[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 46 (Thursday, March 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16579-16580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04901]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Reorganization of the National Institute for Occupational Safety 
and Health

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: CDC has modified its structure. This notice announces the 
reorganization of the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program within 
the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The 
WTC Health Program has established three branches.

DATES: This reorganization was approved by the HHS Secretary on March 
4, 2024, and became effective.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: D'Artonya Graham, Office of Strategic 
Business Initiatives, Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Office of 
the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS TW-2, Atlanta, GA 30329; Telephone 770-488-4401; Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Part C (Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention) of the Statement of Organization, Functions, and 
Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and Human Services 
(45 FR 67772-76, dated October 14, 1980, and corrected at 45 FR 69296, 
October 20, 1980, as amended most recently at Vol. 88, No. 132, pg. 
44359-44363, dated July 12, 2023) is amended to reflect the 
reorganization of the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program, National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Specifically, the changes are as 
follows:
    I. Under Part C, Section C-B, Organization and Functions, insert 
the following:

 Office of the Director (CCP1)
 Healthcare Benefits Branch (CCPB)
 Research and Evaluation Branch (CCPC)
 Business Operations Branch (CCPD)

    II. Under Part C, Section C-B, Organization and Functions, after 
the World Trade Center Health Program (CCP) insert the following:
    Office of the Director (CCP1). Conducts the legislatively mandated 
World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program established by the James 
Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, as amended. (1) 
Provides management, strategic planning and oversight, budget 
formulation and execution, science and medical policy oversight and 
development, industry expertise, and contract transition oversight; (2) 
consults with stakeholders in carrying out the WTC Health Program 
mission, develops and disseminates all WTC Health Program 
communications, and provides oversight for public relations and media 
strategy; and (3) oversees all program statutory directives in the 
Zadroga Act to provide medical monitoring and treatment to eligible 
responders and survivors who were affected by the September 11, 2001, 
terrorist attacks.
    Healthcare Benefits Branch (CCPB). The Healthcare Benefits Branch 
confirms eligibility for Program benefits and implements a limited 
health benefits model to provide quality and compassionate medically 
necessary treatment and monitoring of WTC-related health conditions to 
eligible members in the WTC Health Program. Specifically, the branch: 
(1) develops recommendations for the Administrator of the WTC Health 
Program for medical coverage determinations including medically 
necessary diagnostic, cancer screening, and treatment services allowed 
under the WTC Health Program; (2) establishes and maintains the 
pharmaceutical formulary and conducts compliance as well as outlier 
audits with the Pharmacy Benefit Manager, Clinical Centers of 
Excellence, and the Nationwide Provider Network vendors; (3) provides 
subject matter expertise to contracting officer representatives for 
contracts such as the Clinical Centers of Excellence, Nationwide 
Provider Network, Cost Avoidance, and Pharmacy Benefit Manager contract 
statements of work; (4) provides enrollment recommendations to the 
Administrator of the WTC Health Program for of WTC responders and 
survivors and Pentagon and Shanksville responders and follows statutory 
and regulatory requirements and approved process and procedures to 
enroll members into the WTC Health Program; (5) processes certification 
of member's WTC-related health conditions eligible for treatment 
coverage in the WTC Health Program and follows statutory and regulatory 
requirements and approved processes and procedures to issue 
certification decisions on behalf of the Administrator of the WTC 
Health Program; (6) develops medical and pharmacy benefit coverage 
determinations and issues coverage decisions on prior authorization 
requests for medical services, durable medical equipment, supplies, and 
pharmaceuticals; (7) coordinates working groups, such as the 
Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Working Group, with stakeholder 
clinicians for continuing education and alignment with program 
formulary changes; (8) provides oversight and expertise to Clinical 
Centers of Excellence and Nationwide Provider Network on case 
management, care coordination, and utilization management; (9) designs 
and manages the medical diagnosis and procedural services codebook, 
which supports benefit access for covered conditions and approved 
services with utilization limitations; (10) supports members through 
customer support and by coordinating and managing call centers, issues 
written member correspondence, and supports member transfers; (11) 
coordinates, on behalf of the Administrator of the WTC Health Program, 
certification, enrollment, and treatment appeals following statutory 
and regulatory requirements and approved processes and procedures; (12) 
serves as subject matter experts for vendors, particularly for outreach 
and education vendors on program

