[Federal Register: March 1, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 39)]
[Notices]               
[Page 10007-10008]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01mr99-88]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

 
National Practitioner Data Bank Announcement of Self-Query Fee

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is announcing a ten dollar fee for 
health care practitioners who request information about themselves 
(self-queries) from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB).
    The current fee structure for requests for information (queries) by 
authorized entities was announced in the Federal Register on January 
29, 1998 (63 FR 4460).
    In accordance with the Final Rule published elsewhere in this 
issue, the Department now is exercising its authority to impose a fee 
for self-queries.
    The NPDB is authorized by the Health Care Quality Improvement Act 
of 1986 (the Act), title IV of Public Law 99-660, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
11101 et seq.). Section 427(b)(4) of the Act authorizes the 
establishment of fees for the costs of processing requests for 
disclosure and for providing such information.
    Final regulations at 45 CFR part 60 set forth the criteria and 
procedures for information to be reported to and disclosed by the NPDB. 
Section 60.3 of these regulations defines the terms used in this 
announcement.
    In determining any changes in the amount of the user fee, the 
Department uses the criteria set forth in Sec. 60.12(b) of the 
regulations, as well as allowable costs pursuant to the DHHS 
Appropriations Act of 1999, Pub. L. 105-277, enacted October 19, 1998. 
This Act requires that the Department recover the full costs of 
operating the NPDB through user fees. Paragraph (b) of the regulations 
states:

    The amount of each fee will be determined based on the following 
criteria:
    (1) Use of electronic data processing equipment to obtain 
information--the actual cost for the service, including computer 
search time, runs, printouts, and time of computer programmers and 
operators, or other employees,
    (2) Photocopying or other forms of reproduction, such as 
magnetic tapes--actual cost of the operator's time, plus the cost of 
the machine time and the materials used,
    (3) Postage--actual cost, and

[[Page 10008]]

    (4) Sending information by special methods requested by the 
applicant, such as express mail or electronic transfer--the actual 
cost of the special service.

    Based on analysis of the costs of processing self-queries, the 
Department is establishing a ten dollar fee per self-query. In contrast 
to queries submitted by authorized entities (which are submitted 
electronically), the NPDB incurs substantial labor costs for manual 
data input, sorting, and responding to calls for Helpline assistance in 
order to process self-queries. Additionally, the NPDB incurs 
substantial postage and packaging costs for mailing self-query results 
to practitioners.
    In order to minimize the fee, the Department will accept payment 
for self-queries only by credit card. The NPDB accepts Visa, 
MasterCard, and Discover. This fee is effective March 31, 1999. All 
other user fees remain the same. For examples, see the table below.
    The Department will continue to review the user fee periodically, 
and will revise it as necessary. Any changes in the fee and their 
effective date will be announced in the Federal Register.

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                                   Fee per name in query, by
           Query method                method of payment                           Examples
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Electronic query                   $4.00 (if paid             10 names in query. 10x$4=$40.00.
 (Telecommunications network)       electronically via
 with electronic payment.           credit card or other
                                    electronic means and
                                    respose received
                                    electronically).
Electronic query                   $8.00 (if not paid via     10 names in query. 10x$8=$80.00.
 (Telecommunications network)       credit card or other
 with non-electronic payment.       electronic means) ($4.00
                                    fee plus $4.00
                                    surcharge).
Self-query.......................  $10.00 (must be paid via   1 self-query=$10.00.
                                    credit card).
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    Dated: December 11, 1998.
Claude Earl Fox,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-4872 Filed 2-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P