[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 2, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 47348-47349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19471]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

42 CFR Part 130

RIN 0906-AA56


Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Program

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Interim final rule; status of comments and confirmation of 
effective date.

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SUMMARY: This document is to inform potential petitioners that the 
Department has received several comments on the Ricky Ray Hemophilia 
Relief Fund Program's interim final rule, published on May 31, 2000. 
The Department has reviewed all of these comments carefully and 
continues to consider the suggestions made in these comments. However, 
none of the comments received by the Department leads us to change the 
substance of the regulation, the petition form, or the confidential 
physician or nurse practitioner affidavit appended to the interim final 
rule at this time. In addition, these comments do not change the 
effective date of the interim final rule or the fact that July 31, 
2000, will be the first date that petitions for payment may be 
postmarked or accompanied by a receipt from a commercial carrier or the 
U.S. Postal Service.

DATES: The interim final rule published on May 31, 2000, remains 
effective on July 31, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul T. Clark, Program Manager, Ricky 
Ray Program Office, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and 
Services Administration, Room 8A-54, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857; (301) 443-2330.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 
1998 established the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Program, which is 
designed to provide compassionate payments to certain individuals with 
blood-clotting disorders, such as hemophilia, who contracted HIV 
through the use of antihemophilic factor administered between July 1, 
1982, and December 31, 1987. The Act also provides for compassionate 
payments for certain persons who contracted HIV from the foregoing 
individuals for for certain survivors of these individuals.
    On May 31, 2000 (65 FR 34860), the Department published an interim 
final rule to establish procedures and requirements for documentation 
of eligibility and to establish a mechanism for providing compassionate 
payments to individuals who are eligible for payment under the Act. 
Attached to the rule was a confidential physician or nurse practitioner 
affidavit, a petition form, and petition instructions, which included a 
documentation checklist.
    The May 31, 2000, document solicited public comments on the interim 
final rule and indicated that June 30, 2000, was the deadline for the 
submission of all such comments. The regulation further indicated that 
the interim final rule would become effective on July 31, 2000, and 
that petitions could be

[[Page 47349]]

postmarked, or accompanied by a receipt from a commercial carrier or 
the U.S. Postal Service, on but not before July 31, 2000. The interim 
final rule specified that should the Department receive any significant 
comments that would cause us to revise the rule in any way that would 
affect the filing of the petitions, the Department would be able to do 
so, or to advise potential petitioners of our intent to do so, before 
such potential petitioners took any final action to file petitions for 
compensation.
    Since the date of the interim final rule's publication, the 
Department has received several comments. The Department has reviewed 
all of these comments carefully. Some of these comments may warrant 
minor modifications to the interim final rule and we may elect to 
publish a response to these comments at a later date. However, none of 
the comments received by the Department leads us to change the 
substance of the regulation, the petition form, or the confidential 
physician or nurse practitioner affidavit at this time. In addition, 
the documentation required for various categories of petitioners to 
file a complete petition has not changed. Finally, the comments 
received by the Department do not change the effective date of the 
interim final rule. thus July 31, 2000, will continue to be the 
effective date of the interim final rule. Petitions for compassionate 
payments may be postmarked, or accompanied by a receipt from a 
commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal Service, on but not before July 
31, 2000.

    Dated: July 18, 2000.
Claude Earl Fox,
Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration.

    Dated: July 28, 2000.
Donna E. Shalala,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-19471 Filed 7-31-00; 8:45 am]
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