March 16, 2001
Children's GME Program Issues Notice; Holds Public Hearing
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) issued a Notice and opportunity for comment in the March 1 Federal Register [66 FR 12940] on various provisions relating to the Children's Hospitals' Graduate Medical Education Program (CHGME). On March 14 HRSA held a public hearing to review the provisions of the Notice.
For the current federal fiscal year, the CHGME will provide about $235 million in funding to freestanding children's hospitals to finance direct GME and indirect medical education (IME) payments. About one-third of the money will be used for the direct GME payments, with the remaining two-thirds going toward IME payments. Unlike direct GME and IME payments under the Medicare program, funding for the CHGME is provided on an annual basis through the appropriations process. Children's hospitals interested in receiving payments under this program are required to submit an application. According to HRSA staff, for this year, applications will be distributed in early July and must be returned by early August. HRSA plans to make one lump sum payment to each eligible hospital in September. In future years, HRSA plans to distribute payments on a bi-weekly basis.
Contact: Karen Fisher, AAMC Division of Health Care Affairs, 202-2862-6140.
