Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas

---
identifier: "/us/fr/E8-16831"
source: "fr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas"
title_number: 0
title_name: "Federal Register"
section_number: "E8-16831"
section_name: "Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas"
positive_law: false
currency: "2008-07-23"
last_updated: "2008-07-23"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
agency: "Health and Human Services Department"
document_number: "E8-16831"
document_type: "proposed_rule"
publication_date: "2008-07-23"
agencies:
  - "Health and Human Services Department"
cfr_references:
  - "42 CFR Part 5"
  - "42 CFR Part 51"
rin: "0906-AA44"
fr_citation: "73 FR 42743"
fr_volume: 73
fr_action: "Proposed rule; status."
---


#  Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas

**AGENCY:**

Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

**ACTION:**

Proposed rule; status.

**SUMMARY:**

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) received many substantive comments on the proposed rule and will consider these comments carefully. Based on a preliminary review of the comments, it appears that HRSA will need to make a number of changes in the proposed rule. Instead of issuing a final regulation as the next step, HHS will issue a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for further review and public comment prior to issuing a final rule.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**

Andy Jordan, 301-594-0197.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**

On February 29, 2008, HHS published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, “Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas” (73 FR 11232). The initial notice provided a 60-day comment period. Due to the level of interest in the proposed rule, two 30-day extensions of the comment period were published in the *Federal Register* , one on April 21, 2008 (73 FR 21300) and the second on June 2, 2008 (73 FR 31418). The latest comment period closed on June 30, 2008.

Dated: July 17, 2008.

Elizabeth M. Duke,

Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration.