[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57612-57613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27995]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Care Financing Administration
42 CFR Parts 409, 410, 411, 413, 424 and 484
[HCFA-1103-N]
Medicare Program; Open Town Hall Meeting on November 8, 1999 To
Present an Overview of the Home Health Prospective Payment System
Proposed Rule Followed by a General Home Health Listening Session
AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting to provide information
on the home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) proposed rule.
The proposed rule will be published in October 1999 in the Federal
Register. In addition, there will be a general home health listening
session.
DATES: The HH PPS town hall meeting is scheduled for Monday, November
8, 1999, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., E.S.T. The HH PPS presentation will
be followed by the general home health listening session, which is
scheduled for Monday, November 8, 1999, from 3:15 p.m. until 5:15 p.m.,
E.S.T.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the HCFA Central Office Main
Auditorium, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244 with satellite
broadcast viewing areas located in Boston, Chicago, and Dallas. The
general home health listening session will be held in the HCFA Central
Office Main Auditorium only, and there will be no satellite broadcast
of this session.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sharon Ventura, (410) 786-1985 (for information on the overview of the
HH PPS proposed rule).
Gina Perantoni, (410) 786-3219 (for information on the general home
health listening session).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) proposed rule
will be published in the Federal Register in October 1999. We are
planning to hold a town hall meeting on Monday, November 8, 1999, which
is during the 60-day comment period to brief the public on the proposed
rule. We will not be accepting oral comments on the rule at this
meeting. Written comments during the 60-day comment period are
[[Page 57613]]
welcome. We anticipate interested parties to include: the home health
agency (HHA) industry association representatives, HHA administrators
and owners, home care professionals, university-based and private
research organizations, Congressional members and staff, home care
software vendors, beneficiary advocates, and any other interested
parties.
In this meeting, we will provide an overview of the HH PPS proposed
rule and will focus on a number of its key components and present past
and current research efforts related to the HH PPS.
This meeting will be broadcast live from the HCFA Central Office
Main Auditorium and will include three satellite broadcast viewing
sites in Boston, Chicago, and Dallas. All four sites have a capacity of
approximately 500 individuals. The audiences viewing the broadcast via
satellite will have the ability to participate in the question-and-
answer period at the end of this presentation. For those who cannot
attend in Baltimore, the address of the downlink sites, registration
information, and satellite coordinates for this presentation will be
posted on the HCFA website www.hcfa.gov. Once individuals are on this
website, they will need to highlight the red bullet, in the lower right
hand corner, titled ``Events, Meetings, and Workgroups.''
The meeting will conclude with a question-and-answer session
including the HCFA Central Office location as well as the three-
satellite downlink sites. The toll-free phone number to call to
participate will be broadcast during the meeting.
At the conclusion of the satellite broadcast, a 2-hour listening
session is planned for participants in Baltimore only in the HCFA
Central Office Main Auditorium during which time we will listen to
concerns related to home health issues in general. This is a listening
session only and not part of the HH PPS overview presentation.
In order to participate in the general home health listening
session, individuals must sign up at 10 a.m. on the day of the town
hall meeting. Presenters will be limited to the first 20 people who
sign up. A sign up sheet will be available outside of the HCFA Main
Auditorium. Individuals must limit their presentation to 3 minutes in
length. We also ask that the oral presenters provide their statements
in writing. Individuals who are unable to present oral statements may
submit their statements in writing. We believe this will enable us to
better consider all the concerns raised during this general home health
listening session.
While the meeting is open to the public, attendance is limited to
space available. Individuals must register in advance as described
below.
Registration
AFYA Inc. will handle registration for all four meeting sites.
Individuals must register following the directions posted on the HCFA
website, www.hcfa.gov. Once individuals are on this website, they will
need to highlight the red bullet, in the lower right hand corner,
titled ``Events, Meetings, and Workgroups.''
Each participant will receive a confirmation letter as receipt of
registration. Each participant will be provided with a meeting agenda
at the time of the meeting. If individuals have any questions regarding
registration, they should contact the AFYA Event Management Help Desk
at (800) 377-9921.
Authority: Section 1895 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395fff).
Dated: October 21, 1999.
Michael M. Hash,
Deputy Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-27995 Filed 10-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
