[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44971-44972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18140]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-2480-NC]


Medicaid Program; Request for Comments on Legislative Changes To 
Provide Quality of Care to Children

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice with Comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice requests comments from the public for our 
consideration in developing the Secretary's recommendations for 
legislative changes to improve the quality of care provided to children 
under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, including 
recommendations for quality reporting by the States. The Children's 
Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) requires 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide to Congress 
recommendations for legislative changes to improve the quality of care 
provided to children under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance 
Program.

DATES: Comment Date: To be assured consideration, comments must be 
received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. 
on August 30, 2010.

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-2480-NC. 
Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by 
facsimile (FAX) transmission.
    You may submit comments in one of four ways (please choose only one 
of the ways listed):
    1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on this 
regulation to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions under 
the ``More Search Options'' tab.
    2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following 
address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of 
Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-2480-NC, P.O. Box 8010, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received 
before the close of the comment period.
    3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments to 
the following address only: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-2480-NC, Mail 
Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. 
[Note: This zip code for express mail or courier delivery only. This 
zip code specifies the agency's physical location.]
    4. By hand or courier. If you prefer, you may deliver (by hand or 
courier) your written comments before the close of the comment period 
to either of the following addresses: a. For delivery in Washington, 
DC--Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and 
Human Services, Room 445-G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201.

(Because access to the interior of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building 
is not readily available to persons without Federal government 
identification, commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in 
the CMS drop slots located in the main lobby of the building. A 
stamp-in clock is available for persons wishing to retain a proof of 
filing by stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments 
being filed.)

    b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD--Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services, Department of Health and Human Services, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. [Note: This zip code for express 
mail or courier delivery only. This zip code specifies the agency's 
physical location.]
    If you intend to deliver your comments to the Baltimore address, 
please call telephone number (410) 786-7195 in advance to schedule your 
arrival with one of our staff members. Comments mailed to the addresses 
indicated as appropriate for hand or courier delivery may be delayed 
and received after the comment period.
    For information on viewing public comments, see the beginning of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles K. MacKay (410) 786-2106.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Inspection of Public Comments: All comments 
received before the close of the comment period are available for 
viewing by the public, including any personally identifiable or 
confidential business information that is included in a comment. We 
post all comments received before the close of the comment period on 
the following Web site as soon as possible after they have been 
received: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the search instructions on 
that Web site to view public comments.
    Comments received timely will also be available for public 
inspection as they are received, generally beginning approximately 3 
weeks after publication of a document, at the headquarters of the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid

[[Page 44972]]

Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday 
through Friday of each week from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an 
appointment to view public comments, phone 1-800-743-3951.

I. Background

    Section 401(a) of the Children's Health Insurance Program 
Reauthorization Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-3) (CHIPRA), added section 
1139A to the Social Security Act (the Act). Section 1139A(a)(6), as 
added by section (401)(a), requires the Secretary to report to the 
Congress by January 1, 2011, and every 3 years thereafter, on the 
status of the following factors that influence the quality of care 
given to children under the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance 
Program.
     The duration and stability of health insurance coverage 
for children under titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act.
     The quality of care provided under titles XIX and XXI for:

+ Preventive health care services.
+ Health care for acute conditions.
+ Chronic health care.
+ Health services to ameliorate the effects of physical and mental 
conditions and to aid in the growth and development of infants, young 
children, school-age children, and adolescents with special health care 
needs.

     The quality of children's health care under titles XIX and 
XXI, across the various domains of quality, including:

+ Clinical quality.
+ Health care safety.
+ Family experience with health care.
+ Health care in the most integrated setting.
+ Elimination of racial, ethnic, and socio-economic disparities in 
health and health care.

     The status of voluntary reporting by States under titles 
XIX and XXI, utilizing the initial core quality measurement set. Based 
on the assessment of these factors affecting the quality of care given 
to children under titles XIX and XXI, the Secretary is also required to 
make any recommendations for legislative changes that are needed to 
improve the quality of care provided to children under titles XIX and 
XXI, including recommendations for quality reporting by the States.

II. Solicitation of Comments

    We request public comments for consideration in the formulation of 
legislative changes to be recommended by the Secretary, including 
requirements for the process and content of quality reporting by the 
States. We request that these suggestions address the dimensions of 
quality and the subject areas listed above.

III. Response to Comments

    Because of the large number of public comments we normally receive 
on Federal Register documents, we are not able to acknowledge or 
respond to them individually. We will consider all comments we receive 
by the date and time specified in the DATES section of this preamble, 
and, when we proceed with a subsequent document, we will respond to the 
comments in the preamble to that document.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.778, Medical 
Assistance Program)

    Dated: July 19, 2010.
Marilyn Tavenner,
Principal Deputy Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-18140 Filed 7-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P