-----Original Message-----
From: CMS PRESS RELEASES AND FACTS SHEETS
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Ulric Wair
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 12:41 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: CMS NEWS: PROPOSED REGULATIONS COMMENTS NOW ACCEPT ONLINE
CMS NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CMS Public Affairs Office
Friday, Jan. 30, 2004
CMS ACCEPTS COMMENTS ON PROPOSED REGULATIONS VIA INTERNET FOR FIRST
TIME
Private citizens, companies and others who want to comment on proposed
Medicare and Medicaid regulations now, for the first time, can submit
their opinions electronically via the Internet.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that
the new electronic process will begin with the rule proposing changes to
the prospective payment system for long-term care hospitals, published
in today's Federal Register. Those wanting to comment electronically can
do so through the www.regulations.gov Web site or the link to the new
CMS system provided in CMS' published rules.
In addition to comments on proposed or final regulations, the new CMS
system will be open for comment on other documents, including policy
notices soliciting public input and notices asking for other
information, such as nominations for advisory committees.
CMS will continue to consider written comments delivered either by hand
or through the mail to the addresses identified in the published rules
by the close of the comment period.
Those who forward electronic comments will get an automatic reply
confirming their comments were received before the comment period
closed. This is not in place for comments received by hand or through
the mail. In addition, all electronic comments will be posted on the
Web site for the public to review after the comment period closes,
including any personally identifiable or confidential business
information included in a comment. CMS is working toward posting on its
Web site, by early 2005, all comments received by the comment period's
deadline.
"One of the key goals of the President's Electronic Government
initiative is to make it easier for citizens to get services from their
government," Acting CMS Administrator Dennis Smith said. "At the top of
that list is making it easier for citizens and businesses to participate
in the regulatory process. We encourage public input and carefully
consider these comments before we develop a final regulation. CMS
regulations establish or modify the way we administer our programs. We
realize they may impact providers or suppliers of services, or the
individuals enrolled or entitled to benefits under CMS programs."
To implement the President's plan for expanding Electronic Government,
CMS signed in September 2003 an agreement with the Food and Drug
Administration, also a part of the Department of Health and Human
Services, to create an electronic dockets system for CMS by copying
FDA's electronic system and adapting it to CMS' needs. This system is
now operational.
The proposed rule's "comment period" states how long CMS will accept
comments. Usually, the record, known as the docket, stays open for
comments at least 30 days for Medicaid regulations and 60 days for
Medicare regulations, though some comment periods may differ. (Weekends
and holidays are counted in determining the closing date of a comment
period.) All comments received before the close of the comment period
are available for viewing by the public, including any personally
identifiable or confidential business information that is included in a
comment. The rule includes a telephone number for arranging to view
comments received before the close of the comment period.
At the beginning of each quarter, CMS places on its Web site the
Quarterly Provider Update, which identifies the regulations and notices
CMS intends to publish during the quarter in the Federal Register. CMS
generally limits the number of days it publishes regulations and notices
in the Federal Register to the fourth Friday of each month. However,
some regulations are mandated by specific statutory publication or
effective dates that CMS will continue to meet.
Those who have signed up for the Update on the Internet by subscribing
to the CMS-QPU Listserv will also receive any changes to the Update as
CMS makes them. The Update is designed to make it easier for the
public, providers and suppliers to understand the changes CMS is
proposing or making in the programs it administers. The Update also
lists the regulations, notices and manual instructions published in the
previous quarter.
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