Search Results for agency_names:"Health and Human Services Department"

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is inviting public comments on its plan to collect information as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice discusses the requirements and expected burdens associated with the information collection for the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Conditions for Coverage and Supporting Regulations and the Expanding Access to Women's Health Grant. The public has until February 21, 2025, to submit their input, which can help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of these programs.

The final rule from the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services allows Veterans Affairs (VA) practitioners to prescribe controlled substances to VA patients via telemedicine without needing an in-person medical evaluation by the prescribing practitioner. This is permissible if another VA practitioner has conducted an in-person evaluation. This change provides greater access to care for veterans, especially those in rural or underserved areas, while still implementing safeguards against the misuse of controlled substances. The rule includes requirements for reviewing the patient's electronic health record and state prescription drug monitoring program data before prescribing.

This document from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) corrects technical and typographical mistakes in a previous rule published in November 2024. It involves Medicare and Medicaid Programs, particularly regarding payment systems, quality reporting programs, and various health policies. The corrections ensure accurate implementation of payment methodologies without changing any policy decisions made in the original rule, with the goal of making sure health providers receive correct payments promptly. As these are minor technical fixes, CMS has skipped the usual public notice and comment stages to enable quick implementation.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking public comments on its plan to continue collecting data for the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) COVID-19 Testing Program. This program helps monitor the use of $225 million in federal funds provided to support COVID-19 testing in rural areas. Funded clinics report on their testing activities, the number of patients tested, and positive results. Comments and suggestions about the data collection process are invited to ensure the information gathering is efficient and useful.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has announced a funding opportunity for State Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs to help address abuse and neglect during the COVID-19 public health emergency. These funds, totaling $4 million, are part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and are intended to enhance the capacity of Ombudsman programs to respond to residential complaints. State Agencies on Aging must submit a Letter of Assurance by March 3, 2021, detailing how the funds will be used and ensuring the funds supplement, not replace, existing resources. This opportunity focuses on improving complaint investigations, resuming in-person visits, conducting education and outreach, and more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking public comments on a proposal concerning the collection of information related to COVID-19 tests for airline passengers entering the United States. This proposal requires passengers to present either a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days before their flight or documentation of recovery from the virus. There are some exemptions, such as for certain federal personnel and urgent humanitarian cases. The CDC aims to prevent COVID-19 transmission while acknowledging the potential costs and efforts involved in implementing these requirements.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), via the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has amended a regulation regarding clinical trials. This change updates the web address in the regulation concerning where to find information about submitting trial data to ClinicalTrials.gov. The new rule removes the old URL https://prsinfo.clinicaltrials.gov and replaces it with https://clinicaltrials.gov or a future site, modernizing and centralizing information access. This amendment is technical and does not add new requirements for affected parties.

The document from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) corrects errors in a previous rule regarding payment systems and reporting programs for hospitals and surgical centers. These corrections involve fixing technical and typographical mistakes in tables, payment rates, and website links. Changes also include adjusting codes and figures related to payment systems and Medicare policies. The document clarifies that these adjustments ensure accurate payments and reflect the policies without altering underlying methodologies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval to collect information for the EEOICPA Dose Reconstruction project. This project, as part of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program, helps estimate radiation doses for employees exposed to hazardous materials while working with the Department of Energy. The request allows another 30 days for public comments, and seeks to ensure the data collection process is efficient and minimally burdensome. This effort involves interviews with claimants and their families to better understand potential radiation exposure and requires OMB approval for an estimated 3,900 annual burden hours.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have finalized a rule expanding the ability for practitioners to prescribe certain controlled substances for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment through telemedicine, including audio-only calls. Under these new rules, practitioners can prescribe a six-month supply of these medications after reviewing the patient's prescription drug monitoring program data, with the possibility of extending prescriptions through telemedicine or after a face-to-face evaluation. Additional safeguards include identity verification by pharmacists before filling prescriptions to prevent misuse. The rule aims to continue the telemedicine flexibilities introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic while addressing the opioid crisis and concerns about substance misuse.