[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 173 (Monday, September 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 52974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22739]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT


Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Medically Underserved 
Areas for 2004

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Notice of Medically Underserved Areas for 2004.

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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 calendar year 2004. This is necessary to comply with a 
provision of the 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 2004, OPM's calculations show that the following 
states are Medically Underserved Areas under the FEHB Program: Alabama, 
Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New 
Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West 
Virginia and Wyoming. There is no change from the last year's list.

Effective Date: January 1, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ingrid Burford, 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. The FEHB law also requires that a State be designated 
as a Medically Underserved Area if 25 percent or more of the population 
lives in an area designated by the Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) as a primary medical care manpower shortage area. Such 
States are designated as Medically Underserved Areas for purposes of 
the FEHB Program, and the law requires non-HMO FEHB plans to reimburse 
beneficiaries, subject to their contract terms, for covered services 
obtained from any licensed provider 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 HHS State-by-State 
population counts on primary medical care manpower shortage areas with 
U.S. Census figures on State resident populations.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Kay Coles James,
Director.
[FR Doc. 03-22739 Filed 9-5-03; 8:45 am]
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