[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 83 (Thursday, April 30, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 24222-24223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10169]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

42 CFR Parts 405 and 418

[CMS-1609-CN]
RIN 0938-AS10


Medicare Program; FY 2015 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate 
Update; Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements and Process and Appeals 
for Part D Payment for Drugs for Beneficiaries Enrolled in Hospice; 
Correction

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

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the 
final rule published in the Federal Register on August 22, 2014 
entitled ``Medicare Program; FY 2015 Hospice Wage Index and Payment 
Rate Update; Hospice Quality Reporting

[[Page 24223]]

Requirements and Process and Appeals for Part D Payment for Drugs for 
Beneficiaries Enrolled in Hospice.''

DATES: Effective Date: October 1, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Debra Dean-Whittaker, (410) 786-0848.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    In FR Doc. 2014-18506 of August 22, 2014 (79 FR 50451), there were 
a number of technical errors that are identified and corrected in the 
Correction of Errors section below. The provisions in this correction 
document are effective as if they had been included in the document 
published on August 22, 2014. Accordingly, the corrections are 
effective October 1, 2014.

II. Summary of Errors

    On page 50492, in Table 8, we omitted the description of a quality 
reporting measure ``Providing Support for Religious and Spiritual 
Beliefs''. We are adding the omitted measure to the table.
    On Page 50493, in Table 9, we listed an incorrect deadline for the 
``Monthly data collection April-June 2015 (Q2).'' We inadvertently 
provided November 1, 2015 as the deadline. We are correcting this error 
to reflect the correct monthly data collection deadline date of 
November 11, 2015.

III. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

    We ordinarily publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the 
Federal Register to provide a period for public comment before the 
provisions of a rule take effect in accordance with section 553(b) of 
the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553(b)). However, we 
can waive this notice and comment procedure if the Secretary finds, for 
good cause, that the notice and comment process is impracticable, 
unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest, and incorporates a 
statement of the finding and the reasons therefore in the notice.
    Section 553(d) of the APA ordinarily requires a 30-day delay in 
effective date of final rules after the date of their publication in 
the Federal Register. This 30-day delay in effective date can be 
waived, however, if an agency finds for good cause that the delay is 
impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest, and the 
agency incorporates a statement of the findings and its reasons in the 
rule issued. Rulemaking is unnecessary because this notice merely fixes 
errors and makes no policy changes.

IV. Correction of Errors

    In FR Doc. 2014-18506 of August 22, 2014 (79 FR 50451), make the 
following corrections:
    1. On page 50492, in Table 8--``Hospice Experience of Care Survey 
Quality Measures and Their Items'', after the quality measure 
description of ``Getting help for Symptoms'' and before the quality 
measure description of ``Information Continuity'' add the following 
quality measure description to read as follows:

Providing Support for Religious and Spiritual Beliefs

    (Support for religious or spiritual beliefs includes talking, 
praying, quiet time, or other ways of meeting your religious or 
spiritual needs.)
    While your family member was in hospice care, how much support for 
your religious or spiritual beliefs did you get from the hospice team?
    2. On page 50493, in Table 9--Data Submission Dates 2015-1016 For 
CAHPS[supreg] Hospice Survey, under the quarterly data submission 
deadline column the date ``November 1, 2015'' is corrected to read 
``November 11, 2015''.

    Dated: April 24, 2015.
C'Reda Weeden,
Executive Secretary to the Department, Department of Health and Human 
Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-10169 Filed 4-29-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P