19926 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 77 /Wednesday, April 22, 1998 / Notices

Purpose: This subcommittee is charged

with providing advice and recommendations

to the Director, CDC, and the Administrator,

ATSDR, regarding community, American

Indian Tribes, and labor concerns pertaining

to CDC’s and ATSDR’s public health

activities and research at this DOE site.

Activities shall focus on providing a forum

for community, American Indian Tribal, and

labor interaction and serve as a vehicle for

community concern to be expressed as

advice and recommendations to CDC and

ATSDR.

Matters to be Discussed: Agenda items

include: presentations from the National

Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)

regarding current activities and the National

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

and ATSDR will provide updates on the

progress of current studies.

Agenda items are subject to change as

priorities dictate.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE

INFORMATION: Paul G. Renard, Radiation

Studies Branch, Division of Environmental

Hazards and Health Effects, NCEH, CDC,

4770 Buford Highway, NE, M/S F–35,

Atlanta, Georgia 30341–3724, telephone 770/

488–7040, fax 770/488–7044.

Dated: April 15, 1998.

Nancy C. Hirsch,

Acting Director, Management Analysis and

Services Office, Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 98–10648 Filed 4–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[HCFA–1040–N]

Medicare Program; May 7, 1998,

Meeting of the Competitive Pricing

Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Health Care Financing

Administration (HCFA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: In accordance with section

10(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee

Act, this notice announces a meeting of

the Competitive Pricing Advisory

Committee. This meeting is open to the

public.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for

May 7, 1998 from 10:00 a.m. until 6

p.m. E.D.S.T.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in

Room 5051, Wilbur J. Cohen Building

(entrance on ‘‘C’’ street), 300

Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, DC 20201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lu

Zawistowich, Sc.D., Executive Director,

Competitive Pricing Advisory

Committee, Health Care Financing

Administration, 7500 Security

Boulevard S3–02–01, Baltimore,

Maryland 21244–1850, (410) 786–6451.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

4011 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997

(BBA) requires the Secretary of the

Department of Health and Human

Services (the Secretary) to establish a

demonstration project under which

payments to Medicare+Choice

organizations in designated areas are

determined in accordance with a

competitive pricing methodology.

Section 4012 of BBA requires the

Secretary to appoint a Competitive

Pricing Advisory Committee (CPAC).

The CPAC will meet periodically to

make recommendations to the Secretary

concerning the designation of areas for

inclusion in the project and appropriate

research design for implementing the

project.

The CPAC is being assembled and

will consist of individuals who are

independent actuaries, experts in

competitive pricing, and experts in the

administration of the Federal Employees

Health Benefit Program. In accordance

with section 4012(a)(5) of the BBA, the

CPAC shall terminate on December 31,

2004.

The CPAC will be sworn in and hold

its first meeting on May 7. The agenda

will include discussion of background

materials relevant to competitive pricing

and the goals and objectives of the

demonstrations. Members will be asked

to develop and prioritize a list of

important demonstration design issues

and the information needed to study

and address the issues. The CPAC will

develop a schedule for decision making

on each issue that can be addressed

within the mandated time frame for

implementation of the project. The

CPAC will decide the number of

additional meetings that are needed and

a tentative agenda for each.

Individuals or organizations that wish

to make 5-minute oral presentations on

the agenda issues should contact the

Executive Director (listed above in this

notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT) by 12 noon, April 28, 1998, to

be scheduled. The number of oral

presentations may be limited by the

time available. A written copy of the

oral remarks should be submitted to the

Executive Director no later than 12

noon, May 4, 1998. Anyone who is not

scheduled to speak may submit written

comments to the Executive Director by

12:00 noon, May 4, 1998. The meeting

is open to the public, but attendance is

limited to the space available.

(Section 4012 of the Balanced Budget Act of

1997, Public Law 105–33 (42 U.S.C 1395w–

23 note) and section 10(a) of Public Law 92–

463 (5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a))

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program No. 93.773, Medicare—Hospital

Insurance; and Program No. 93.774,

Medicare—Supplementary Medical

Insurance Program)

Dated: April 20, 1998.

Nancy-Ann Min DeParle,

Administrator, Health Care Financing

Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–10883 Filed 4–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services

Administration

Agency Iinformation Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection:

Comment Request

In compliance with the requirement

for opportunity for public comment on

proposed data collection projects

(section 3506(c)(2)(A) of Title 44, United

States Code, as amended by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13), the Health

Resources and Services Administration

(HRSA) will publish periodic

summaries of proposed projects being

developed for submission to OMB under

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

To request more information on the

proposed project or to obtain a copy of

the data collection plans and draft

instruments, call the HRSA Reports

Clearance Officer on (301) 443–1891.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology.

