[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26773-26774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11340]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act Countermeasures
Injury Compensation Program, Procedures for Submitting a Letter of
Intent To File Requests for Benefits
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces
procedures for submitting a Letter of Intent to File a Request for
Benefits under the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP).
The CICP administers the compensation program authorized by the Public
Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act). The PREP Act
provides compensation to individuals for serious physical injuries or
deaths from pandemic, epidemic, or security countermeasures identified
in declarations issued by the Secretary pursuant to section 319F-3(b)
of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 247d-6d, 247d-
6e). A PREP Act declaration by the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services specifies the countermeasures and the
categories of health threats or conditions for which the
countermeasures are recommended, the period liability protections are
in effect, the population of individuals protected, and the geographic
areas for which the protections are in effect.
The CICP has not yet finalized the administrative policies and
procedures
[[Page 26774]]
(i.e., regulations) that will govern the CICP. These administrative
policies and procedures will include the necessary forms and
instructions for filing a Request Package. Once these policies and
procedures are developed, they will be published in the Federal
Register as an Interim Final Rule, and the public will have an
opportunity to provide comments. These materials will also be posted on
the CICP Web site at http://www.hrsa.gov/countermeasurescomp. Until the
regulation is finalized and the forms and instructions for filing are
available, the CICP will continue to accept a Letter of Intent to File
a Request for Benefits from people who wish to request for compensation
under the CICP. For more information on how to submit a Letter of
Intent to File a Request for Benefits with the CICP, or to obtain
general Program information, please visit the CICP Web site above.
ADDRESSES: A Letter of Intent to File a Request for Benefits under the
CICP must be mailed to the Health Resources and Services
Administration, Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program, Request
for Benefits, Room 11C-26, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland
20857.
DATES: The procedures established by this notice shall take effect
immediately.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: HRSA Call Center at 1-888-ASK-HRSA (1-
888-275-4772) or visit the CICP's Web site: http://www.hrsa.gov/countermeasurescomp.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
For the full text of the Act, individuals may consult the CICP Web
site at http://www.hrsa.gov/countermeasurescomp/prep_act.htm.
Statutory Procedures
Requesters must submit either a Letter of Intent to File a Request
for Benefits or a Request Package no later than one (1) year from the
date the covered countermeasure was administered or used. The forms and
instructions for the submission of a Request Package will become
available upon publication in the Federal Register of the policies and
procedures that will govern the CICP. The timely submission of a Letter
of Intent to File will meet the statutory requirement that a requester
must file a Request for Benefits within the one-year time period.
Submission of a Letter of Intent To File a Request for Benefits
Until the forms and instructions for filing are available,
requesters must submit a Letter of Intent to File a Request for
Benefits in order to meet the filing deadline. A Letter of Intent to
File must include the following information:
The name, current address and phone number of the
Requester.
The covered countermeasure received, the date it was
received, the circumstances under which the covered countermeasure was
received (e.g., clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of
Health, or as part of routine healthcare), and the name of the
countermeasure recipient if the Requester is filing a death claim.
Although it is not required, a Requester may engage the services of
an attorney or other representative to file the Request for Benefits on
his or her behalf. However, the payment of fees and/or costs by the
CICP of an attorney or other representative is not permitted.
Upon receipt of the Letter of Intent to File a Request for
Benefits, the CICP will respond with an acknowledgment letter. The
acknowledgement letter will include a CICP case number assigned to the
Letter of Intent. Thereafter, the Requester must notify the CICP of any
change of address, phone number, or representative of record.
The postmarked date of the Letter of Intent to File will be viewed
as the date of filing a Request for Benefits for purposes of the one
(1) year filing deadline. The CICP will notify Requesters once the
regulation has been approved and published, and the forms and
instructions for filing are available.
Dated: May 5, 2010.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-11340 Filed 5-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P