April 28, 2000

BULLETIN NO. 00 - 03

TO THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ESTABLISHMENTS

SUBJECT: Physicians Comparability Allowance Data Reporting Requirements

1. Purpose. This Bulletin, which includes Attachments A through D, provides detailed instructions on

data reporting requirements for the Physicians Comparability Allowance (PCA) program. The

Bulletin is issued pursuant to the 1999 edition of OMB Circular A-11, section 32.2 (b)(12).

Collection of the data by OMB is required to monitor government-wide PCA usage, physician

employment, and physician compensation. The data will be used to evaluate the effect of the PCA

on Federal physician recruitment and retention and to issue the 2000 Presidential Report on the

Physicians Comparability Allowance in accordance with the Federal Physicians Comparability

Allowance Act of 1978 Extension (P.L.105-61).

Later this fiscal year, agencies are also required to submit to OMB for approval a complete

description of their plans for implementing the PCA program for fiscal year 2001. Agencies are to

assume in preparing the fiscal year 2001 plans that the statute authorizing the PCA program will be

extended beyond September 30, 2000. 

2. Background. On October 10, 1997, the President signed P.L.105-61, reauthorizing the Federal

Physicians Comparability Allowance through September 30, 2000. This Act extends authority to

pay annual bonuses for Federal physicians serving in areas or specialties with documented

recruitment and retention problems. 

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations implementing PCA require OMB approval of

agency plans to pay bonuses. OPM regulations implementing the PCA are published in 5 CFR 595.

OMB is collecting data on PCA program operations, as well as on Federal physician recruitment

and retention. These data help ensure consistent government-wide implementation and also are

used to evaluate the effectiveness of the PCA program.

3. Content of This Year=s Report: Reporting requirements for this year=s PCA report are

substantially the same as last year=s. The report continues the requirement initiated last year to gather

data on agency components that use PCA bonuses more extensively. Organizational components of

PCA reporting agencies that employed more than 100 physicians who received PCA bonuses

during FY 1999 are to submit separate reports by component (using PCA worksheets included in

Attachment D of this bulletin), in addition to a composite report for the Department/agency.
4. Due Dates for the 2000 Presidential Report information and for the FY 2001 PCA Plans.

(a) Agencies must furnish the requested PCA information for the 2000 Presidential Report by May

26, 2000.

(b) Agencies are to submit PCA plan descriptions for FY 2001 by September 8, 2000 using the

format of the FY 2000 PCA plans.

5. Termination Date. This Bulletin will terminate as soon as the requested data have been submitted.

 /s/

Jacob J. Lew

Director

Attachments
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ATTACHMENT A

Bulletin No. 00- 03

Agencies with currently approved PCA Plans

Department of Agriculture

Department of Defense

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Justice

Department of State

Department of Transportation

Department of Veterans Affairs

Agency for International Development

Armed Forces Retirement Home

Central Intelligence Agency

Peace Corps

Social Security Administration

Agencies that have employed or now employ physicians eligible for PCA

Department of Energy

Department of Labor

Department of Treasury

Environmental Protection Agency

Library of Congress

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tennessee Valley Authority

NOTE: Agencies not listed that employ physicians eligible for PCA are also covered by this Bulletin.
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ATTACHMENT B

Bulletin No. 00-03

Physicians Comparability Allowance (PCA) Report and Worksheets

Authority. 

5 U.S.C. 5948 authorizes payment of the physicians comparability allowance to eligible individuals paid

as physicians under the following pay systems: General Schedule; Senior Executive Service;

administratively determined pay for certain specially qualified scientific or professional personnel;

Tennessee Valley Authority Act; Foreign Service Act; CIA Act; section 121 of title 2 of the Canal

Zone Code; or section 2 of the Act of May 29, 1959, relating to the National Security Agency.

P.L. 100-140, the Federal Physicians Comparability Allowance Amendments of 1987, amended 5

U.S.C. 5948 to provide a maximum PCA of $14,000 per year for physicians with less than 24 months=

Federal service, and $20,000 per year for physicians with 24 or more months= Federal service.

