2006 proposed fee schedule - American Society of Clinical Oncology

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rates. We do not intend for the proposed regulation changes
detailed below to limit the exception criteria under which a
pediatric facility may qualify. However, we believe that
pediatric facilities would not qualify for an exception
under most of the existing exception criteria because of the
uniqueness of their pediatric patient population (at least
50 percent) and, in the past, ESRD facilities with high
percentages of pediatric patients only qualified for
exceptions under the “atypical patient mix” criterion.
Therefore, we are proposing to revise the regulations by
eliminating the other exception criteria (Isolated essential
facilities, Extraordinary circumstances, and Frequency of
dialysis) specified in §413.182(b), (c), and (e). However,
we are proposing to retain the exception criterion for
self-dialysis training costs under §413.182(d) because some
pediatric facilities may qualify for an exception on that
basis.
a. Statutory Changes
Section 422 of BIPA 2000, prohibited us from providing
for any further composite rate exceptions on or after
December 31, 2000; allowed one final opportunity for ESRD
facilities that did not apply for an exception during 2000
to apply for one by July 1, 2001; and provided for approved
exceptions (either those in effect or those that were
approved based on subsequent applications) to continue in