[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