P.L.100-140 also allows physician service in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Public Health

Service Commissioned Corps to be creditable toward 24 months Federal civilian service when

calculating maximum PCA allowance eligibility. P.L. 105-61 reauthorized PCA until September 30,

2000. Public Law 105-266, the Federal Employees Health Care Protection Act of 1998, authorized an

increase in the maximum annual amount of the Physicians Comparability Allowance from $20,000 to

$30,000 for physicians with 24 or more months of service.

Executive Order No. 12109 delegates authority granted the President under 5 U.S.C. 5948 to the

Directors of the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget.

5 CFR 595 sets additional requirements for agency implementation of 5 U.S.C. 5948, including agency

reporting requirements.

OMB Circular A-11, Section 32.2 (b)(12), requires agencies to reflect approved plans to pay bonuses

in annual budget estimates in accordance with P.L.100-140 and P.L.105-61.

Coverage. This Bulletin covers all agencies that employ physicians eligible for PCA. This includes both

agencies with currently approved PCA plans that are eligible to pay PCA bonuses, whether or not they

actually do pay the bonuses, and agencies without approved plans that employ physicians eligible for

PCA. Attachment A lists those agencies that currently have an approved PCA plan, as well as

agencies that do not currently have an approved plan but which are known to have employed
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physicians eligible for PCA based on past experience. Agencies not listed that employ physicians

eligible for PCA are still covered by this Bulletin.

Submission Requirements. (1) Each agency should review and update the 1999 PCA reporting

worksheet submitted by that agency. (Copies of the 1999 PCA worksheets have been given to the

appropriate OMB staff. Agencies should contact their OMB examiners if they need a copy of the

1999 data.) Please verify that all FY 1996 - FY 1999 figures in the worksheet are correct. The latest

corrected data for 1996 - 1999, along with estimates for 2000, should be included in the PCA

reporting worksheet (Attachment D of this bulletin). Electronic versions of Attachment D are available

from your OMB examiner. More detailed instructions on how to complete the PCA worksheets are

included below.

(2) Review the attached copies of the 1999 Presidential Report on the PCA (Attachment C). Verify

and update the text for your agency that appears in the section entitled "Summary of Agency PCA

Reports," pp. 6 to 11.

(3) Submit the revisions to the 1999 PresidentialReport and the updated PCA worksheets to the

OMB examiner responsible for your agency by May 26, 2000.

Information Contact: Inquiries should be addressed to Frank Seidl, telephone (202) 395-5146.
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Instructions for Preparing Worksheets

General guidance

The data requested should be supplied for all Federal physicians eligible for PCA, and as a subset, all

Federal physicians actually receiving PCA. Eligibility for PCA is defined in 5 U.S.C. 5948 and 5 CFR

595. 

Data for the budget year should be the estimates included in budget formulation where applicable (e.g.,

average PCA per physician, average compensation, etc.) or the agency's best estimate (e.g., number of

accessions anticipated). Agency estimates may simply be the average of the previous fiscal years. All

dollars should be on an obligational basis, and all employment numbers should be on a full-time

equivalent (FTE) basis unless otherwise noted.

Several sections of the worksheet call for data by physician category. Some agencies may not employ

physicians in all categories, but complete data should be provided for those physician categories

applicable to the agency. 

Definitions-General

Government Physician. 5 U.S.C. 5948(g)(1) defines Government physician as any individual paid as a

physician under the following pay systems: General Schedule; Senior Executive Service;

administratively determined pay for certain specially qualified scientific or professional personnel;

Tennessee Valley Authority Act; Foreign Service Act; CIA Act; section 121 of title 2 of the Canal

Zone Code; section 2 of the Act of May 29, 1959, relating to the National Security Agency; section

5376 of title 5 relating to certain senior-level positions; section 5377 of title 5 relating to critical

positions; or subchapter IX of chapter 53 of title 5 relating to special occupational pay systems.

Creditable Federal Service. For purposes of PCA bonus calculations under 5 U.S.C 5948, as

amended by P.L. 100-140, creditable federal service includes service as a Government physician in

any of the personnel systems established under authorities listed immediately above, as well as service

as a physician in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Public Health Service Commissioned

Corps.