Proposed Project: The Health

Education Assistance Loan (HEAL)

Program: Student Application for a

Federal Health Education Assistance

Loan—Extension of OMB Clearance

0915–0038. The HEAL program

provides federally-insured loans to

students in schools of medicine,

dentistry, veterinary medicine,

optometry, podiatric medicine,

pharmacy, public health, chiropractic,

or allied health, and graduate students

in health administration or clinical

psychology. Eligible lenders, such as
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 77 /Wednesday, April 22, 1998 / Notices 19927

banks, State agencies, and HEAL

schools make HEAL loans which are

insured by the Federal Government

against loss due to the borrower’s death,

disability, bankruptcy, and default. The

basic purpose of the program is to

assure the availability of funds for loans

to eligible students who need to borrow

money to pay for their educational

costs. The Student Application is used

by students to apply for HEAL loans and

by schools and lenders to process the

applications.

The HEAL program has been in the

process of phasing out for the last three

years in the absence of current

legislation. An OMB clearance approval

was given for this application form

through October 31, 1998, to

accommodate the final operational year

of the program. In March 1998 the

Senate introduced in Congress a bill, S.

1754, to reauthorize the Health

Professions Programs including the

HEAL program. Based on this

reauthorization bill, and subject to

passage, enactment, and appropriation

of funds, an extension of OMB approval

of this form will be sought. As a

contingency action, it is in the best

interest of the program to publish a 60-

day notice at this time to accommodate

a smooth transition of the program from

phaseout to full operation without any

time delays. To facilitate this, the

Agency is inviting comments on the

current form, in case OMB clearance on

this form is needed.

The estimate of annual burden for the

Student Application based on the

amount appropriated in FY 1995, the

last full year of operation, is as follows:

Type of respondent Number of respondents

Responses

per respondent

Total number

of responses

Burden per response (minutes)

Total burden

hours

Applicants ............................................................................. 20,000 1 20,000 15 5,000

Schools ................................................................................. 200 100 20,000 30 10,000

Lenders ................................................................................. 6 3,333 20,000 30 10,000

Total ............................................................................... 20,206 ........................ 60,000 ........................ 25,000

Send comments to Lyman Van

Nostrand, HRSA Reports Clearance

Officer, Room 14–33, Parklawn

Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville,

MD 20857. Written comments should be

received within 60 days of this notice.

Dated: April 16, 1998.

Jane Harrison,

Acting Director, Division of Policy Review

and Coordination.

[FR Doc. 98–10655 Filed 4–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–15–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services

Administration

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection:

Comment Request

In compliance with the requirement

for opportunity for public comment on

proposed data collection projects

(section 3506(c)(2)(A) of Title 44, United

States Code, as amended by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub.

L. 104–13), the Health Resources and

Services Administration (HRSA) will

publish periodic summaries of proposed

projects being developed for submission

to OMB under the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995. To request more

information on the proposed project or

to obtain a copy of the data collection

plans and draft instruments, call the

HRSA Reports Clearance Officer on

(301) 443–1891.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology.

Proposed Project: The Health

Education Assistance Loan (HEAL)

Program: Refinancing Loan Application/

Promissory Note—NEW. The HEAL

program provides federally-insured

loans to students in schools of

allopathic medicine, osteopathic

medicine, dentistry, veterinary

medicine, optometry, podiatric

medicine, pharmacy, public health,

chiropractic, or allied health, and

graduate students in health

administration or clinical psychology.

Eligible lenders, such as banks, State

agencies, and HEAL schools make

HEAL loans which are insured by the

Federal Government against loss due to

the borrower’s death, disability,

bankruptcy, and default. The basic

purpose of the program is to assure the

availability of funds for loans to eligible

students who need to borrow money to

pay for their educational costs.

In July 1993 the HEAL refinancing

program was implemented. This

allowed HEAL borrowers who had

graduated to refinance all of their HEAL

loans into one new HEAL loan, often

times at better rates and provisions than

their original loans.

A new combined HEAL refinancing

loan application/promissory note is

being developed for lenders. Previously,

the standard HEAL student application

form (HRSA–700) and promissory note

(HRSA 500–3) were used by lenders to

process the loan refinancing. The

application contained items that were

not needed for refinancing loans. Some

lenders combined the two forms into

one application/promissory note using

all appropriate items from each form.

Because of the successful use of the

combined form developed by the

lenders, and the Department’s desire to

make the refinancing process easier for

all parties concerned, the Department

has developed an official combined

form. In addition, certain items that

were previously required of the

borrower (e.g., citizenship, date of birth,

delinquent and default responses, etc.)

were deleted since they are presently

available to the lenders and the

Department from other sources.

The estimate of burden for the new

refinancing loan application/promissory

note form per year is as follows: