NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON REPORTABLE CONDITIONS IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
The Department of Health & Social Services proposes to change regulations on reporting time intervals related to health care providers, laboratories, birth defects,and blood test results, and updating reportable conditions.
The Department of Health & Social Services proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with the monitoring and control of diseases of public health importance including modifying requirements for reporting time intervals related to health care providers, laboratories, birth defects, and bloodtest results, and updating reportable conditions, including the following:
· 7AAC 27.005. Reporting by health care providers, is proposed to be changed as follows: Shorten the time interval for health care providers to report routine infectious diseases and conditions to facilitate more prompt action from public health.
· 7AAC 27.007. Reporting by laboratories, is proposed to be changed as follows:
o Shorten the time interval for laboratories to report routine infectious diseases and conditions to facilitate more prompt action from public health.
o Update laboratory indicators for human immunodeficiency virus.
· 7AAC 27.014. Reporting of blood lead test results, is proposed to be changed as follows:
o Update the level to report a blood lead testing result for health care providers to comply with national screening and action guidelines.
o Include in-office laboratory testing methods as reportable lab tests.
· 7AAC 27.012. Birth defects registry, is proposed to be repealed and readopted as follows:
o Include health care providers and health care facilities that collect or maintain health care records related to screening and diagnosis.
o Specify data elements to report based on the National Uniform Billing Committee Official Data Specifications Manual.
o Lower reporting age at the time of service.
o Lower reporting frequency.
o Specify access to medical records for case confirmation.
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Jared Parrish, Senior Epidemiologist, State of Alaska, Department of Health &Social Services, Division of Public Health, Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health, 3601 C St., Suite 322, Anchorage, AK 99503. Additionally, the Department of Health & Social Services will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 754-3456 and by electronic mail at jared.parrish@alaska.gov. The comments must be received not later than 5 p.m. on May 21, 2018.
Oral or written comments also may be submitted at a hearing to be held on April 30, 2018, at the Frontier Building,Conference Room 896, 3601 C Street, Anchorage, AK 99503. The hearing will beheld from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and might be extended to accommodate those present before 10:30 a.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment. If you are unable to attend in person, but would like to comment during the oral public hearing, you can call the teleconference number at 1-800-952-6697 (toll free).
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to the Jared Parrish at jared.parrish@alaska.gov or at State of Alaska, Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Public Health,Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health, 3601 C St., Suite 322, Anchorage, AK99503. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Health & Social Services will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and at the agency website at http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Pages/default.aspx.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process,please contact Jared Parrish at jared.parrish@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 269-8068 not later than April 20, 2018, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Jared Parrish at jared.parrish@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 269-2068.
Acopy of material proposed for adoption by reference may be viewed at the agency's office at State of Alaska, Department of Health & Social Services,Division of Public Health, Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health, 3601 C St.,Suite 322, Anchorage, AK 99503.
After the public comment period ends,the Department of Health & Social Services will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.
Statutory authority: AS18.05.010; AS 18.05.030; AS 18.05.040; AS 18.15.355; AS 18.15.362; AS18.15.370; AS 47.05.012.
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 18.05.010;AS 18.05.030; AS 18.05.040; AS 18.15.355; AS 18.15.362; AS 18.15.370; AS 47.05.012.
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
DATE: March 26, 2018.
/s/Jon Sherwood
Deputy Commissioner
Department of Health & Social Services