Definitions-Physician Categories

Category I-Clinical Positions: Positions primarily involving the practice of medicine as a direct service

to patients, including the performance of diagnostic, preventive, or therapeutic services to patients in

hospitals, clinics, public health programs, diagnostic centers, and similar settings.
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Category II-Research Positions: Physician positions primarily involving research and investigative

assignments.

Category III-Occupational Health: Physician positions primarily involving the evaluation of physical

fitness, the provision of initial treatment of on-the-job illness or injury, or the performance of preemployment examinations, preventive health screening, or fitness-for-duty examinations. 

Category IV-Disability Evaluation and Administration of Health and Medical Programs:

Subcategory IV A: Physician positions primarily involving disability evaluation.

Subcategory IV B: Physician positions primarily involving the administration of health and

medical programs, including but not limited to a chief of professional services, senior medical

officer, or physician program director position.

Description Worksheets to Be Submitted to OMB

(1) Total Number Employed: The total number of agency physicians eligible for PCA (includes all

eligible physicians, whether or not they actually received PCA bonuses) should be supplied for the

fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 in Part I. The total number of agency physicians

actually receiving or expected to receive PCA should be supplied for the fiscal years 1996, 1997,

1998, 1999, and 2000 in Part II. The same data should be provided by physician category for each of

the fiscal years.

(2) Number of Physicians Signing One-Year and Two-Year PCA: Under the PCA program,

physicians may elect to sign a one-year or two-year PCA service agreement. For those physicians

actually receiving or expected to receive PCA (Part II), the number of physicians signing one-year and

two-year agreements should be supplied for each fiscal year.

(3) Average Compensation per Physician: Average annual compensation per physician should exclude

the PCA bonus, but include base pay and all other bonuses (such as recruitment and relocation

bonuses, and retention allowances) and awards. The average compensation for agency physicians

eligible for PCA should be supplied for the fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 in Part I.

The average compensation for agency physicians actually receiving or expected to receive PCA should

be supplied for the fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 in Part II. The same data should

also be provided by physician category for each fiscal year. 
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(4) Average PCA Amount per Physician, by Category: The average annual PCA bonus paid per

physician for all categories, as well as for each individual category of physician, should be supplied for

each fiscal year in Part II.

(5) Average PCA Amount per Physician, by Length of Service Agreement: The average annual PCA

bonus paid per physician should be supplied for physicians with a one-year service agreement and twoyear service agreement and for each fiscal year in Part II.

(6) Average PCA Amount per Physician, by Length of Federal Service: The average annual PCA

bonus paid per physician with (a) less than two years creditable Federal service, and (b) two or more

years creditable Federal service, should be supplied for each fiscal year in Part II. 

(7) Average Number Years Continuous Service: The average number of years of continuous

creditable Federal service as a physician for those eligible (Part I) and actually receiving or expected to

receive PCA (Part II) should be supplied for each fiscal year. The average should be calculated as of

the end of the fiscal year in question (e.g., an agency with one eligible physician who began Federal

service as a physician under the General Schedule on October 1, 1998, would report one-year

creditable Federal service for purposes of PCA for fiscal year 2000).

(8) Number and Rate of Accessions: The total number of accessions and accession rates for all

physicians (Part I) and for those receiving PCA (Part II) should be supplied for each fiscal year. The

number of accessions by category for each fiscal year should also be supplied. Accession rates are

expressed in percentages as the total number of accessions divided by the total number of physicians

(both those eligible for PCA and those receiving PCA). Accession rates need not be supplied for each

physician category.

(9) Number and Rate of Separations: The total number of separations and separation rates for all

physicians (Part I) and for those receiving PCA (Part II) should be supplied for each fiscal year. The

number of separations by category for each fiscal year should also be supplied. Separation rates are

expressed in percentages as the total number of separations divided by the total number of physicians

(both those eligible for PCA and those receiving PCA). Separation rates need not be supplied for each

physician category. 

