Medicare Program; Request for Nominations to the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification Groups, 67873-67875 [E6-19432]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 226 / Friday, November 24, 2006 / Notices
e-mail address and current curriculum
vitae.
Nominations should be accompanied
with a letter of recommendation stating
the qualifications of the nominee and
postmarked by December 18, 2006 to:
Demetria Gardner, Immunization
Service Division, National Center for
Immunization and Respiratory Diseases,
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE,
Mailstop E–05, Atlanta, Georgia 30333,
telephone (404) 639–8836.
The Director, Management Analysis
and Services Office, has been delegated
the authority to sign Federal Register
notices pertaining to announcements of
meetings and other committee
management activities for both CDC and
the Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry.
Dated: November 17, 2006.
Alvin Hall,
Director, Management Analysis and Services
Office, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E6–19842 Filed 11–22–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163–18–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[Document Identifier: CMS–10053, CMS–P–
0015A, and CMS–367]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, HHS.
In compliance with the requirement
of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) is publishing the
following summary of proposed
collections for public comment.
Interested persons are invited to send
comments regarding this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including any
of the following subjects: (1) The
necessity and utility of the proposed
information collection for the proper
performance of the agency’s functions;
(2) the accuracy of the estimated
burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (4) the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology to
minimize the information collection
burden.
1. Type of Information Collection
Request: Extension of a currently
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AGENCY:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
13:24 Nov 22, 2006
Jkt 211001
approved collection; Title of
Information Collection: Paid Feeding
Assistants in Long Term Care Facilities
and Supporting Regulations at 42 CFR
483.160. Use: 42 CFR 483 permits longterm care facilities to use paid feeding
assistants to supplement the services of
certified nurse aides. If facilities choose
this option, feeding assistants must
complete a specified training program.
In addition, a facility must maintain a
record of all individuals, used by the
facility as feeding assistants, who have
successfully completed the training
course for paid feeding assistants. This
information is used as part of the
process to determine facility compliance
with this requirement. Form Number:
CMS–10053 (OMB#: 0938–0916);
Frequency: Recordkeeping—Once;
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit and not-for-profit institutions;
Number of Respondents: 8,772; Total
Annual Responses: 3,509; Total Annual
Hours: 21,054.
2. Type of Information Collection
Request: Extension of a currently
approved collection; Title of
Information Collection: Medicare
Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS):
Rounds 48–56. Use: The Medicare
Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) is a
continuous, multipurpose survey of a
nationally representative sample of
aged, disabled, and institutionalized
Medicare beneficiaries. MCBS, which is
sponsored by the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services, is the only
comprehensive source of information on
the health status, health care use and
expenditures, health insurance
coverage, and socioeconomic and
demographic characteristics of the
entire spectrum of Medicare
beneficiaries. MCBS data users can
assess the impact of major policy
innovations and health care reform on
Medicare beneficiaries. They can
monitor delivery of services, sources of
payment for Medicare covered and noncovered services, beneficiary cost
sharing and financial protection, and
satisfaction with and the access to
health care services. Form Number:
CMS–P–0015A (OMB#: 0938–0568);
Frequency: Third Party Disclosure,
Recordkeeping, and Reporting—Yearly;
Affected Public: Individuals or
households, Business or other for-profit
and not-for-profit institutions; Number
of Respondents: 49,500; Total Annual
Responses: 49,500; Total Annual Hours:
50,325.
3. Type of Information Collection
Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of
Information Collection: Medicaid Drug
Program Monthly Quarterly Drug
Reporting Format. Use: Section 1927 of
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
67873
the Social Security Act requires drug
manufacturers to enter into and have in
effect a rebate agreement with the
Federal government for States to receive
funding for drugs dispensed to
Medicaid beneficiaries. The Deficit
Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 modified
Section 1927 to require additional
reporting requirements beyond the
quarterly data currently collected. CMS
form 367 identifies the data fields that
manufacturers must submit to CMS on
both a monthly and quarterly basis.
Form Number: CMS–367 (OMB#: 0938–
0578); Frequency: Reporting: Monthly
and quarterly; Affected Public: Business
or other for-profit; Number of
Respondents: 540; Total Annual
Responses: 8,460; Total Annual Hours:
112,320.
To obtain copies of the supporting
statement and any related forms for the
proposed paperwork collections
referenced above, access CMS’ Web Site
address at https://www.cms.hhs.gov/
PaperworkReductionActof1995, or Email your request, including your
address, phone number, OMB number,
and CMS document identifier, to
Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov, or call the
Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786–
1326.
To be assured consideration,
comments and recommendations for the
proposed information collections must
be received at the address below, no
later than 5 p.m. on January 23, 2007.
CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and
Regulatory Affairs, Division of
Regulations Development—B, Attention:
William N. Parham, III, Room C4–26–
05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore,
Maryland 21244–1850.
Dated: November 15, 2006.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group,
Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory
Affairs.
[FR Doc. E6–19779 Filed 11–22–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[CMS–1305–N]
Medicare Program; Request for
Nominations to the Advisory Panel on
Ambulatory Payment Classification
Groups
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS), Department
of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM
24NON1
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67874
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 226 / Friday, November 24, 2006 / Notices
SUMMARY: This notice invites
nominations of members to the
Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment
Classification (APC) Groups (the Panel).
