Announcement and proposed criteria for demonstration of joint nursing graduate education program projects--HRSA....

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in coordination with the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) announces its intent to implement section 8411(a) of the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-647) authorizing a Demonstration of Joint Nursing Graduate Education Programs. Medicare reimbursement rules are modified to promote graduate clinical training opportunities jointly developed by hospitals and educational institutions. This is a demonstration designed to allow a hospital to be reimbursed for reasonable costs incurred pursuant to a written agreement with an educational institution for certain activities conducted as part of an approved educational program that involves a substantial clinical component (as determined by the Secretary) and leads to a master's or doctoral degree in nursing. For the purpose of these projects, payments for costs incurred will be reimbursed on the same basis as if they were allowable direct costs of a hospital-operated approved educational program (other than an approved graduate medical education program), or as otherwise justified, but only to the extent that such activities are directly related to the operation of the educational program conducted under the written agreement between the hospital and the educational institution. The amount paid under a demonstration project to a hospital for a cost reporting period may not exceed $200,000. Five hospitals are to be selected for participation in this Program and fiscal intermediaries will be authorized to reimburse clinical education costs for reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 1989, and before July 1, 1994.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)