Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration: Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies and Five-Year Review of and Adjustments to the Relative Value Units Under the Physician Fee Schedule for Calendar Year 1997, Final Rule; Physician Fee Schedule Update for Calendar Year 1997 and Physician Volume Performance Standard Rates of Increase for Federal Fiscal Year 1997, Notice, B-275549; B-275552, December 9, 1996

B-275549,B-275552 December 9, 1996
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Summary

This is our report on a major rule promulgated by Department of Health and Human Services. They were published in the Federal Register as a final rule and final notice on November 22. The effective date for the final rule revising payment policies is January 1. Which is less than the 60-day delay in a rule's effective date required by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA). HCFA stated as follows: "This rule is effective January 1. 5 U.S.C. section 801 requires that agencies submit major rules to Congress 60 days before the rules are scheduled to become effective. The 105th Congress is not scheduled to convene until January 7. Since Congress will not be in session during this period.