[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 48 (Monday, March 12, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14342-14343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6194]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

42 CFR Parts 413 and 422

[HCFA-1685-F2]
RIN 0938-AE79


Medicare Program; Payment for Nursing and Allied Health 
Education: Delay of Effective Date

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

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2001, from 
the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled 
``Regulatory Review Plan,'' published in the January 24, 2001 Federal 
Register, this action temporarily delays for 60 days the effective date 
of the rule entitled ``Payment for Nursing and Allied Health 
Education'' published in the January 12, 2001 Federal Register (66 FR 
3358). That final rule sets forth in regulations Medicare policy for 
the payment of costs of approved nursing and allied health education 
programs and clarifies the payment methodology for certified registered 
nurse anesthetist education programs. To the extent that 5 U.S.C. 
section 553 applies to this action, it is exempt from notice and 
comment because it constitutes a rule of procedure under 5 U.S.C. 
section 553 (b) (A). Alternatively, HCFA's implementation of this rule 
without opportunity for public comment, effective immediately upon 
publication today in the Federal Register, is based on the good cause 
exceptions in 5 U.S.C. section 553 (b) (B) and 553 (d) (3), in that 
seeking public comment and delaying the effective date of this final 
rule is impracticable, and contrary to the public interest.
    The temporary 60-day delay in the effective date is necessary to 
give Department officials the opportunity for further review and 
consideration of regulations that had been published in the Federal 
Register as of January 20, 2001 but had not yet taken effect as of that 
date, consistent with the Assistant to the President's memorandum of 
January 20, 2001. Given the imminence of the effective date, seeking 
prior public comment on this temporary delay would have been 
impracticable, as well as contrary to the public interest, in the 
orderly promulgation and implementation of regulations.

DATES: The effective date of the final rule, Payment for Nursing and 
Allied

[[Page 14343]]

Health Education, published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001 
(66 FR 3358), is delayed for 60 days, from March 13, 2001 to a new 
effective date of May 14, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Hirshorn, (410) 786-3411.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.773 
Medicare--Hospital Insurance and Program; No. 93.774, Medicare--
Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

    Dated: February 27, 2001.
Michael McMullan,
Acting Deputy Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
    Approved: March 8, 2001.
Tommy G. Thompson,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-6194 Filed 3-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P