29408 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 112 / Monday, June 10, 1996 / Notices

Dated: June 3, 1996.

Kathleen B. Larson,

Director, Management Planning and Analysis

Staff, Office of Financial and Human

Resources, Health Care Financing

Administration.

[FR Doc. 96–14478 Filed 6–7–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4120–03–P

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Submission for OMB

Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Health Care Financing

Administration, HHS.

In compliance with the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501

et seq.), the Health Care Financing

Administration (HCFA), Department of

Health and Human Services, has

submitted to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) the following

proposals for the collection of

information. Interested persons are

invited to send comments regarding the

burden estimate or any other aspect of

this collection of information, including

any of the following subjects: (1) The

necessity and utility of the proposed

information collection for the proper

performance of the agency’s functions;

(2) the accuracy of the estimated

burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected; and (4) the use of

automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology to

minimize the information collection

burden.

1. Type of Information Collection

Request: Reinstatement, with change, of

a previously approved collection for

which approval has expired; Title of

Information Collection: Physical

Therapist in Independent Practice

Survey Report; Form No.: HCFA–3042;

Use: The Medicare Program requires

physical therapists in an independent

practice to meet certain health and

safety requirements. The survey report

records the results of an onsite survey

to confirm that the health and safety

requirements are met; Frequency: On

occasion; Affected Public: Business or

other for profit; Number of Respondents:

2,196; Total Annual Hours: 2,196.

2. Type of Information Collection

Request: Reinstatement, without change,

of a previously approved collection for

which approval has expired; Title of

Information Collection: Health

Maintenance Organization (HMO) and

Competitive Medical Plan (CMP)

National Data Reporting Requirements

(NDRR); Form No.: HCFA–906; Use: The

NDRR provides the Office of Managed

Care staff with information required to

effectively monitor and evaluate the

progress and effectiveness of the HMO/

CMPs as appropriate. This ensures the

protection of Federal investment and

enrolled members of HMO/CMPs.

Additionally, the NDRR provides

statistical data for continued regulation;

Frequency: Quarterly, annually;

Affected Public: Business or other for

profit, not for profit institutions, and

state, local or tribal governments;

Number of Respondents: 292; Total

Annual Hours: 2,920.

3. Type of Information Collection

Request: Reinstatement, without change,

of a previously approved collection for

which approval has expired; Title of

Information Collection: Identification of

Extension Units of Outpatient Physical

Therapy and Outpatient Speech

Pathology Providers; Form No.: HCFA–

381; Use: The Medicare Program

requires outpatient physical therapy and

outpatient speech pathology (OPT/OSP)

providers to be surveyed to determine

compliance with Federal requirements.

The HCFA–381 is the form used to

identify OPT/OSP locations; Frequency:

Annually; Affected Public: Business or

other for profit; Number of Respondents:

2,300; Total Annual Hours: 575.

4. Type of Information Collection

Request: Reinstatement, without change,

of a previously approved collection for

which approval has expired; Title of

Information Collection: Fire Safety

Survey Report; Form No.: HCFA–2786

A,B,C,D,F,G,H,J,K,L,M,P,Q; Use: These

forms are used by the State Agency to

record data collected in order to

determine compliance with individual

conditions during fire safety surveys

and report it to the Federal Government;

Frequency: Annually; Affected Public:

State, local or tribal governments;

Number of Respondents: 53; Total

Annual Hours: 20,637.

To request copies of the proposed

paperwork collections referenced above,

E-mail your request, including your

address, to Paperwork@hcfa.gov, or call

the Reports Clearance Office on (410)

786–1326. Written comments and

recommendations for the proposed

information collections should be sent

within 30 days of this notice directly to

the OMB Desk Officer designated at the

following address: OMB Human

Resources and Housing Branch,

Attention: Allison Eydt, New Executive

Office Building, Room 10235,

Washington, D.C. 20503.

Dated: June 3, 1996.

Kathleen B. Larson,

Director, Management Planning and Analysis

Staff, Office of Financial and Human

Resources, Health Care Financing

Administration.

[FR Doc. 96–14480 Filed 6–7–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4120–03–P

Health Resources and Services

Administration

Availability of Funds for the Nursing

Education Loan Repayment Program

for Service in Certain Health Facilities

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services

Administration

ACTION: Notice of available funds.

SUMMARY: The Health Resources and

Services Administration (HRSA)

announces that applications will be

accepted for fiscal year (FY) 1996 for

awards under Section 846 of the Public

Health Service (PHS) Act to repay up to

85 percent of the nursing education

loans of registered nurses who agree to

serve for not less than 2 years as nurse

employees in certain health facilities.

The HRSA, through this notice,

invites applications for participation in

this loan repayment program.

Approximately $1,942,000 will be

available, and with these funds, the

HRSA estimates that approximately 179

loan repayment awards may be made.

The PHS is committed to achieving

the health promotion and disease

prevention objectives of Healthy People

2000, a PHS-led national activity for

setting health priorities. These programs

will contribute to the Healthy People

2000 objectives by improving access to

primary health care services through

coordinated systems of care for

medically underserved populations in

both rural and urban areas. Potential

applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy

People 2000 (Full Report, Stock No.

017–001–00474–01) or Healthy People

2000 (Summary Report, Stock No. 017–

001–00473–01) through the

Superintendent of Documents,

Government Printing Office,

Washington, D.C. 20402–9325

(telephone number: 202 783–3238).

The PHS strongly encourages all grant

and contract recipients to provide a

smoke-free workplace and promote the

non-use of all tobacco products. In

addition, Public Law 103–227, the ProChildren Act of 1994, prohibits smoking

in certain facilities (or in some cases,

any portion of a facility) in which

regular or routine education, library,

day care, health care, or early childhood

development services are provided to

children. This is consistent with the
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 112 / Monday, June 10, 1996 / Notices 29409

PHS mission to protect and advance the

physical and mental health of the

American people.

