Final Minimum Percentage Rates for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant Increase in the Rate'' for Implementation of the Statutory General Funding Preference, Funding Preference and Priority for Grants for Programs for Physician AssistantsFiscal Year l994

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Final Minimum Percentage Rates for ``High Rate'' and

``Significant Increase in the Rate'' for Implementation of the

Statutory General Funding Preference, Funding Preference and Priority

for Grants for Programs for Physician Assistants--Fiscal Year l994

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces

the final minimum percentage rates for ``high rate'' and ``significant

increase in the rate'' for implementation of the statutory general

funding preference, funding preference and priority for fiscal year

(FY) 1994 Grants for Programs for Physician Assistants authorized under

the authority of section 750 title VII of the Public Health Service

(PHS) Act, as amended by the Health Professions Education Extension

Amendments of 1992, Public Law 102-408, dated October 13, 1992.

Purpose

Section 750 of the PHS Act authorizes the award of grants to

accredited schools of medicine or osteopathic medicine and other public

or nonprofit private entities to assist in meeting the cost of

planning, developing and operating or maintaining programs for the

training of physician assistants as defined under section 799(3) of the

Public Health Service Act.

Statutory General Funding Preference

As provided in section 791(a) of the PHS Act, preference will be

given to any qualified applicant that--

(A) Has a high rate for placing graduates in practice settings

having the principal focus of serving residents of medically

underserved communities; or

(B) During the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year for which an

award is sought, has achieved a significant increase in the rate of

placing graduates in such settings. This preference will only be

applied to applications that rank above the 20th percentile that have

been recommended for approval by the peer review group.

Final Minimum Percentages for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant Increase

in the Rate'', Funding Preference and Priority

A proposed notice was published in the Federal Register on February

17, 1994, at 59 FR 8007, for public comment. No comments were received

during the 30-day comment period. Therefore, the minimum percentages

for ``high rate'' and ``significant increase in the rate,'' funding

preference and priority will be retained as follows;

``High rate'' means that 20 percent of the physician assistant

program graduates in academic year 1991-92 or academic year 1992-93,

whichever is greater, are spending at least 50 percent of their work

time in these settings.

``Significant increase in the rate'' means that, between academic

years 1991-92 and 1992-93, the rate of physician assistant program

graduates in these settings has increased by at least 50 percent and

that not less than 15 percent of the academic year 1992-93 graduates

are working in these settings.

Final Funding Preference

In addition, a funding preference will be given to established

physician assistant training programs which can demonstrate that: (a)

More than 50 percent of their graduates in 1993 entered a generalist

specialty (family medicine, general internal medicine, general

pediatrics); or (b) an average of 40 percent of graduates over the last

3 years (1991, 1992, and 1993) entered a generalist specialty.

Final Funding Priority

A funding priority will be given to approved applications that can

demonstrate either substantial progress over the last 3 years or a

significant experience of 10 or more years in enrolling and graduating

trainees from those minority or low-income populations identified as at

risk of poor health outcomes.

Additional Information

Questions regarding programmatic information should be directed to:

Mrs. Joyce Emelio, Program Specialist, Multidisciplinary Centers and

Programs Branch, Division of Medicine, Bureau of Health Professions,

Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room

4C-03, Parklawn Building, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301)

443-6950, FAX: (301) 443-8890.

This program is listed at 93.886 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance. It is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order

12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (as implemented

through 45 CFR part 100).

This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting

Requirements.

Dated: May 12, 1994.

John H. Kelso,

Deputy Administrator.

[FR Doc. 94-12149 Filed 5-18-94; 8:45 am]

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