NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON HEALTH FACILITY EMPLOYEE TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING AND TESTING IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION The Department of Health & Social Services proposes to change regulations on health facility employee tuberculosis screening and testing. |
The Department of Health & Social Services proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with health facility employee tuberculosis screening and testing, including the following:
- 7 AAC 12.650. Facilities and Local Units. Employee health program, is proposed to be changed as follows:
- Repeal obsolete state tuberculosis screening and testing requirements and adopt the new federal recommendations.
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 Ms. Susan Miller Dunkin at the Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Health Care Services, 4501 Business Park Blvd., Building L, Attention: Susan Miller Dunkin, Anchorage, AK 99503. Additionally, the Department of Health & Social Services will accept comments by electronic mail at susan.dunkin@alaska.gov . The comments must be received not later than 5 p.m. on March 17, 2020.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Ms. Susan Miller Dunkin by e-mail at susan.dunkin@alaska.gov or at the Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Health Care Services, 4501 Business Park Blvd., Building L, Attention: Susan Miller Dunkin, Anchorage, AK 99503.
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 agency website at http://www.dhss.alaska.gov/dhcs/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 Ms. Susan Miller Dunkin at susan.dunkin@alaska.gov or at (907) 269-3638 not later than March 9, 2020, 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 Ms. Susan Miller Dunkin at susan.dunkin@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 269-3638.
A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference is available online at https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/testing/healthcareworkers.htm .
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. Written comments received are public records and are subject to public inspection.
Statutory authority: AS 18.05.040; AS 47.32.010; AS 47.32.030.
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 18.05.040; AS 47.32.010; AS 47.32.030.
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
The Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Health Care Services, keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all of the Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Health Care Services, notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Health Care Services at susan.dunkin@alaska.gov , giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
DATE: January 30, 2020.
/s/Adam Crum
Commissioner,
Department of Health & Social Services.