[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 125 (Friday, June 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29863-29864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13784]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-2431-N2]


Medicaid Program: Zika Health Care Services Program--Round 2

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the April 7, 2017 posting of a funding 
opportunity for Round Two of the Zika Health Care Services Program 
which provides up to $6.45 million to support prevention activities and 
treatment services for health conditions related to the Zika virus for 
entities that meet the eligibility requirements of the Zika Health Care 
Services Program, but that did not receive an award under the Round One 
Funding Opportunity. The Round Two Funding Opportunity provides two 
application due dates, May 8, 2017 and July 10, 2017. Entities eligible 
to apply for this funding opportunity are states, territories, tribes 
or tribal organizations, with active or local transmission of the Zika 
virus, as confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).

DATES: The project period of performance for the Cooperative Agreement 
will be 36 months from the date of award.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Garbarczyk, 410-786-0426.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Zika Response and Preparedness Act (Pub. L. 114-223) provides 
$387,000,000 in funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the 
Zika virus. Of the funds appropriated by Public Law (Pub. L.) 114-223, 
Congress designated $75 million to support states, territories, tribes, 
or tribal organizations with active or local transmission cases of the 
Zika virus, as confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), to reimburse the costs of health care for health 
conditions related to the Zika virus not covered by private insurance. 
No less than $60 million of this funding is for territories with the 
highest rates of Zika transmission.
    The Zika Health Care Services Program funding opportunities solicit 
single source emergency applications for a cooperative agreement aimed 
at supporting prevention activities and treatment services for women 
(including pregnant women), children, and men adversely or potentially 
impacted by the Zika virus.
    On January 18, 2017, CMS issued $66.1 million in awards to eligible 
entities that applied for Round One of the Zika Health Care Services 
Program (American Samoa, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and 
Florida). The Round One Funding Opportunity sought to issue funds to 
areas of greatest need, while maintaining additional funds to prevent, 
detect, and respond to future Zika outbreaks.

II. Provisions of the Notice

    In accordance with the Zika Response and Preparedness Act (Pub. L. 
114-223), entities eligible to apply for this funding opportunity 
include states, territories, tribes or tribal organizations with active 
or local transmission of the Zika virus, as confirmed by the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Recipients who previously 
received a Notice of Award under Round One of the Zika Health Care 
Services Program, Funding Opportunity Number CMS-1Q1-17-001, are not 
eligible to apply. As of the first application due date, May 8, 2017, 
the CDC reports that Texas is the only new area with laboratory-
confirmed active or local transmission of the Zika virus; and 
therefore, this is the only state currently eligible to receive funding 
as authorized under the legislation.
    This funding opportunity has been structured to ensure a 
comprehensive response to Zika as quickly as possible. Accordingly, the 
single-source emergency funding opportunity is solely available to the 
state health department in Texas, based on its ability to quickly and 
efficiently expand its existing Zika response efforts and to further 
determine the most effective use and dissemination of funds in its 
respective jurisdictions. The health department in Texas is uniquely 
positioned to meet the goals of the emergency cooperative agreement 
based on its capacity, partnerships, resources, prior experience, and 
ability to begin implementing the project immediately. Immediate 
implementation is critical to successfully addressing this rapidly 
spreading public health threat. The budget and project period under the 
specific funding opportunity will be 36 months. The total amount of 
federal funds available in Round Two, for both the May 8, 2017 and July 
10, 2017 due dates, is up to $6.45 million. The Texas Department of 
State Health Services submitted their application, and was the only 
entity eligible for an award as of the May 8, 2017 application due 
date. The proposed award amount is $1,800,000.
    The second application due date for the Round Two Funding 
Opportunity is July 10, 2017. Eligibility for the second Round Two 
application due date is based on the state, territory, tribe, or tribal 
organization meeting all of the following criteria:
     Has active or local transmission cases of the Zika virus, 
as confirmed by the CDC.
     Did not receive an award in Round One.
     Has not received a response to an application submitted by 
the first application due date (May 8, 2017).

III. Collection of Information Requirements

    This notice establishes funding opportunities for health 
departments in areas with laboratory-confirmed active or local Zika 
virus transmission. The funding opportunity application process 
constitutes an information collection request. Specifically, this 
notice

[[Page 29864]]

pertains to Round Two for which there is only one eligible respondent 
(Texas). There were 4 total respondents in Round 1 (American Samoa, 
Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Florida). In accordance with the 
implementing regulations of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) 
at 5 CFR 1320.3(c)(4), we estimate the total number of respondents 
between Round One and Round Two will not exceed 10 in a 12-month 
period. Therefore, the associated burden is exempt from the 
requirements of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

    Dated: June 13, 2017.
Seema Verma,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-13784 Filed 6-29-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P