Cool! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Infante, Marie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 1:16 PM Subject: FW: CMS NEWS: PROPOSED REGULATIONS COMMENTS NOW ACCEPT ONLINE
> > > -----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. > > # # # > > > STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY: > The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. immediately at either (617) 542-6000 or at [EMAIL PROTECTED], and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments. > /---------------------------------------------------------- > The Case Mix Discussion Group is a free service of the > American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators > "Committed to the Assessment Professional" > Be sure to visit the AANAC website. Accurate answers to your > questions posted to NAC News and FAQs. > For more info visit us at http://www.aanac.org > -----------------------------------------------------------/ > /---------------------------------------------------------- The Case Mix Discussion Group is a free service of the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators "Committed to the Assessment Professional" Be sure to visit the AANAC website. Accurate answers to your questions posted to NAC News and FAQs. For more info visit us at http://www.aanac.org -----------------------------------------------------------/