(10) Number and Rate of Unfilled Full-Time Equivalent Physician Positions: The number should be

equivalent to the total number of physician positions for which the agency has budgeted for the fiscal

year in question less the number of physicians on-board during the fiscal year. For example, the agency

may have budgeted for 12 full-time equivalent physician positions for the prior fiscal year, but had only
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9.5 physicians on-board for the entire year (9 physicians on-board the entire year, and one on-board

for six-months of the year). The number of unfilled full-time equivalent physician positions in this case is

equal to 2.5. 

The total number for all physicians (Part I) and for those receiving PCA (Part II) should be supplied for

each fiscal year. The number by category for each fiscal year should also be supplied.

The rates of total unfilled physician positions should be furnished. Using the example in the paragraph

above, the rate of unfilled positions would be 21 percent (or 2.5 unfilled positions divided by 12

positions). Unfilled rates need not be supplied by physician category. 

(11) Average Length of Time Physician Positions Remained Unfilled: The time should be reported in

months as of the end of the fiscal year (e.g., as of the end of the prior fiscal year the average length of

time vacant physician positions remained unfilled might be 13 months, and for the current fiscal year it

may have declined to an average of 8 months). Only the time during which the agency was actively

searching for candidates should be counted. The total number for all physicians (Part I) and for those

receiving PCA (Part II) should be supplied for each fiscal year. The number by category for each fiscal

year should also be supplied.

(12 - 14) Additional PCA Program Questions. Agency/component responses are to be incorporated

in the Attachment D worksheet or, if more convenient, attached separately to the PCA submission

returned to your OMB examiner.
Agency/Organizational Attachment D

Bulletin 00-03

PHYSICIANS' COMPARABILITY ALLOWANCE REPORTING WORKSHEET

 

FY96 FY97 FY98 FY 99 FY 00 FY96 FY97 FY98 FY 99 FY 00

1) Total Number Employed

Category I

Category II

Category III

Category IV-A

Category IV-B

Total Number Employed

FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

2) Number of Physicians Signing:

One-Year PCA

Two-Year PCA

FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

3) Average Compensation per Physician

(Excluding PCA)

Category I

Category II

Category III

Category IV-A

Category IV-B

Average Compensation

PHYSICIANS ELIGIBLE FOR PCA PHYSICIANS RECEIVING PCA

Component: _________________
FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

4) Average PCA Amount per Physician

Category I

Category II

Category III

Category IV-A

Category IV-B

Average PCA Amount

FY 96 FY97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

5) Average PCA Amount per

 Physicians Signing:

One-Year PCA

Two-Year PCA

FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

6) Average PCA Amount per Physician

 with Federal Service of:

Less than Two Years

Two or More Years

FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

7) Average Number of Years

 Continuous Service Per

 Physician:

FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

8) Number and Rate of Accessions:

Category I

Category II

Category III

Category IV-A

Category IV-B

Total Number of Accessions

Accession Rate (for all 

 categories in %)
FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

9) Number and Rate of Separations:

Category I

Category II

Category III

Category IV-A

Category IV-B

Total Number of Separations

Separation Rate (for all

 categories as %)

FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

10) Number and Rate of Unfilled FTEs:

Category I

Category II

Category III

Category IV-A

Category IV-B

Total Unfilled FTEs

Unfilled FTE Rate (for all

 categories as %)

FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 96 FY 97 FY 98 FY 99 FY 00

11) Average Length of Time (months)

 Physician Position Vacant

Additional PCA Program Questions:

12) What is the estimated number of physicians in FY 2000 who will be receiving PCA's in the 

 following dollar ranges: (a) $20,000-$24,999 and (b) $25,000-$30,000?
13) How many physicians paid PCA's in FY 1998 and FY 1999, also received recruitment bonuses,

 relocation bonuses, or retention allowances? Please include the number receiving each of these 

 three bonuses/allowances, as well as the average amounts paid for each in FY 1998 and FY 1999.

14) Apart from monetary incentives, such as PCA's, please elaborate on what other agency actions 

 have proved successful in retaining PCA physicians?

AGENCY/ORGANIZATION:

AGENCY CONTACT PERSON:

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

FAX NUMBER: