[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 116 (Monday, June 17, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27969-27970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12577]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

42 CFR Part 60

RIN 0906-AB21


Removing Outmoded Regulations Regarding the Health Education 
Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action removes the outmoded HHS regulations for the HEAL 
Program. As of July 1, 2014, this program transferred from HHS to the 
Department of Education (ED). On November 15, 2017, ED published HEAL 
Program regulations within its own regulatory framework. With the 
publication of ED's regulations, the HHS HEAL Program regulations are 
rendered obsolete.

DATES: This rule is effective July 17, 2019.

[[Page 27970]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Goodman, Public Health 
Analyst, Division of Policy and Shortage Designation, Bureau of Health 
Workforce, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11W54, Rockville, MD 20857, by 
phone at (301) 443-7440, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In response to Executive Order 13563, 
Section 6(a), which urges agencies to repeal existing regulations that 
are outmoded from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), HHS is 
removing 42 CFR part 60. HHS believes that there is good cause to 
bypass notice and comment and proceed to a final rule, pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553(b)(B). The action is non-controversial, as it merely removes 
an obsolete provision from the CFR. This rule poses no new substantive 
requirements on the public. Thus, we view notice and comment as 
unnecessary.

Background

    The HEAL Program is authorized by sections 701-720 of the Public 
Health Service Act (the Act), 42 U.S.C. 292-292p, and was first 
administered by the Office of Education in the former Department of 
Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). From Fiscal Year (FY) 1978 
through FY 1998, the HEAL Program insured loans made by participating 
lenders to eligible graduate students in schools of medicine, 
osteopathy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, public 
health, pharmacy, and chiropractic, and in programs in health 
administration and clinical psychology.
    The HEAL Program regulations were originally published on August 
26, 1983. Authorization to fund new HEAL loans to students expired on 
September 30, 1998. Provisions of the HEAL legislation allowing for the 
refinancing or consolidation of existing HEAL loans expired on 
September 30, 2004. However, the reporting, notification, and 
recordkeeping burden associated with refinancing HEAL loans, servicing 
outstanding loans, and administering and monitoring of the HEAL Program 
regulations continues.
    On July 1, 2014, Congress transferred the program to ED pursuant to 
Division H, title V, section 525 of the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2014 (Pub. L. 113-76) (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014). On 
November 15, 2017, ED published HEAL Program regulations rendering the 
HHS HEAL Program regulations obsolete. See 82 FR 53378 (adding 34 CFR 
part 681).

Executive Orders 12866, 13563, 13771, and 13777

    Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess all 
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity).
    Section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866 defines a ``significant 
regulatory action'' as ``any regulatory action that is likely to result 
in a rule that may: (1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 
million or more or adversely affect in a material way the economy, a 
sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the 
environment, public health or safety or State, local, or tribal 
governments or communities; (2) Create a serious inconsistency or 
otherwise interfere with an action taken or planned by another agency; 
(3) Materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user 
fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients 
thereof; or (4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal 
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in 
th[e] Executive Order.''
    A regulatory impact analysis must be prepared for major rules with 
economically significant effects ($100 million or more in any 1 year). 
HHS submits that this final rule is not economically significant as 
measured by the $100 million threshold, and hence not a major rule 
under the Congressional Review Act. This rule has not been designated 
as a significant regulatory action as defined by Executive Order 12866. 
As such, it has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and 
Budget.
    Executive Order 13771, titled ``Reducing Regulation and Controlling 
Regulatory Costs,'' was issued on January 30, 2017. Pursuant to 
Executive Order 13771, HHS identifies this final rule as a deregulatory 
action (i.e., removing an obsolete rule from the Code of Federal 
Regulations). For the purposes of Executive Order 13771, this final 
rule is not a substantive rule; rather it is administrative in nature 
and provides no cost savings.
    On February 24, 2017, the President issued Executive Order 13777 
titled ``Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda''. As required by 
Section 3 of the Executive Order, HHS established a Regulatory Reform 
Task Force (HHS Task Force) to review existing regulations and make 
recommendations regarding their repeal, replacement, or modification. 
The HHS Task Force evaluated the HEAL Program regulations and 
determined them to be outdated, unnecessary, or ineffective. Thus, the 
HHS Task force advised initiating this final rule to remove the 
obsolete regulations from the Code of Federal Regulations.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This action will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. Therefore, the regulatory 
flexibility analysis provided for under the Regulatory Flexibility Act 
is not required.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This action does not affect any information collections.

    Dated: May 20, 2019.
George Sigounas,
Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration.

    Approved: June 7, 2019.
Alex M. Azar II,
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.

List of Subjects in 42 CFR 60

    Educational study programs, Health professions, Loan programs--
education, Loan programs--health, Medical and dental schools, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Student aid.

PART 60--[REMOVED]

0
For reasons set out in the preamble, and under the authority at 5 
U.S.C. 301, HHS amends 42 CFR chapter I, subchapter D, by removing part 
60.

[FR Doc. 2019-12577 Filed 6-14-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4165-15-P