[[Page 16580]]

eligibility and available services; and (13) works with vendors, 
primarily the Health Program Support/Third Party Administrator vendor 
and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), to ensure 
providers receive appropriate reimbursement for initial health 
evaluations, annual medical monitoring, cancer screening, diagnostic 
services, and treatment of covered health conditions.
    Research and Evaluation Branch (CCPC). The Research and Evaluation 
Branch establishes and manages a research agenda and research 
translation program to increase understanding of 9/11 health effects as 
well as to improve WTC Health Program member health and well-being. 
Specifically, the branch: (1) establishes an evaluation program for 
quality management and program integrity and improvement; (2) 
establishes a research agenda to address existing knowledge gaps, 
investigate the emergence of health conditions linked to 9/11 
exposures, and build upon current knowledge for research translation; 
(3) designs the competitive funding opportunity announcements in 
coordination with the NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs; (4) 
establishes a process to obtain insight from community members, 
patients, and other stakeholders that helps shape the evolving research 
agenda over time; (5) conducts reviews--through assessing and 
integrating data sources--to identify research gaps, using the 
Program's logic model on research translation; (6) reviews and assesses 
information on potential emerging conditions that should be further 
evaluated and utilizes research solicitations in doing so; (7) conducts 
scientific reviews of the literature to determine if new health 
conditions, including those petitioned by interested parties, should be 
recommended to the Administrator of the WTC Health Program for addition 
to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions; (8) ensures that the WTC 
database of research publications is maintained and current; (9) aids 
in administering the statutorily-established WTC Health Program 
Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee; (10) supports, develops, and 
implements research products, such as research seminars, science blogs, 
and a research summary database, to disseminate information about 
research findings and assist in the translation of those findings to 
the member healthcare component of the Program; (11) ensures uniform 
data collection and scientific data integration; supports collaboration 
between the Data Centers and the WTC Health Registry; and oversees the 
transfer of member data from the Nationwide Provider Network to the 
cohort-specific Data Center(s) for inclusion in health surveillance 
analyses and program-funded research; (12) coordinates and evaluates 
administrative quality control and enterprise risk management for the 
WTC Health Program; (13) implements the WTC Health Program's approved 
processes and procedures to identify and address fraud, waste, and 
abuse; (14) provides subject matter expertise for administrative and 
clinical quality metrics for the Clinical Centers of Excellence, the 
Nationwide Provider Network, and the Pharmacy Benefit Manager contract 
statements of work; (15) ensures the 9/11 exposure-based WTC Health 
Registry is maintained in accordance with statutory requirements and 
that appropriate analysis plans are implemented; and (16) provides 
subject matter expertise for the WTC Health Program annual report to 
Congress and government audits of the WTC Health Program.
    Business Operations Branch (CCPD). The Business Operations Branch 
leads strategic acquisition planning as well as the development and 
dissemination of technical documentation to support the division. 
Specifically, the branch: (1) improves the WTC Health Program's 
efficiency through process improvement and solution development and 
workforce management and development; (2) oversees training, project 
management, and travel; (3) develops and oversees acquisition and 
procurement strategy, the acquisition plan and performance work 
statements for contract awards--for the Clinical Centers of Excellence, 
Data Centers, Nationwide Provider Network, Pharmacy Benefit Manager, 
Health Program Support/Third Party Administrator, and for other support 
contracts--to carry out the mission of the WTC Health Program in 
coordination with the CDC Office of Acquisitions; (4) manages the 
reimbursement of the Clinical Centers of Excellence and the Nationwide 
Provider Network for infrastructure costs, the Data Centers, Pharmacy 
Benefit Manager, Health Program Support/Third Party Administrator, and 
other support contracts; (5) implements agreement with New York City 
for purposes of collecting 10% of specified Program expenses, in 
accordance with the authorizing legislation; (6) administers and/or 
collects recoupments from private insurance and workers compensation; 
(7) enters into agreement(s) with CMS for provider reimbursements; (8) 
ensures all requirements pursuant to the Health Information Portability 
and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and implementing regulations are 
followed and coordinates implementation of approved processes and 
procedures to ensure member information is securely transmitted and 
used in alignment with both HIPAA and the Privacy Act; (9) ensures 
compliance with all records management requirements and that WTC Health 
Program data and records are maintained in alignment with agency and 
National Archives and Records Administration requirements; and (10) 
provides expertise to the division on process improvement and use of 
technology and business solutions to meet the division's missions.

Delegations of Authority

    All delegations and redelegations of authority made to officials 
and employees of affected organizational components will continue in 
them or their successors pending further redelegation, provided they 
are consistent with this reorganization.

(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3101)

Xavier Becerra,
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-04901 Filed 3-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P