[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 62 (Friday, March 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 16657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7867]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Method for Evaluating and Establishing Reimbursement Rates for
Health Care Services Authorized Under the Indian Health Service
Contract Health Service Regulations--Portland, Alaska, and Nashville
Areas
AGENCY: Indian Health Service, HHS.
ACTION: Extension of Project Date.
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SUMMARY: The termination date for the Portland Pilot Project now being
conducted in the Portland, Alaska, and Nashville Areas to determine an
alternative method of evaluating and establishing reimbursement rates
for contract health services has been changed from March 31, 1995 to
September 30, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
J.T. Garrett, Ed.D., Acting Chief, Health Care Administration Branch,
Division of Health Care Administration/Contract Health Services, Room
6A-41, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-8373 (This is
not a toll-free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Indian Health Service (IHS) issued a
general notice in 56 FR 10566 on March 13, 1991 to inform the public
that the IHS was conducting a pilot project in the IHS Portland Area.
This project is designed to determine whether an alternative method of
evaluating and establishing reimbursement rates for contract health
services will result in greater participation by health care providers
and lower costs to IHS.
The project invited providers within the Portland Area to submit
their most favorable rate quotations and was scheduled to end on March
31, 1992. The response was far greater than the expectations of the
IHS. As a result of this greater than expected response, and the need
to develop complex rate quotation analysis methodologies for
facilities, outpatient and professional providers, and the need to
develop preferred provider lists from these analyses, the termination
date was extended to March 31, 1993, 57 FR 10671. The termination date
was again extended to March 31, 1995, 58 FR 11864. Additionally, the
IHS published notification on June 18, 1992, 57 FR 27262, that
additional sites were being added to the pilot project to provide more
information from a wide geographic area.
The evaluation of the facility component of the project was
completed January 28, 1994. The overall results of the evaluation were
positive. The formal review process of the professional provider
component has not been completed. Extension of the project termination
date to September 30, 1996 will allow the IHS time to complete the
evaluation and to assess the results. Based upon the results of the
evaluation, IHS will formulate, publish and implement a new payment and
procurement policy for contract health services. We are, therefore,
extending the termination date of this pilot project from March 31,
1995 to September 30, 1996.
This pilot project does not change the current IHS payment policy
requirement that health care services be procured at rates which do not
exceed prevailing Medicare rates.
Dated: March 24, 1995.
Michel E. Lincoln,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. 95-7867 Filed 3-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-16-M
