[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 128 (Thursday, July 5, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36612-36613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3260]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
42 CFR Parts 412 and 413
[CMS-1529-N]
RIN 0938-AO30
Medicare Program; Hospital Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical
Education Policy Changes; Notice
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Final rule; clarification.
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SUMMARY: This notice clarifies the availability of certain physician
salary proxy data for purposes of the hospital direct and indirect
graduate medical education policy adopted in the ``Medicare Program;
Prospective Payment System for Long-Term Care Hospitals RY 2008: Annual
Payment Rate Updates, and Policy Changes; and Hospital Direct and
Indirect Graduate Medical Education Policy Changes'' final rule that
appeared in the May 11, 2007 Federal Register.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective on July 1, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tzvi Hefter, (410) 786-4487 (General
information). Miechal Lefkowitz, (410) 786-5316 (Graduate Medical
Education payments). Renate Rockwell, (410) 786-4645 (Graduate Medical
Education payments).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In FR Doc. 07-2206 (72 FR 26870), there was an erroneous statement
of fact relating to the GME policy adopted in the final rule. In light
of the error, this notice serves to clarify the availability of certain
salary proxy data that can be used for purposes of the hospital direct
and indirect graduate medical education policy adopted in the final
rule.
II. Provisions of the Notice
In the final rule that appeared in the May 11, 2007 Federal
Register (72 FR 26958), we responded erroneously to the following
comment, ``One commenter stated that CMS should use average
compensation figures for dental faculty based on specialty and regional
variation. The commenter stated that the commenter would be happy to
work with CMS to develop compensation figures for dental programs.'' We
responded, ``The AMGA [American Medical Group Association] data does
not apply to dental faculty, at this point we are unaware of a
comparable data source for dental faculty salaries. We will work with
the commenter to determine whether we can develop proxy salary amounts
for supervisory dentists.'' After the final rule was issued, we were
made aware that the AMGA data, in fact, do apply to dentists and
podiatrists. Because AMGA data are available for the dental and
podiatry specialties, the AMGA 2006 Medical Group Compensation and
Financial Survey data can be used as the salary proxy for both
dentistry and podiatry in accordance with the policies adopted in the
final rule. We will also correct our posting of 2006 AMGA salary data
at the following Web site address to include the median salary data for
both dentistry and podiatry: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/AcuteInpatientPPS/Downloads/Specialty_Table_050107.pdf.
[[Page 36613]]
Authority
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.773,
Medicare--Hospital Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, Medicare--
Supplementary Medical Insurance Program).
Dated: June 29, 2007.
Leslie V. Norwalk,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 07-3260 Filed 6-29-07; 3:21 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P