27992 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 116 / Friday, June 15, 2018 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

[CDC–2018–0007; Docket Number NIOSH– 

307] 

Final National Occupational Research 

Agenda for Agriculture, Forestry, and 

Fishing 

AGENCY: National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC), 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS). 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: NIOSH announces the 

availability of the final National 

Occupational Research Agenda for 

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing. 

DATES: The final document was 

published on June 8, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: The document may be 

obtained at the following link: https://

www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/councils/agff/ 

research.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Emily Novicki, M.A., M.P.H, 

(NORACoordinator@cdc.gov), National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, Mailstop E–20, 1600 Clifton 

Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, phone 

(404) 498–2581 (not a toll free number). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

January 17, 2018, NIOSH published a 

request for public review in the Federal 

Register [83 FR 2447] of the draft 

version of the National Occupational 

Research Agenda for Agriculture, 

Forestry, and Fishing. The comment 

received expressed support for the 

Agenda. 

Dated: June 11, 2018. 

Frank J. Hearl, 

Chief of Staff, National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2018–12821 Filed 6–14–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–19–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3360–PN] 

Medicare and Medicaid Programs: 

Application From the Community 

Health Accreditation Partner for 

Continued CMS Approval of Its 

Hospice Accreditation Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services, HHS. 

ACTION: Proposed notice. 

SUMMARY: This proposed notice 

acknowledges the receipt of an 

application from the Community Health 

Accreditation Partner (CHAP) for 

continued recognition as a national 

accrediting organization for hospices 

that wish to participate in the Medicare 

or Medicaid programs. 

DATES: To be assured consideration, 

comments must be received at one of 

the addresses provided below, no later 

than 5 p.m. on July 16, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer 

to file code CMS–3360–PN. Because of 

staff and resource limitations, we cannot 

accept comments by facsimile (FAX) 

transmission. 

Comments, including mass comment 

submissions, must be submitted in one 

of the following three ways (please 

choose only one of the ways listed): 

1. Electronically. You may submit 

electronic comments on this regulation 

to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 

the ‘‘Submit a comment’’ instructions. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments to the following 

address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, Department of 

Health and Human Services, Attention: 

CMS–3360–PN, P.O. Box 8010, 

Baltimore, MD 21244–8010. 

Please allow sufficient time for mailed 

comments to be received before the 

close of the comment period. 

3. By express or overnight mail. You 

may send written comments to the 

following address ONLY: Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services, 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, Attention: CMS–3360–PN, 

Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

For information on viewing public 

comments, see the beginning of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lillian Williams, (410) 786–8636, 

Monda Shaver, (410) 786–3410, or 

Marie Vasbinder, (410) 786–8665. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Inspection 

of Public Comments: All comments 

received before the close of the 

comment period are available for 

viewing by the public, including any 

personally identifiable or confidential 

business information that is included in 

a comment. We post all comments 

received before the close of the 

comment period on the following 

website as soon as possible after they 

have been received: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the search 

instructions on that website to view 

public comments. 

I. Background 

Under the Medicare program, eligible 

beneficiaries may receive covered 

services in a hospice provided certain 

requirements are met by the hospice. 

Sections 1861(dd) of the Social Security 

Act (the Act) establishes distinct criteria 

for facilities seeking designation as a 

hospice. Regulations concerning 

provider agreements are at 42 CFR part 

489 and those pertaining to activities 

relating to the survey and certification 

of facilities are at 42 CFR part 488. The 

regulations at 42 CFR part 418, specify 

the conditions that a hospice must meet 

in order to participate in the Medicare 

program, the scope of covered services 

and the conditions for Medicare 

payment for hospices. 

Generally, to enter into an agreement, 

a hospice must first be certified by a 

State survey agency as complying with 

the conditions or requirements set forth 

in part 418. Thereafter, the hospice is 

subject to regular surveys by a State 

survey agency to determine whether it 

continues to meet these requirements. 

However, there is an alternative to 

surveys by state agencies. Section 

1865(a)(1) of the Act provides that, if a 

provider entity demonstrates through 

accreditation by an approved national 

accrediting organization that all 

applicable Medicare conditions are met 

or exceeded, we will deem those 

provider entities as having met the 

requirements. Accreditation by an 

accrediting organization is voluntary 

and is not required for Medicare 

participation. 

If an accrediting organization is 

recognized by the Secretary of the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services as having standards for 

accreditation that meet or exceed 

Medicare requirements, any provider 

entity accredited by the national 

accrediting body’s approved program 

would be deemed to meet the Medicare 

conditions. A national accrediting 

organization applying for deeming 

authority under part 488, subpart A, 

must provide the Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services (CMS) with 

reasonable assurance that the 


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