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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[ORD-090-N]

New and Pending Demonstration Project Proposals Submitted

Pursuant to Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act: June 1996

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: During the month of June, one new proposal for a Medicaid

demonstration project was submitted to the Department of Health and

Human Services, one proposal was approved and one proposal was

withdrawn. No proposals were disapproved 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

Month of June 1996

A. Comprehensive Health Reform Programs

1. New Proposals

The following comprehensive health reform proposal was received

during the month of June:

Demonstration Title/State: Community Care Systems--New Hampshire.

Description: The State submitted a revised proposal for ``Community

Care Systems.'' This system will provide capitated, managed acute care

services and coordination for specialty and support services not

included in the health plan service package. The State proposes to

implement this program in three phases: Phase 1 will enroll AFDC and

AFDC-related children and families; Phase 2 will enroll the elderly

population; and Phase 3 will enroll disabled adults and disabled

children. The current waiver request is for Phase 1 only.

Date Received: June 5, 1996.

State Contact: Lorrie Lutz, Planning and Policy Development, State

of New Hampshire, Department of Health and Human Services, 6 Hazen

Drive, Concord, NY 03301-6505, (603) 271-4478.

Federal Project Officer: Cindy Shirk, 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.

2. Pending, Approved and Disapproved Proposals

We did not approve or disapprove any proposals during the month of

June. The one new proposal submitted in May and now pending is as

follows:

Demonstration Title/State: Maryland Medicaid Reform Proposal--

Maryland.

[[Page 42638]]

Description: A statewide section 1115 demonstration proposal has

been developed to: provide a patient-focused system through managed

care entities; build on the strengths of the current Maryland health

care system; provide comprehensive, prevention-orientated systems of

care; hold Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) accountable for high-

quality care; and achieve better value and predictability for State

expenditures.

Date Received: May 3, 1996.

State Contact: Mary Mussman, M.D., M.P.H., Acting Executive

Director, Center for Health Program Development and Management, Social

Sciences Building, Room 309A, 5401 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21228-

5398, (410)455-6804.

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.

Other pending proposals can be found in the Federal Register of

January 23, 1996, 61 FR 1769.

3. Withdrawn Proposals

The following proposal was withdrawn June 4, 1996:

Demonstration Title/State: The Granite State Partnership for Access

and Affordability in Health Care--New Hampshire.

B. Other Section 1115 Demonstration Proposals

1. New Proposals

No new proposals were received during the month of June.

2. Approved Proposals

The following proposal was approved during the month of June:

Demonstration Title/State: Medicaid Family Planning Services for

Women of Childbearing Age--Arkansas.

Description: This State demonstration will provide Medicaid covered

family planning services for all women of childbearing age with incomes

at or below 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

Date Received: September 13, 1995 (October 2, 1995 date listed in

61 FR 1771 was not correct).

Date Approved: June 18, 1996.

State Contact: Thomas Dalton, Director, Arkansas Department of

Human Services, P.O. Box 1437, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-1437, (501)

682-8650.

Federal Project Officer: Rosemarie Hakim, Health Care Financing

Administration, Office of Research and Demonstrations, Mail Stop C3-24-

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

3. Pending and Withdrawn Proposals

We did not disapprove any Other Section 1115 Demonstration

Proposals during June nor were any proposals withdrawn during that

month. Pending proposals for the month of November 1995 published in

the Federal Register on January 23, 1996, 61 FR 1769, and for the

months of February and March 1996 published in the Federal Register on

May 14, 1996, 61 FR 24318 remain unchanged with the exception of the

approved proposal as shown above.

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: July 24, 1996.

Barbara Cooper,

Acting Director, Office of Research and Demonstrations.

[FR Doc. 96-20918 Filed 8-15-96; 8:45 am]

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