Frequently Asked Questions

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Q1: What is the goal of this project?

A1: The goal of the project is to examine the economic impact of major Federal regulations governing the health care industry and identify strategies for simplifying them, while maintaining the highest quality health care and other patient protections. A series of Town Hall Meetings is being held in Washington, DC; Chicago; Oklahoma City; and San Francisco to solicit public comment on this important issue. Information from these public meetings will help HHS and OMB identify immediate steps and longer term proposals for reducing regulatory burden and advancing translation of biomedical research into medical practice, while improving the safety and quality of our health care system. In addition, the project includes a review of the published literature on the economic impact of Federal health care regulations and case study analyses to determine how the health care industry is assessing the economic impact of Federal regulations. Findings will be synthesized and included in a report to Congress.

Q2: How do I make public comments at the meetings?

A2: Individuals who wish to make comments at a Town Hall Meeting must sign up on a roster at the registration desk, and they will be called to speak in the order their names appear on the roster. Speakers will be allowed 5 minutes to present comments. (The registration desk is open from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.)

Speakers are strongly encouraged to submit an electronic copy of their comments, as well as more detailed information to document and quantify their estimate of regulatory burden. This supporting material should be sent to TownHallMeetingsDocuments@hhs.gov within 2 weeks after the Town Hall Meeting, if possible, or no later than February 9, 2006.

Q3: If I attended a Town Hall Meeting but didn’t provide public comment during the meeting, can I still submit my comments?

A3: Yes, individuals who attended a Town Hall Meeting but did not provide public comment can submit their comments to TownHallMeetingsComments@hhs.gov through February 9, 2006.

Q4: How do I submit comments if I can’t attend a meeting?

A4: If you are unable to attend the public meetings, you can submit written comments to TownHallMeetingsComments@hhs.gov. Comments will be accepted through February 9, 2006. 

Q5: What type of information should I include in the comments?

A5: Comments should include the following:

• Your name and a statement indicating whether you are representing yourself or an organization
• Identification of the regulation or regulations that you are addressing
• Description of the economic consequences the regulation has for you or your organization. Costs may include, but not be limited to, the “paperwork” costs associated with compliance activities (time, labor, capital); impact on personnel and labor costs; additional capital, equipment, and supply costs; changes in the scale of your business or the quality of your product or service required by the regulation; or changes in the location of your business or lines of business pursued. Comments should be as specific as possible about the magnitude of costs and include calculations and references as appropriate. A sample comment on a fictitious regulation provides an example of the type of information and level of detail that should be provided.

Q6: How are the comments going to be used?

A6: Comments presented at the Town Hall Meetings will be included in the meeting transcripts posted on this project’s Web site. Public comments—both those made in person at the Town Hall Meetings and those submitted in writing electronically through the Web site—will be summarized and included in a report to Congress. Financial data submitted for this project will be protected to the extent allowed by Federal law.