[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57877-57878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19788]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Recommendations for Regulatory Reform

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The House Appropriations Committee Report 108-636 includes a 
provision for the Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for 
Planning and Evaluation (HHS/ASPE) and the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) to establish an interagency committee, to be coordinated 
by HHS. The committee's role is to examine major federal regulations 
governing the health care industry and to make suggestions regarding 
how health care regulation could be coordinated and simplified to 
reduce costs and burdens and improve translation of biomedical research 
into medical practice, while continuing to protect patients. This 
committee will examine the economic impact of the major federal 
regulations governing the health care industry, and will explore both 
immediate steps and longer-term proposals for reducing regulatory 
burden, while maintaining the highest quality health care and other 
patient protections.
    In accord with the House Appropriations Committee's intent, ASPE 
and OMB are undertaking several complementary activities. First, we are 
establishing an interagency committee to undertake a comprehensive 
review of federal health care regulations, guidance, and paperwork 
requirements in order to identify areas for reform. Second, we are 
planning to hold a series of public meetings in order to hear directly 
from health care administrators, institutional providers, physicians, 
practitioners, patients, and others about the impact of regulations, 
and to identify other potential areas for reform. The public meetings 
will be held in several cities across the country to provide an 
opportunity for input. Individuals may also submit written comments, 
regardless of their ability to attend the public meetings, for 
consideration by the interagency committee. Information about the 
schedule of public meetings and registration procedures will be 
available on the Web site http://aspe.hhs.gov/arrb.
    In order to assist the committee in studying regulatory impact and 
reform, in this notice ASPE is also requesting public nominations of 
federal health care regulations that could be coordinated and 
simplified to reduce costs and burdens and improve the translation of 
biomedical research into medical practice. In particular, commenters 
are requested to suggest specific reforms to regulations, guidance 
documents, or paperwork requirements that would improve the delivery of 
health care by increasing efficiency, reducing unnecessary costs, 
removing uncertainty, and increasing flexibility, while maintaining or 
improving patient

[[Page 57878]]

safety and quality of care and other patient protections. The emphasis 
is on major regulations issued within the last ten (10) years.
    ASPE requests that commenters, in the selection of which reform 
ideas to submit, consider the extent to which (1) Benefits 
(quantitative and/or qualitative) are likely to exceed costs for the 
reform, (2) benefits (quantitative and/or qualitative) can be increased 
without exceeding costs, (3) the suggested change would improve 
patients' health and quality of care, (4) the agency or multiple 
agencies have statutory authority to make the suggested change, and (5) 
the rule or program is a major contributor to the regulatory burden 
imposed on the health care sector. While both legislative and 
administrative reforms are welcome, administrative reforms such as 
those that require discretionary rulemaking are more likely to be 
initiated in a timely manner. The reforms may include modifying, 
extending, or rescinding regulatory programs, guidance documents or 
paperwork requirements.
    Once we receive the nominations from the public, HHS, in 
cooperation with OMB, will assemble and evaluate the reform nominations 
and discuss each of them with the relevant HHS Operating Divisions, 
taking into account statutory, economic, public health, and budgetary 
considerations.

ADDRESSES: ASPE requests that nominations (including explanations of 
the suggested reforms) be submitted in writing electronically to ASPE 
at [email protected] within 30 calendar days from the 
date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marty McGeein, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20201. Telephone: (202) 690-6443.

    Dated: September 20, 2005.
Michael J. O'Grady,
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), HHS.
John D. Graham,
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), 
OMB.
[FR Doc. 05-19788 Filed 10-3-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-05-P