[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1880-1881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00400]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service

42 CFR Part 136

RIN 0917-AA12


Payment for Physician and Other Health Care Professional Services 
Purchased by Indian Health Programs and Medical Charges Associated With 
Non-Hospital-Based Care

AGENCY: Indian Health Service, HHS.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of the comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document extends the comment period for the Payment for 
Physician and Other Health Care Professional Services Purchased by 
Indian Health Programs and Medical Charges Associated with Non-
Hospital-Based Care proposed rule, which was published in the Federal 
Register on December 5, 2014. The comment period for the proposed rule, 
which would have ended on January 20, 2015, is extended to February 4, 
2015.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published in the 
December 5, 2014 Federal Register (79 FR 72160) is extended to February 
4, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept 
comments by facsimile 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://regulations.gov. Follow the ``Submit a Comment'' 
instructions.
    2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following 
address ONLY: Betty Gould, Regulations Officer, Indian Health Service, 
801 Thompson, Avenue, TMP STE 450, Rockville, Maryland 20852. 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 above address.
    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 the address above.
    If you intend to deliver your comments to the Rockville address, 
please call telephone number (301) 443-1116 in advance to schedule your 
arrival with a staff member.
    Comments will be made available for public inspection at the 
Rockville

[[Page 1881]]

address from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, approximately three 
weeks after publication of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl Harper, Director, Office of 
Resource Access and Partnerships, Indian Health Service, 801 Thompson 
Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-1553.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This proposed rule would amend Indian Health 
Service (IHS) Purchased and Referred Care, formally known as Contract 
Health Services, regulations to apply Medicare payment methodologies to 
all physician and other health care professional services and non-
hospital based services that are either authorized under such 
regulations or purchased by urban Indian organizations. Specifically, 
it proposes that the health programs operated by IHS, Tribe, Tribal 
organization, or urban Indian organization will pay the lowest of the 
amount provided for under the applicable Medicare fee schedule, 
prospective payment system, or Medicare waiver; the amount negotiated 
by a repricing agent, if available; or the usual and customary billing 
rate. Repricing agents may be used to determine whether IHS may benefit 
from savings by utilizing negotiated rates offered through commercial 
health care networks. This proposed rule seeks comment on how to 
establish reimbursement that is consistent across Federal health care 
programs, aligns payment with inpatient services, and enables the IHS 
to expand beneficiary access to medical care.
    This comment period is being extended to allow all interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed rule. Therefore, we 
are extending the comment period until February 4, 2015.

    Dated: January 7, 2015.
Yvette Roubideaux,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-00400 Filed 1-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-P