DATES: To receive consideration for

funding, individuals must submit their

applications by September 1, 1996.

Applications shall be considered as

meeting the deadline if they are either:

(1) received on or before the deadline

date; or

(2) sent on or before the deadline and

received in time for submission to the

reviewing program official. (Applicants

should request a legibly dated U.S.

Postal Service postmark or obtain a

legibly dated receipt from a commercial

carrier or U.S. Postal Service. Private

metered postmarks shall not be

acceptable as proof of timely mailing).

Late applications will not be

considered for funding in FY 1996, but

may be kept on file for consideration in

FY 1997.

ADDRESSES: Application materials with

a list of counties (parishes) with the

greatest shortage of nurses may be

obtained by calling or writing to:

Sharley Chen, Chief, Loan Repayment

Programs Branch, Division of

Scholarships and Loan Repayments,

Bureau of Primary Health Care, HRSA,

4350 East-West Highway, 10th Floor,

Bethesda, MD 20814, (301–594–4400).

The 24-hour toll-free phone number is

1–800–435–6464 and the FAX number

is (301) 594–4981. Completed

applications should be mailed to the

same address. The application form has

been approved under Office of

Management and Budget (OMB)

Number 0915–0140.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

further program information and

technical assistance, please contact the

Branch Chief at the above address,

phone or FAX number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

846 of the PHS Act provides that the

Secretary will repay a portion of an

individual’s educational loans incurred

for nursing education costs if that

individual enters into a contract with

the Secretary to serve as a registered

nurse for not less than 2 years in a

variety of eligible health facilities or in

a health facility determined by the

Secretary to have a critical shortage of

nurses. For an individual who is

selected to participate in this program,

repayment shall be on the following

basis:

(1) By the completion of the first year

of agreed service, the Secretary will

have paid 30 percent of the principal of,

and interest on, the outstanding balance

on each qualified loan as of the

beginning date of service;

(2) By the completion of the second

year of agreed service, the Secretary will

have paid another 30 percent of the

principal of, and interest on, the

outstanding balance of each qualified

loan as of the beginning date of service;

and

(3) By the completion of a third year

of agreed service, if applicable, the

Secretary will have paid another 25

percent of the principal of, and interest

on, the outstanding balance of each

qualified loan as of the beginning date

of service (option for third year of

service is dependent on the availability

of funds).

No more than 85 percent of the

principal balance of any qualified loan

which was unpaid as of the beginning

date of service will be paid under this

program.

Prior to entering a contract for

repayment of loans, other than Nursing

Student Loans, the Secretary will

require that satisfactory evidence be

provided of the existence and

reasonableness of the educational loans.

These loan repayment amounts are

unrelated to any salary paid to the

nursing education loan repayment

recipient by the health facility by which

he or she has been employed.

To be eligible to participate in this

program, an individual must:

(1) Have received, prior to the start of

service, a baccalaureate or associate

degree in nursing, a diploma in nursing,

or a graduate degree in nursing;

(2) Have outstanding educational

loans for the costs of his/her nursing

education;

(3) Agree to be employed full-time for

not less than 2 years in any of the

following types of eligible health

facilities: an Indian Health Service

health center; a Native Hawaiian health

center; a public hospital (operated by a

State, county, or local government); a

community or migrant health center

[Sections 330(a) and 329(a)(1) of the

PHS Act]; a Federally Qualified Health

Center receiving Sections 330 or 329

funding; a rural health clinic (Section

1861 (aa)(2) of the Social Security Act);

or a public or nonprofit private health

facility determined by the Secretary to

have a critical shortage of nurses; and

(4) Currently be employed or plan to

begin employment as a registered nurse

no later than July 31, 1996.

Funding Preferences

As required under Section 846, the

Secretary will give preference to

qualified applicants:

(1) Who have the greatest financial

need; and

(2) Who agree to serve in the types of

health facilities described in paragraph

(3) above, that are located in geographic

areas determined by the Secretary to

have a shortage of and need for nurses.

Breach of Contract

Participants in this program who fail

to provide health services for the period

specified in their contract with the

Secretary, shall be liable to the Federal

Government for payments made by the

Secretary during the service period

pursuant to such contract, plus interest

on this amount at the maximum legal

prevailing rate, payable within 3 years

from the date the contract with the

Secretary is breached.

Waiver or Suspension of Liability

A waiver or suspension of liability

may be granted by the Secretary if

compliance with the contract with the

Secretary by the individual participant

is impossible, or would involve extreme

hardship to the individual, and if

enforcement of the contract with respect

to the individual would be

unconscionable.

Other Award Information

This program is not subject to the

provisions of Executive Order 12372,

Intergovernmental Review of Federal

Programs, since payments to individuals

are not covered. In addition, this

program is not subject to the submission

of a Public Health System Impact

Statement.

The OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance number for this program is

93.908.

Dated: June 3, 1996.

Ciro V. Sumaya,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 96–14306 Filed 6–7–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–15–P

Health Care Financing Administration

[ORD–087–N]

New and Pending Demonstration

Project Proposals Submitted Pursuant

to Section 1115(a) of the Social

Security Act: April 1996

AGENCY: Health Care Financing

Administration (HCFA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: No new proposals for

Medicaid demonstration projects were

submitted to the Department of Health

and Human Services during the month

of April 1996 under the authority of

section 1115 of the Social Security Act.

This notice lists proposals that were

approved or are pending during the

month of April. None were disapproved

or withdrawn during this time period.