Notice2024-25624
Lists of Designated Primary Medical Care, Mental Health, and Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas
Primary source
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Published
November 5, 2024
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentHealth Resources and Services Administration
Abstract
This notice informs the public of the availability of the complete lists of all geographic areas, population groups, and facilities designated as primary medical care, dental health, and mental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) in a designated status as of October 15, 2024. The lists are available on the shortage area topic page on HRSA's data.hrsa.gov website.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 214 (Tuesday, November 5, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87882-87883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25624]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Lists of Designated Primary Medical Care, Mental Health, and
Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department
of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice informs the public of the availability of the
complete lists of all geographic areas, population groups, and
facilities designated as primary medical care, dental health, and
mental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) in a designated
status as of October 15, 2024. The lists are available on the shortage
area topic page on HRSA's <a href="http://data.hrsa.gov">data.hrsa.gov</a> website.
ADDRESSES: Complete lists of HPSAs designated as of October 15, 2024,
are available on the website at <a href="https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/health-workforce/shortage-areas/frn">https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/health-workforce/shortage-areas/frn</a>. Frequently updated information on HPSAs
is available at <a href="https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/health-workforce/health-workforce-shortage-areas">https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/health-workforce/health-workforce-shortage-areas</a>. Information on shortage designations is
available at <a href="https://bhw.hrsa.gov/workforce-shortage-areas/shortage-designation">https://bhw.hrsa.gov/workforce-shortage-areas/shortage-designation</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the HPSA
designations listed on the website or to request additional
designation, withdrawal, or reapplication for designation, please
contact Dr. Shelby Hockenberry, Branch Chief, Shortage Designation
Branch, Division of Policy and Shortage Designation, Bureau of Health
Workforce, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cebdaaac8ea6bcbdafe0a9a1b8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d6a5b2b496bea4a5b7f8b1b9a0">[email protected]</span></a>, (301) 443-1993.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 332 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, 42 U.S.C. 254e,
provides that the Secretary shall designate HPSAs based on criteria
established by regulation. HPSAs are defined in section 332 to include
(1) urban and rural geographic areas with shortages of health
professionals, (2) population groups with such shortages, and (3)
facilities with such shortages. Section 332 further requires that the
Secretary annually publish lists of the designated geographic areas,
population groups, and facilities. The lists of HPSAs are to be
reviewed at least annually and revised as necessary.
Final regulations (42 CFR part 5) were published on November 17,
1980 (45 FR 75996), that include the criteria for designating HPSAs.
Criteria were defined for seven health professional types: primary
medical care, dental, psychiatric, vision care, podiatric, pharmacy,
and veterinary care. The criteria for correctional facility HPSAs were
published on October 29, 1987 (52 FR 41594), and revised March 2, 1989
(54 FR 8735). The criteria for psychiatric HPSAs were expanded to
mental health HPSAs on January 22, 1992 (57 FR 2473). Currently funded
PHS Act programs use only the primary medical care, mental health, or
dental HPSA or relevant sub-score designations such as Maternity Care
Target Areas.
HPSA designation offers access to potential federal assistance.
Public or private nonprofit entities are eligible to apply for
assignment of National Health Service Corps personnel to provide
primary medical care, mental health, or dental health services in or to
these HPSAs. National Health Service Corps health professionals enter
into service agreements to serve in federally designated HPSAs.
Entities with clinical training sites located in HPSAs are eligible to
receive priority for certain residency training program grants
administered by HRSA. Other federal programs also utilize HPSA
designations. For example, under authorities administered by the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, certain qualified providers
in geographic area HPSAs are eligible for increased levels of Medicare
reimbursement.
Content and Format of Lists
The three lists of designated HPSAs are available on the HRSA Data
Warehouse shortage area topic web page and include a snapshot of all
geographic areas, population groups, and facilities that were
designated HPSAs as of October 15, 2024. This notice incorporates the
most recent annual reviews of designated HPSAs and supersedes the HPSA
lists published in the Federal Register on July 1, 2024, (89 FR 54471/
Document Number 2024-14477). That publication served as a notice that
if those HPSAs in a proposed for withdrawal status were not re-
evaluated and/or continued to not meet designation requirements by the
time the HPSA Federal Register notice published on or before November
1, 2024, they would be withdrawn.
In addition, all Indian tribes that meet the definition of such
tribes in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 1976, 25 U.S.C.
1603, are automatically designated as population groups with primary
medical care and dental health professional shortages. Further, the
Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002 provides eligibility for
automatic facility HPSA designations for all federally qualified health
centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics that offer services regardless
of ability to pay. Specifically, these entities include FQHCs funded
under section 330 of the PHS Act, FQHC Look-Alikes, and tribal and
urban Indian clinics operating under the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Act of 1975 (25 U.S.C. 450) or the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act. Many, but not all, of these entities are included on
this listing. Absence from this list does not exclude them from HPSA
designation; facilities eligible for automatic designation are included
in the database when they are identified.
Each list of designated HPSAs is arranged by state. Within each
state, the list is presented by county. If only a portion (or portions)
of a county is (are) designated, a county is part of a larger
designated service area, or a population group residing in a county or
a facility located in the county has been
[[Page 87883]]
designated, the name of the service area, population group, or facility
involved is listed under the county name. A county that has a whole
county geographic or population group HPSA is indicated by the phrase
``County'' following the county name.
Development of the Designation and Withdrawal Lists
HRSA continuously receives requests for designation or withdrawal
of a particular geographic area, population group, or facility as a
HPSA. Under a Cooperative Agreement between HRSA and the 54 state and
territorial primary care offices (PCOs), PCOs conduct needs assessments
and submit applications to HRSA to designate HPSAs. HRSA refers
requests that come from other sources to PCOs for review. In addition,
interested parties, including governors, state primary care
associations, and state professional associations, are notified of
requests so that they may submit their comments and recommendations.
HRSA reviews each recommendation for possible addition,
continuation, revision, or withdrawal. Following review, HRSA notifies
the appropriate agency, individuals, and interested organizations of
each designation of a HPSA, rejection of recommendation for HPSA
designation, revision of a HPSA designation, and/or advance notice of
pending withdrawals from the HPSA list. Designations (or revisions of
designations) are effective as of the date on the notification from
HRSA and are updated daily on the HRSA Data Warehouse website. The
effective date of a withdrawal will be the next publication of a notice
regarding the list of designated HPSAs in the Federal Register.
Diana Espinosa,
Principal Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2024-25624 Filed 11-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P
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