[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 52090-52091] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-26461] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary TRICARE Formerly Known as the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); Fiscal Year 1998 Mental Health Rate Updates AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD. ACTION: Notice of updated mental health per diem rates. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice provides for the updating of hospital-specific per diem rates for high volume providers and regional per diem rates for low volume providers; the updated cap per diem for high volume providers; the beneficiary per diem cost-share amount for low volume providers for FY 1998 under the TRICARE Mental Health Per Diem Payment System; and the updated per diem rates for both full-day and half-day TRICARE Partial Hospitalization Programs for fiscal year 1998. EFFECTIVE DATE: The rates contained in this notice are effective for services occurring on or after October 1, 1997. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stan Regensberg, Program Development Branch, TRICARE Support Office, telephone (303) 361-1342. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The final rule published in the Federal Register on September 6, 1988, (53 FR 34285) set forth reimbursement changes that were effective for all inpatient hospital admissions in psychiatric hospitals and exempt psychiatric units occurring on or after January 1, 1989. The final rule published in the Federal Register on [[Page 52091]] July 1, 1993, (58 FR 35-400) set forth maximum per diem rates for all partial hospitalization admissions on or after September 29, 1993. Included in these final rules were provisions for updating reimbursement rates for each federal fiscal year. As stated in the final rules, each per diem shall be updated by the Medicare update factor for hospitals and units exempt from the Medicare Prospective Payment System. The final rule published in the Federal Register March 7, 1995, (60 FR 12419) set forth retaining all per diems in effect at the end of fiscal year 1995 with no additional updates for fiscal years 1996 and 1997. Medicare has recommended a rate of increase of 0 percent for federal fiscal year 1998 for hospitals and units excluded from the prospective payment system. TRICARE will adopt this update factor for FY 1998 as the final update factor. Hospital and units with hospital-specific rates (hospitals and units with high TRICARE volume) and regional specific rates for psychiatric hospitals and units with low TRICARE volume will have their TRICARE rates remain at FY 1995 levels. Partial hospitalization rates for full day and half day programs will also remain at FY 1995 levels. The cap amount for high volume hospitals and units will stay at the FY 1995 level. The beneficiary cost-share of low volume hospitals and units will also stay at the FY 1995 level. The wage portion of the regional rate subject to the area wage adjustment will be 71.1 percent for FY 1998. Dated: October 1, 1997. L.M. Bynum, Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. 97-26461 Filed 10-3-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5000-04-M