The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced July 23 that it had received many substantive comments on its proposed rule changing how it designates medically underserved populations and health professional shortage areas. Based on a preliminary review of the comments, HRSA said it will need to make a number of changes in the proposed rule, and will issue a new proposed rule for further review and public comment prior to issuing a final rule.
On Feb. 29, 2008, HHS first published its proposed rule on this matter. The initial notice provided a 60-day comment period, but due to the level of interest in the proposed rule, two 30-day extensions of the comment period were published in the Federal Register, one in April and the second in June. Read the announcement.
