[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 104 (Monday, June 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 29743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14307]
[[Page 29743]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Care Financing Administration
[HCFA-3782-NC]
RIN 0938-AG45
Medicare Program; Withdrawal of Proposed Notice and Request for
Assessment on the Salitron System for the Treatment of Xerostomia (Dry
Mouth) Secondary to Sjogren's Syndrome
AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.
ACTION: Withdrawal of Notice, and Request for Comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces our withdrawal of a prior proposed
notice. It also announces a request for the Agency for Health Care
Policy and Research to conduct a new technology assessment on the
salivary electrostimulation in Sjogren's Syndrome which includes the
use of the Salitron System for the treatment of xerostomia (Dry Mouth)
secondary to Sjogren's Syndrome.
DATES: Comments will be considered if we receive them at the
appropriate address, as provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on July
31, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Mail written comments (1 original and 3 copies) to both the
following addresses:
Health Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human
Services, Attention: HCFA-3782-NC, PO Box 26688, Baltimore, MD 21207,
and
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Attention: HCFA-3782-NC,
Willco Building, Suite 309, 6000 Executive Boulevard, Rockville,
Maryland 20852.
If you prefer, you may deliver your written comments to one of the
following addresses:
Room 309-G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20201, or
Room C5-09-26, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
Because of staffing and resource limitations, we cannot accept
comments by facsimile (FAX) transmission. In commenting, please refer
to file code HCFA-3782-NC. Comments received timely will be available
for public inspection as they are received, generally beginning
approximately 3 weeks after publication of a document, in Room 309-G of
the Department's offices at 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC, on Monday through Friday of each week from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(phone: (202) 690-7890).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Francina C. Spencer, (410) 786-4614.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 23, 1994, we published a notice in
the Federal Register (59 FR 26653) entitled, ``Noncoverage of
Electrostimulation of Salivary Glands for the Treatment of Xerostomia
(Dry Mouth).'' That notice announced our intent not to cover
electrostimulation of the salivary glands for the treatment of
xerostomia secondary to Sjogren's Syndrome and electrostimulation
devices, such as the Salitron System, under the Medicare program. The
notice took into account and provided details of a technology
assessment submitted to the Health Care Financing Administration in
1990 by the Office of Health Technology Assessment (OHTA).
However, due to the lapse of time from the date the original
technology assessment was done (in 1990), we have decided to withdraw
the notice that was issued in the Federal Register in 1994, (FR Doc.
94-12457) and take no further action pursuant to that notice. Instead,
before we make a coverage determination, we believe it would be
appropriate to obtain an updated assessment to take into account
research and data made available since 1990. Therefore, we have
requested the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), the
organization we now deal with for such issues, to do a technology
assessment of the Salitron System. We will make a decision regarding
the coverage of electrostimulation of the salivary glands for the
treatment of xerostomia secondary to Sjogren's Syndrome once we have
received and reviewed the new technology assessment from AHCPR.
Any comments or significant data regarding the study of
electrostimulation of the salivary glands for the treatment of
xerostomia secondary to Sjogren's Syndrome should be submitted to both
the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research and HCFA at the
addresses provided above.
Until a decision is made, Medicare coverage for electrostimulation
of the salivary glands for the treatment of xerostomia secondary to
Sjogren's Syndrome and the Salitron System will continue to be at the
discretion of the Medicare program durable medical equipment regional
carriers.
Response to Comments
Because of the large number of items of correspondence we normally
receive on Federal Register documents published for comment, we are not
able to acknowledge or respond to them individually. We will consider
all comments we receive by the date and time specified in the DATES
section of this preamble, and, if we proceed with a subsequent
document, we will respond to the comments in the preamble to that
document.
Authority: Secs. 1861 and 1862 of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1395x and 1395y).
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.778, Medical
Assistance Program; No. 93.773 Medicare--Hospital Insurance Program;
and No. 93.774, Medicare--Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)
Dated: April 28, 1998.
Nancy-Ann Min DeParle,
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
Dated: May 13, 1998.
Donna E. Shalala,
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 98-14307 Filed 5-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
