[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 217 (Monday, November 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71350-71351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24819]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Request for Comments on Draft Recommendation Statement on 
Preventing Obesity in Midlife Women, as Part of the HRSA-Supported 
Women's Preventive Services Guidelines

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

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice seeks public comments on a draft recommendation 
statement on preventing obesity in midlife women, as part of the HRSA-
supported Women's Preventive Services Guidelines (``Guidelines''), 
through a national cooperative agreement, the Women's Preventive 
Services Initiative (WPSI). The WPSI recommends counseling midlife 
women, aged 40 to 60 years, with normal or overweight BMI (18.5-29.9 
kg/m2) to maintain weight or limit weight gain to prevent obesity. 
Counseling may include individualized discussion of healthy eating and 
physical activity. Under Section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act, 
as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, non-
grandfathered group health plans and non-grandfathered group and 
individual health insurance issuers must include coverage, without cost 
sharing, for certain preventive services under that section, including 
those provided for in the Guidelines.

DATES: Members of the public are invited to provide written comments no 
later than December 9, 2020. All comments received on or before this 
date will be reviewed and considered by the WPSI Multidisciplinary 
Steering Committee, and provided to HRSA for further consideration in 
determining the recommended updates that it will support.

ADDRESSES: Members of the public interested in providing comments can 
do so by accessing the initiative's web page at https://www.womenspreventivehealth.org/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Sherman, HRSA, Maternal and 
Child Health Bureau, telephone (301) 443-8283 or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The HRSA-supported Women's Preventive 
Services Guidelines were originally established in 2011 based on 
recommendations from an HHS commissioned study by the Institute of 
Medicine, now known as the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Since 
then, there have been advancements in science and gaps identified in 
the existing guidelines, including a greater emphasis on practice-based 
clinical considerations. HRSA awarded a 5-year cooperative agreement in 
March 2016 (HRSA-16-057) to convene a coalition representing 
clinicians, academics, and consumer-focused health professional 
organizations to conduct a rigorous review of current scientific 
evidence and recommend updates to existing guidelines, in accordance 
with the framework created by the NAM Clinical Practice Guidelines We 
Can Trust expert committee. The American College of Obstetricians and 
Gynecologists was awarded the cooperative agreement and formed an 
expert panel called the Women's Preventive Services Initiative.
    Under section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act, non-
grandfathered group health plans and issuers of non-grandfathered group 
and individual health insurance coverage are required to cover 
specified preventive services without a copayment, coinsurance, 
deductible, or other cost sharing, including preventive care and 
screenings for women as provided for in comprehensive guidelines 
supported by HRSA for this purpose. Non-grandfathered group health 
plans and health insurance issuers offering non-grandfathered group or 
individual coverage are required to provide coverage without cost 
sharing for

[[Page 71351]]

preventive services listed in the updated HRSA-supported Guidelines.
    Under HRSA's cooperative agreement with the American College of 
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the WPSI administers processes which 
assure public input and transparency, as well as participation by 
patient and consumer representatives, in the development of these 
Guidelines.

Thomas J. Engels,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-24819 Filed 11-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P