[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 93 (Monday, May 15, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28041-28042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7315]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Federal Financial Participation in State Assistance Expenditures; 
Modifications in Federal Matching Shares for Medicaid and the State 
Children's Health Insurance Program for Alaska for October 1, 2005 
Through September 30, 2006 and October 1, 2006 Through September 30, 
2007

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The revised Federal Medical Assistance Percentages and 
Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages for Alaska for Fiscal 
Years 2006 and 2007 have been calculated pursuant to section 6053(a) of 
the Deficit Reduction Act. These percentages will be effective from 
October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006 and October 1, 2006 through 
September 30, 2007.
    These revised Federal Medical Assistance Percentages for Alaska 
replace the percentages previously published for Fiscal Year 2006 
(published November 24, 2004) and Fiscal Year 2007 (published November 
30, 2005).
    This notice announces the revised ``Federal Medical Assistance 
Percentages'' and ``Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages'' 
that we will use in determining the amount of Federal matching for 
State medical assistance (Medicaid) and State Children's Health 
Insurance Program (SCHIP) expenditures for Alaska. The

[[Page 28042]]

table gives the figure for Alaska, which is the only state affected by 
section 6053(a) of the Deficit Reduction Act.
    Section 6053(a) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 provides for a 
modification of Alaska's Medicaid FMAP for Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007. 
The provision permits a maintenance of the Fiscal Year 2005 FMAP for 
Fiscal Year 2006 and Fiscal Year 2007 if the 2006 or 2007 FMAPs as 
calculated pursuant to section 1905(b) of the Act are less than the 
2005 FMAP. Since the calculated Fiscal Year 2006 and 2007 FMAPs for 
Alaska are less than the 2005 FMAP, Alaska's 2005 FMAP will apply for 
Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007.
    Section 6053(a) applies to expenditures under Title XIX and Title 
XXI. Therefore, the Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages for 
Alaska for 2006 and 2007 will be calculated from Alaska's revised 
Federal Medical Assistance Percentages for 2006 and 2007.
    Federal Medical Assistance Percentages are used to determine the 
amount of Federal matching for State expenditures for assistance 
payments for certain social services such as Temporary Assistance for 
Needy Families (TANF) Contingency Funds, Child Care Mandatory and 
Matching Funds for the Child Care and Development Fund, Title IV-E 
Foster Care Maintenance payments, Adoption Assistance payments, and 
State medical and medical insurance expenditures for Medicaid and the 
State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). However, the 
modification of the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages and the 
Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages under the Deficit 
Reduction Act of 2005 affect only medical expenditure payments under 
Title XIX and all expenditure payments for the State Children's Health 
Insurance Program under Title XXI. The Department believes that the 
percentages in this notice do not apply to payments under Title IV of 
the Act. In addition, the Title XIX statute provides separately for 
Federal matching of administrative costs, which is not affected by the 
Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.
    The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, section 6053(b) also instructs 
the Secretary of HHS to disregard Katrina evacuees and income 
attributable to them in calculating the FMAPs for states with a 
significant number of evacuees. This provision would affect the 
calculation of the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages for Fiscal 
Year 2008, which HHS will publish in Fall 2006.

DATES: Effective Dates: The percentages listed will be effective for 
Fiscal Year 2006 and Fiscal Year 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Bloniarz or Robert Stewart, 
Office of Health Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning 
and Evaluation, Room 447D--Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201, (202) 690-6870.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.778: Medical 
Assistance Program; 93.767: State Children's Health Insurance 
Program)

    Dated: May 9, 2006.
Michael O. Leavitt,
Secretary of Health and Human Services.

   Federal Medical Assistance Percentages and Enhanced Federal Medical
 Assistance Percentages for Alaska, Effective October 1, 2005-September
   30, 2006 (Fiscal Year 2006) and October 1, 2006-September 30, 2007
                           (Fiscal Year 2007)
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                                                             Enhanced
                                              Federal         federal
                  State                       medical         medical
                                            assistance      assistance
                                            percentage      percentage
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Alaska..................................           57.58           70.31
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[FR Doc. E6-7315 Filed 5-12-06; 8:45 am]
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