97-1404. National Practitioner Data Bank; Change in User Fee  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 1997)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 3048-3049]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-1404]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
    Health Resources and Services Administration
    
    
    National Practitioner Data Bank; Change in User Fee
    
        The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
    of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is announcing the elimination of 
    the discount fee charged to entities authorized to request information 
    from the National Practitioner Data Bank (Data Bank) for queries which 
    meet all requirements for fully automated processing.
        The current fee structure was announced in the Federal Register on 
    February 8, 1996 (61 FR 4788). The user fee is $3.00 less $1.00 
    discount per name per query fee for queries submitted via 
    telecommunications network and paid via an electronic funds transfer or 
    credit card, with query response sent via the telecommunications 
    network. Six dollars is charged for queries submitted electronically on 
    a diskette to pay for the extra handling and mailing costs for these 
    queries. An additional $4.00 is charged for all queries which are paid 
    for by check or money order rather than by electronic funds transfer or 
    credit card to cover the cost of debt management.
        The Data Bank is authorized by the Health Care Quality Improvement 
    Act of 1986 (the Act), title IV of Public Law 99-660, as amended (42 
    U.S.C. 11101 et seq.). Section 427(b)(4) of the Act authorizes the 
    establishment of fees for the costs of processing requests for 
    disclosure and of providing such information.
        Final regulations at 45 CFR part 60 set forth the criteria and 
    procedures for information to be reported to and disclosed by the Data 
    Bank. Section 60.3 of these regulations defines the terms used in this 
    announcement.
        In determining any changes in the amount of the user fee, the 
    Department uses the criteria set forth in Sec. 60.12 (b) of the 
    regulations, as well as allowable costs pursuant to the DHHS 
    Appropriations Act of 1997, P.L. 104-208, enacted September 30, 1996. 
    This Act requires that the Department recover the full costs of 
    operating the Data Bank through user fees. Paragraph (b) of the 
    regulations states:
    
        ``The amount of each fee will be determined based on the 
    following criteria:
        (1) Use of electronic data processing equipment to obtain 
    information--the actual cost for the service, including computer 
    search time, runs, printouts, and time of computer programmers and 
    operators, or other employees,
        (2) Photocopying or other forms of reproduction, such as 
    magnetic tapes--actual cost of the operator's time, plus the cost of 
    the machine time and the materials used,
        (3) Postage--actual cost, and
        (4) Sending information by special methods requested by the 
    applicant, such as express mail or electronic transfer--the actual 
    cost of the special service.''
    
        Based on analysis of the comparative costs of the various methods 
    for filing and paying for queries, the Department is eliminating the 
    $1.00 discount fee for users who: (1) query and receive responses via 
    the telecommunications network, and (2) pay query fees by credit card, 
    electronic funds transfer or such other electronic transfer options as 
    may be offered in the future.
        Despite the elimination of the discount, electronic querying 
    (telecom network) and electronic payment continue to be the most cost-
    effective methods for requesting information from the Data Bank. 
    Consequently, the fee for querying the Data Bank by diskette with 
    electronic payment continues to be $6.00. The new fee for electronic 
    queries (telecom network) with electronic payment will be $3.00. This 
    change is effective February 20, 1997.
        When a query is for information on one or more physicians, 
    dentists, or other health care practitioners, the appropriate total fee 
    will be $3.00 (plus a $3.00 and/or a $4.00 surcharge for submission and 
    payment as described above) multiplied by the number of individuals 
    about whom information is being requested. All other fees remain the 
    same. For examples, see the table below.
        The Department will review the user fee periodically, and will 
    revise it as necessary. Any changes in the fee and their effective date 
    will be announced in the Federal Register.
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Fee per name in                      
             Query method            query, by method of        Examples    
                                           payment                          
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Electronic query (Telecom       $3.00 (if paid         10 names in      
     network) with electronic        electronically via     query. 10x$3 =  
     payment.                        credit card or other   $30.00.         
                                     electronic means and                   
                                     response received                      
                                     electronically).\1\.                   
    Electronic query (Diskette)     $6.00 (if paid         10 names in      
     with electronic payment.        electronically via     query. 10x$6 =  
                                     credit card or other   $60.00.         
                                     electronic means and                   
                                     response received on                   
                                     paper) ($3.00 fee                      
                                     plus $3.00                             
                                     surcharge).                            
    Electronic query (Telecom       $7.00 (if not paid     10 names in      
     network) with non-electronic    via credit card or     query. 10x$7 =  
     payment.                        other electronic       $70.00.         
                                     means) ($3.00 fee                      
                                     plus $4.00                             
                                     surcharge).                            
    
    [[Page 3049]]
    
                                                                            
    Electronic query (Diskette)     $10.00 (if not paid    10 names in      
     with non-electronic payment.    via credit card or     query. 10x$10 = 
                                     other electronic       $100.00.        
                                     means) ($3.00 fee                      
                                     plus $3.00 and $4.00                   
                                     surcharges).                           
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ This new fee represents the elimination of the $1.00 discount.      
    
        Dated: January 14, 1997.
    Ciro V. Sumaya,
    Administrator.
    [FR Doc. 97-1404 Filed 1-17-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4160-15-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
01/21/1997
Department:
Health Resources and Services Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
97-1404
Pages:
3048-3049 (2 pages)
PDF File:
97-1404.pdf