Change in assessment policy applicable to Hill-Burton assisted facilities' uncompensated services programs--HRSA....

This notice announces a change in the Department's approach to assessing the compliance of facilities that receive assistance under Titles VI and XVI of the Public Health Service Act with the uncompensated services assurance which was given as a condition of that assistance. The new approach implements a change in the Department's interpretation of the implementing regulations regarding the effect of noncompliance with the timing requirement for eligibility determinations on the creditability of accounts towards the quota of uncompensated services an assisted facility is required to provide. Under the new interpretation, services provided where an eligibility determination was not made within two working days of a request for uncompensated services may be credited towards satisfying an assisted facility's uncompensated services obligation, as long as all other applicable requirements for credit are met. Assessment procedures have been developed to implement this change for facilities which have been previously assessed, as well as prospectively.