New and Pending Demonstration Project Proposals Submitted Pursuant to Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act: February and March 1996

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[ORD-086-N]

New and Pending Demonstration Project Proposals Submitted

Pursuant to Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act: February and

March 1996

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice lists new proposals for Medicaid demonstration

projects submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services

during the months of February and March 1996 under the authority of

section 1115 of the Social Security Act. This notice also lists

proposals that were approved, disapproved, pending, or withdrawn during

this time period. (This notice can be accessed on the Internet at

HTTP://WWW.HCFA.GOV/ORD/ORDHP1.HTML.)

COMMENTS: We will accept written comments on these proposals. We will,

if feasible, acknowledge receipt of all comments, but we will not

provide written responses to comments. We will, however, neither

approve nor disapprove any new proposal for at least 30 days after the

date of this notice to allow time to receive and consider comments.

Direct comments as indicated below.

ADDRESSES: Mail correspondence to: Susan Anderson, Office of Research

and Demonstrations, Health Care Financing Administration, Mail Stop C3-

11-07, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Anderson, (410) 786-3996.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Under section 1115 of the Social Security Act (the Act), the

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may consider and approve

research and demonstration proposals with a broad range of policy

objectives. These demonstrations can lead to improvements in achieving

the purposes of the Act.

In exercising her discretionary authority, the Secretary has

developed a number of policies and procedures for reviewing proposals.

On September 27, 1994, we published a notice in the Federal Register

(59 FR 49249) that specified (1) The principles that we ordinarily will

consider when approving or disapproving demonstration projects under

the authority in section 1115(a) of the Act; (2) the procedures we

expect States to use in involving the public in the development of

proposed demonstration projects under section 1115; and (3) the

procedures we ordinarily will follow in reviewing demonstration

proposals. We are committed to a thorough and expeditious review of

State requests to conduct such demonstrations.

As part of our procedures, we publish a notice in the Federal

Register with a monthly listing of all new submissions, pending

proposals, approvals, disapprovals, and withdrawn proposals. Proposals

submitted in response to a grant solicitation or other competitive

process are reported as received during the month that such grant or

bid is awarded, so as to prevent interference with the awards process.

II. Listing of New, Pending, Approved, and Withdrawn Proposals for the

Months of February and March 1996

A. Comprehensive Health Reform Programs

1. New Proposals: The following comprehensive health reform

proposal was received during the month of February.

Demonstration Title/State: Medicaid Demonstration Project for Los

Angeles County--California.

Description: The State is pursuing a section 1115 demonstration

designed to stabilize the Los Angeles County health care system, and to

foster a restructuring process that is responsive to the needs of the

community in the development of a more cost effective system.

Date Received: February 29, 1996.

State Contact: John Rodriguez, Deputy Director, Medical Care

Services, Department of Health Services, 714/744 P Street, P.O. Box

942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, (916) 654-0391.

Federal Project Officer: Gina Clemons, Health Care Financing

Administration, Office of Research and Demonstrations, Office of State

Health Reform Demonstrations, Mail Stop C3-18-26, 7500 Security

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

No new proposals were received during the month of March.

2. Pending, Approved, and Withdrawn Proposals: We did not approve

or disapprove any proposals during February or March nor were any

proposals withdrawn during those months. The one new pending proposal

added to the month of March is: Medicaid Demonstration Project for Los

Angeles County--California. See above II.A.1. for further description.

Pending proposals for the month of November 1995 published in the

Federal Register on January 23, 1996, 61 FR 1769, remain unchanged with

the addition of above for the months of February and March.

[[Page 24319]]

B. Other Section 1115 Demonstration Proposals

1. New Proposals: The following new proposal was received during

the month of February.

Demonstration Title/State: Wisconsin Partnership Program--

Wisconsin.

Description: Wisconsin has submitted Medicare section 222

demonstration and Medicaid section 1115 waiver requests to implement

the ``Wisconsin Partnership Program'' in specific counties of the

State. This program will test two innovative models of care, one for

frail elderly and one for persons with disabilities, utilizing a multi-

disciplinary team to manage care. The team is to include the

beneficiary, a nurse practitioner, the beneficiary's choice of primary

care physician, and a social worker or independent living coordinator.

Consumer choice of care, settings and the manner of service delivery is

a key component of the program. The demonstration will test the use of

consumer-defined quality indicators to measure and improve the quality

of service provided to people who are elderly and people with

disabilities.

Date Received: February 28, 1996.

State Contact: Mary Rowin, State of Wisconsin, Department of Health

and Social Services, 1 West Wilson Street, P.O. Box 7850, Madison, WI

53707, (608) 261-8885.

Federal Contact: William Clark, Health Care Financing

Administration, Office of Research and Demonstrations, Office of

Beneficiary and Program Research and Demonstrations, Mail Stop C3-21-

06, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

No new proposals were received in March.

2. Pending, Approved, and Withdrawn Proposals: We did not approve

or disapprove any Comprehensive Health Reform Programs or Other Section

1115 Demonstration Proposals during February or March nor were any

proposals withdrawn during those months. The one new pending proposal

added to the month of March is: Wisconsin Partnership Program--

Wisconsin. See above II.B.1. for further description. Pending proposals

for the month of November 1995 published in the Federal Register on

January 23, 1996, 61 FR 1769, remain unchanged with the addition of

above for the months of February and March.

III. Requests for Copies of a Proposal

Requests for copies of a specific Medicaid proposal should be made

to the State contact listed for the specific proposal. If further help

or information is needed, inquiries should be directed to HCFA at the

address above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program, No. 93.779; Health

Financing Research, Demonstrations, and Experiments.)

Dated: April 24, 1996.

Barbara Cooper,

Acting Director, Office of Research and Demonstrations.

[FR Doc. 96-12018 Filed 5-13-96; 8:45 am]

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