Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 27 / Wednesday, February 9, 2000 / Notices 6383

notice are effective for services

furnished on or after October 1, 1999.

These provisions will increase payment

rates to ASCs by 0.8 percent (before

applying the wage index), in accordance

with section 1833(i)(2)(C) of the Act, as

amended by the BBA. As a practical

matter, if we allowed a 30-day delay in

the effective date of this notice, ASCs

would be unable to take timely

advantage of the increase in payment

rates contained in this notice. Moreover,

we believe a delay is impracticable and

unnecessary because as explained

earlier, the statute provides that ASC

payment rates be increased by the

percentage increase in the CPI–U if the

Secretary has not updated rates during

a fiscal year, beginning with FY 1996.

Therefore, we find good cause to waive

the delay in the effective date.

In accordance with the provisions of

Executive Order 12866, this notice was

reviewed by the Office of Management

and Budget.

(Sections 1832(a)(2)(F) and 1833(i) (1) and

(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

1395k(a)(2)(F) and 1395l(i) (1) and (2)); 42

CFR 416.120, 416.125, and 416.130)

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Programs No. 93.774, Medicare—

Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

Dated: October 6, 1999.

Michael M. Hash,

Deputy Administrator, Health Care Financing

Administration.

Dated: October 25, 1999.

Donna E. Shalala,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–2959 Filed 2–8–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services

Administration

Notice Regarding HRSA Grant

Requirement—Participation in the

340B Drug Pricing Program

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services

Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Health Resources and

Services Administration (HRSA) is

announcing its decision to withdraw the

proposal to impose a grant award

requirement that would have required

HRSA grantees listed in section 340B of

the Public Health Service Act and

Federally Qualified Health Center

(FQHC) Look-Alikes to participate in the

340B Drug Pricing Program or provide

good cause for non-participation.

Instead of the proposed grant

requirement, HRSA will add a statement

to the Notice of Grant Award (NGA)

concerning the need for grantees to

determine the appropriateness of their

drug purchasing practices under

applicable cost principles.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Captain Robert Staley, the Office of Drug

Pricing, Bureau of Primary Health Care,

Health Resources and Services

Administration, 10th Floor, East West

Towers, 4350 East-West Highway,

Bethesda, MD 20814; Phone (800) 628–

6297; Fax (301) 594–4982.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

proposed grant requirement for eligible

HRSA grantee and FQHC Look-Alike

participation in the 340B Drug Pricing

Program was announced in the Federal

Register at 63 FR 56656 on October 22,

1998. A period of 60 days was

established to allow interested parties to

submit comments. HRSA received 21

comments. In light of the concerns

expressed about the potential adverse

impact of the proposed grant

requirement, HRSA has decided not to

institute the requirement at this time.

Instead, HRSA will implement another

administrative option to increase

participation in the 340B Drug Pricing

Program: a statement in the HRSA

Notice of Grant Award (NGA)

encouraging those grantees not

participating in the 340B Program to

determine whether their drug

purchasing practices meet Federal

requirements regarding reasonable and

cost effective purchasing. (See 42 CFR

part 50, subpart E, and OMB Circulars

A–122 and A–87 regarding cost

principles). If grantees can obtain drugs

through the Drug Pricing Program at

lower cost, it would be reasonable to

take advantage of such cost savings.

This policy will be implemented during

the fiscal year (FY) 2000 grant award

cycle.

Dated: January 3, 2000.

Claude Earl Fox,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–2862 Filed 2–8–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–15–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of

Closed Meetings

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as

amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice

is hereby given of the following

meetings.

The meetings will be closed to the

public in accordance with the

provisions set forth in sections

552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C.,

as amended. The grant applications and

the discussions could disclose

confidential trade secrets or commercial

property such as patentable material,

and personal information concerning

individuals associated with the grant

applications, the disclosure of which

would constitute a clearly unwarranted

invasion of personal privacy.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific

Review Special Emphasis Panel.

Date: February 10, 2000.

Time: 4:30 PM to 7 PM.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant

applications.

Place: Holiday Inn Chevy Chase, 5520

Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.

Contact Person: Anita Miller Sostek, PHD,

Scientific Review Administrator, Center for

Scientific Review, National Institutes of

Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3176,

MSC 7848, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 435–

1260.

This notice is being published less than 15

days prior to the meeting due to the timing

limitations imposed by the review and

funding cycle.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific

Review Special Emphasis Panel.

Date: February 16, 2000.

Time: 1 PM to 4 PM.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant

applications.

Place: Governor’s House Hotel,

Washington, DC 20036.

Contact Person: John Bishop, PHD,

Scientific Review Administrator, Center for

Scientific Review, National Institutes of

Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 5180,

MSC 7844, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 435–

1250.

This notice is being published less than 15

days prior to the meeting due to the timing

limitations imposed by the review and

funding cycle.

Name of Committee: Musculoskeletal and

Dental Sciences Initial Review Group, Oral

Biology and Medicine Subcommittee 1.

Date: February 21–22, 2000.

Time: 8 AM to 5 PM.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant

applications.

Place: Holiday Inn Old Town Alexandria,

480 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Contact Person: Priscilla B. Chen, PHD,

Scientific Review Administrator, Center for

Scientific Review, National Institutes of

Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 4104,

MSC 7814, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 435–

1787.

This notice is being published less than 15

days prior to the meeting due to the timing

limitations imposed by the review and

funding cycle.

Name of Committee: Infectious Diseases

and Microbiology Initial Review Group,

Bacteriology and Mycology Subcommittee 1.

Date: February 21–22, 2000.

Time: 8:30 AM to 6 PM.