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<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-04-04-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0720-AB52</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>201110</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>0720</CODE>
            <NAME>Office of Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>DODOASHA</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>0700</CODE>
            <NAME>Department of Defense</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>DOD</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>TRICARE; Elimination of the Non-Availability Statement (NAS) Requirement for Non-Emergency Inpatient Mental Health Care </RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[Under TRICARE Prime (as provided in 32 CFR, section 199.17), the military medical treatment facility (MTF) has the right of first refusal for specialty services requested by a civilian provider, if the services are available at the MTF.  If a TRICARE Prime beneficiary living near a MTF is referred for specialty care by a civilian provider and the service is available at the MTF, the MTF may decide to provide the care.  If services are refused by the MTF, the referral will be allowed with a network provider.  As a result, the issuance of NAS(s) has been eliminated and are only required for non-enrolled beneficiaries who live within the MTF catchment area for non-emergency inpatient mental health care.  Currently, the number of NASs issued is negligible as most mental health admissions are emergency admissions. Requiring a NAS for a relative few non-emergency inpatient mental health admissions is disproportionate to the cost of maintaining the systems necessary to process and coordinate the NAS. This proposed rule eliminates the requirement for a NAS for non-emergency inpatient mental health care in order for the TRICARE Standard beneficiary's claim to be paid.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Substantive, Nonsignificant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>First Time Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Final Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>32 CFR 199</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>5 USC 301</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>10 USC ch 55</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>09/16/2011</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>76 FR 57690</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>11/15/2011</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>05/00/2012</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>None</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <PRINT_PAPER>No</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Patricia</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Toppings</LAST_NAME>
                <MIDDLE_NAME>Lynn</MIDDLE_NAME>
                <TITLE>Director, Regulatory Directorate</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0700</CODE>
                    <NAME>Department of Defense</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>DOD</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>571 372-0485</PHONE>
                <FAX>571 372-0487</FAX>
                <EMAIL>patricia.l.toppings.civ@mail.mil</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>DIOR\ICD, 4800 Mark Center Drive, East Tower, Suite 08F07,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Alexandria</CITY>
                    <STATE>VA</STATE>
                    <ZIP>22350-3100</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
