The Department of Health and Human Services has published two notices in late 2005 which allow the public to submit comments on areas of concern. Here is your chance to be heard on the following subjects:

• Suggested New Safe Harbors & Fraud Justifying New Alerts
  The Oil’s office for the Department of Health and Human Services is soliciting comments on potential new safe harbors under the federal anti-kickback statute, as well as comments on forms of fraudulent activity justifying new fraud alerts. If you are aware of business arrangement that you believe deserve special treatment and protection against prosecution under the anti-kickback statute you should consider sharing your comments with the OIG. Likewise, if you are aware of fraudulent transactions occurring in the marketplace that merit a special fraud alert, you should consider forwarding your comments on those arrangements as well. Comments must be delivered no later than 5 p.m. on February 19, 2006 to the following address via mail or delivery:
  
  Office of Inspector General
  Department of Health and Human Services
  Attention: OIG–61–N
  Room 5246, Cohen Building
  330 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC 20201
  
  
• Electronic Health Care Claims Attachments.
  The comment period for the public to provide comments on the new proposed rule governing Electronic Health Care Claims Attachments under HIPAA has been extended for an additional 60 days and will close on January 23, 2006. This proposed rule contains a set of standards intended to improve the claims attachment review process. Comments may be submitted:
  
  
  • electronically to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/regulations/ecomments with attachments in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or Excel
    
    
  • by mail with one original and two copies to the following address:
    
    Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
    Department of Health and Human Services
    Attention: CMS–0050–P
    P.O. Box 8014
    Baltimore, MD 21244–8014
    
    
  • by express mail or overnight mail:
    
    Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services
    Department of Health and Human Services
    Attention: CMS–0050–P
    Mail Stop C4–26–05
    Baltimore, MD 21244–1850
    
    
  • by delivery by couriers using the precise instructions contained in the federal register at Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 184, Friday, September 23, 2005.