[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30941-30942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14115]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Lists of Designated Primary Medical Care, Mental Health, and
Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice informs the public of the availability of the
complete lists of all geographic areas, population groups, and
facilities designated as primary medical care, mental health, and
dental health professional shortage
[[Page 30942]]
areas (HPSAs) as of May 1, 2018. The lists are available on HRSA's
HPSAFind website.
ADDRESSES: Complete lists of HPSAs designated as of May 1, 2018, are
available on the HPSAFind website at https://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/tools/analyzers/hpsafind.aspx. Frequently updated information on HPSAs
is available at http://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov. Information on shortage
designations is available at https://bhw.hrsa.gov/shortage-designation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the HPSA
designations listed on the HPSAFind website or to request additional
designation, withdrawal, or reapplication for designation, please
contact Melissa Ryan, Acting Director, Division of Policy and Shortage
Designation, Bureau of Health Workforce, HRSA, 11SWH03, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, (301) 594-5168 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 332 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, 42 U.S.C. 254e,
provides that the Secretary shall designate HPSAs based on criteria
established by regulation. HPSAs are defined in section 332 to include
(1) urban and rural geographic areas with shortages of health
professionals, (2) population groups with such shortages, and (3)
facilities with such shortages. Section 332 further requires that the
Secretary annually publish lists of the designated geographic areas,
population groups, and facilities. The lists of HPSAs are to be
reviewed at least annually and revised as necessary.
Final regulations (42 CFR part 5) were published in 1980 that
include the criteria for designating HPSAs. Criteria were defined for
seven health professional types: Primary medical care, dental,
psychiatric, vision care, podiatric, pharmacy, and veterinary care. The
criteria for correctional facility HPSAs were revised and published on
March 2, 1989 (54 FR 8735). The criteria for psychiatric HPSAs were
expanded to mental health HPSAs on January 22, 1992 (57 FR 2473).
Currently-funded PHS Act programs use only the primary medical care,
mental health, or dental HPSA designations.
HPSA designation offers access to potential federal assistance.
Public or private nonprofit entities are eligible to apply for
assignment of National Health Service Corps (NHSC) personnel to provide
primary medical care, mental health, or dental health services in or to
these HPSAs. NHSC health professionals enter into service agreements to
serve in federally designated HPSAs. Entities with clinical training
sites located in HPSAs are eligible to receive priority for certain
residency training program grants administered by HRSA's Bureau of
Health Workforce (BHW). Other federal programs also utilize HPSA
designations. For example, under authorities administered by the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, certain qualified providers
in geographic area HPSAs are eligible for increased levels of Medicare
reimbursement.
Content and Format of Lists
The three lists of designated HPSAs are available on the HPSAFind
website and include a snapshot of all geographic areas, population
groups, and facilities that were designated HPSAs as of May 1, 2018.
This notice incorporates the most recent annual reviews of designated
HPSAs and supersedes the HPSA lists published in the Federal Register
on June 26, 2017 (Federal Register/Vol. 82, No. 121/Monday, June 26,
2017/Notices 28863).
In addition, all Indian Tribes that meet the definition of such
Tribes in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 1976, 25 U.S.C.
1603(d), are automatically designated as population groups with primary
medical care and dental health professional shortages. Further, the
Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002 provides eligibility for
automatic facility HPSA designations for all federally qualified health
centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics that offer services regardless
of ability to pay. Specifically, these entities include FQHCs funded
under section 330 of the PHS Act, FQHC Look-Alikes, and Tribal and
urban Indian clinics operating under the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Act of 1975 (25 U.S.C. 450) or the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act. Many, but not all, of these entities are included on
this listing. Absence from this list does not exclude them from HPSA
designation; facilities eligible for automatic designation are included
in the database when they are identified.
Each list of designated HPSAs is arranged by state. Within each
state, the list is presented by county. If only a portion (or portions)
of a county is (are) designated, a county is part of a larger
designated service area, or a population group residing in a county or
a facility located in the county has been designated, the name of the
service area, population group, or facility involved is listed under
the county name. A county that has a whole county geographic HPSA is
indicated by the phrase ``Entire county HPSA'' following the county
name.
Development of the Designation and Withdrawal Lists
Requests for designation or withdrawal of a particular geographic
area, population group, or a facility as a HPSA are received
continuously by BHW. Under a Cooperative Agreement between HRSA and the
54 state and territorial Primary Care Offices (PCOs), PCOs conduct
needs assessments and submit the majority of the applications to HRSA
to designate areas as HPSAs. BHW refers requests that come from other
sources to PCOs for review. In addition, interested parties, including
Governors, State Primary Care Associations, and state professional
associations, are notified of requests so that they may submit their
comments and recommendations.
BHW reviews each recommendation for possible addition,
continuation, revision, or withdrawal. Following review, BHW notifies
the appropriate agency, individuals, and interested organizations of
each designation of a HPSA, rejection of recommendation for HPSA
designation, revision of a HPSA designation, and/or advance notice of
pending withdrawals from the HPSA list. Designations (or revisions of
designations) are effective as of the date on the notification from BHW
and are updated daily on the HPSAFind website. The effective date of a
withdrawal will be the next publication of a notice regarding the list
in the Federal Register.
Dated: June 26, 2018.
George Sigounas,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-14115 Filed 6-29-18; 8:45 am]
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