting oral comments on the rule at this 
meeting. Written comments during the 60-day comment period are

[[Page 57613]]

welcome. We anticipate interested parties to include: the home health 
agency (HHA) industry association representatives, HHA administrators 
and owners, home care professionals, university-based and private 
research organizations, Congressional members and staff, home care 
software vendors, beneficiary advocates, and any other interested 
parties.
    In this meeting, we will provide an overview of the HH PPS proposed 
rule and will focus on a number of its key components and present past 
and current research efforts related to the HH PPS.
    This meeting will be broadcast live from the HCFA Central Office 
Main Auditorium and will include three satellite broadcast viewing 
sites in Boston, Chicago, and Dallas. All four sites have a capacity of 
approximately 500 individuals. The audiences viewing the broadcast via 
satellite will have the ability to participate in the question-and-
answer period at the end of this presentation. For those who cannot 
attend in Baltimore, the address of the downlink sites, registration 
information, and satellite coordinates for this presentation will be 
posted on the HCFA website www.hcfa.gov. Once individuals are on this 
website, they will need to highlight the red bullet, in the lower right 
hand corner, titled ``Events, Meetings, and Workgroups.''
    The meeting will conclude with a question-and-answer session 
including the HCFA Central Office location as well as the three-
satellite downlink sites. The toll-free phone number to call to 
participate will be broadcast during the meeting.
    At the conclusion of the satellite broadcast, a 2-hour listening 
session is planned for participants in Baltimore only in the HCFA 
Central Office Main Auditorium during which time we will listen to 
concerns related to home health issues in general. This is a listening 
session only and not part of the HH PPS overview presentation.
    In order to participate in the general home health listening 
session, individuals must sign up at 10 a.m. on the day of the town 
hall meeting. Presenters will be limited to the first 20 people who 
sign up. A sign up sheet will be available outside of the HCFA Main 
Auditorium. Individuals must limit their presentation to 3 minutes in 
length. We also ask that the oral presenters provide their statements 
in writing. Individuals who are unable to present oral statements may 
submit their statements in writing. We believe this will enable us to 
better consider all the concerns raised during this general home health 
listening session.
    While the meeting is open to the public, attendance is limited to 
space available. Individuals must register in advance as described 
below.

Registration

    AFYA Inc. will handle registration for all four meeting sites. 
Individuals must register following the directions posted on the HCFA 
website, www.hcfa.gov. Once individuals are on this website, they will 
need to highlight the red bullet, in the lower right hand corner, 
titled ``Events, Meetings, and Workgroups.''
    Each participant will receive a confirmation letter as receipt of 
registration. Each participant will be provided with a meeting agenda 
at the time of the meeting. If individuals have any questions regarding 
registration, they should contact the AFYA Event Management Help Desk 
at (800) 377-9921.

    Authority: Section 1895 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395fff).

    Dated: October 21, 1999.
Michael M. Hash,
Deputy Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-27995 Filed 10-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P