One vacancy presently exists on the
Panel due to a Panel member’s
retirement in June 2006. There will be
six more vacancies on the Panel
between January 1 and September 30,
2007. Consequently, this solicitation is
for seven new members.
The purpose of the Panel is to review
the APC groups and their associated
weights and to advise the Secretary,
DHHS, (the Secretary) and the
Administrator, CMS, (the
Administrator) concerning the clinical
integrity of the APC groups and their
associated weights. The advice provided
by the Panel will be considered as we
prepare our annual updates of the
hospital Outpatient Prospective
Payment System (OPPS) through
rulemaking.
The Secretary rechartered the Panel in
2004 for a 2-year period through
November 21, 2006. The new Panel
Charter will be effective through
November 21, 2008.
Nominations: We will consider
nominations if they are received no later
than 5 p.m. on December 18, 2006.
Please mail or deliver nominations to
the following address: CMS; Attn: Shirl
Ackerman-Ross, Designated Federal
Official (DFO), Advisory Panel on APC
Groups; Center for Medicare
Management, Hospital & Ambulatory
Policy Group, Division of Outpatient
Care; 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail
Stop C4–05–17; Baltimore, MD 21244–
1850.
Web Site: For additional information
on the APC Panel and updates to the
Panel’s activities, search our Web site at
the following: https://www.cms.hhs.gov/
FACA/05_AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatory
PaymentClassificationGroups.
asp#TopOfPage.
Advisory Committees’ Information
Lines: You may also refer to the CMS
Federal Advisory Committee Hotlines at
1–877–449–5659 (toll-free) or 410–786–
9379 (local) for additional information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Persons wishing to nominate
individuals to serve on the Panel or to
obtain further information may also
contact Shirl Ackerman-Ross, the DFO,
at CMS_APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov or call
410–786–4474. News media
representatives should contact the CMS
Press Office at 202–690–6145.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Secretary is required by section
1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security Act
VerDate Aug<31>2005
13:24 Nov 22, 2006
Jkt 211001
(the Act), as amended and redesignated
by sections 201(h) and 202(a)(2) of the
Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP
Balanced Budget Refinement Act of
1999 (BBRA) (Pub. L. 106–113), to
consult with an expert, outside advisory
panel regarding the clinical integrity of
the APC groups and relative payment
weights that are components of the
hospital OPPS.
The Panel meets up to three times
annually to review the APC groups and
to provide technical advice to the
Secretary and the Administrator. We
consider the technical advice provided
by the Panel in preparing the proposed
rule to update the OPPS for the next
calendar year.
The Panel may consist of a chair and
up to 15 members who are full-time
employees of hospitals, hospital
systems, or other Medicare providers
that are subject to the OPPS. (For
purposes of the Panel, consultants or
independent contractors are not
considered to be full-time employees in
these organizations.)
The Administrator selects the Panel
membership based upon either selfnominations or nominations submitted
by providers or interested organizations.
The current Panel members are as
follows: (The asterisk [*] indicates a
Panel member who will retire or whose
term expires within 2007.)
• E.L. Hambrick, M.D., J.D., Chair, a
CMS Medical Officer.
• *Marilyn K. Bedell, M.S., R.N.,
O.C.N.
• Gloryanne Bryant, B.S., R.H.I.A.,
R.H.I.T., C.C.S.
• *Albert Brooks Einstein, Jr., M.D.
• Hazel Kimmel, R.N., C.C.S., C.P.C.
• *Sandra J. Metzler, M.B.A., R.H.I.A.
• Thomas M. Munger, M.D.
• *Frank G. Opelka, M.D.
• Louis Potters, M.D.
• James V. Rawson, M.D.
• *Lou Ann Schraffenberger, M.B.A.,
R.H.I.A.
• Judie S. Snipes, R.N., M.B.A.,
C.H.E.
• *Timothy Gene Tyler, Pharm.D.
• Kim Allen Williams, M.D.
• Robert M. Zwolak, M.D.
Panel members serve without
compensation, according to an advance
written agreement; however, for the
meetings, we reimburse travel, meals,
lodging, and related expenses in
accordance with standard Government
travel regulations.
We have a special interest in
attempting to ensure, while taking into
account the nominee pool, that the
Panel is diverse in all respects to the
following: Geography; rural or urban
practice; race; ethnicity; sex; disability;
medical or technical specialty; and type
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Frm 00029
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
of hospital, hospital health system, or
other Medicare provider.
The Secretary, or his designee,
appoints new members to the Panel
from among those candidates
determined to have the required
expertise. New appointments are made
in a manner that attempts to ensure a
balanced membership under the
guidelines of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act.
II. Criteria for Nominees
All nominees must have technical
expertise that enables them to
participate fully in the work of the
Panel. Such expertise encompasses
hospital payment systems, hospital
medical-care delivery systems,
outpatient payment requirements, APC
Groups, Physicians’ Current Procedural
Terminology Codes, the use and
payment of drugs and medical devices
in the outpatient setting, and other
forms of relevant expertise.
It is not necessary for a nominee to
possess expertise in all of the areas
listed, but each must have a minimum
of 5 years experience and currently have
full-time employment in his or her area
of expertise. Members of the Panel serve
overlapping terms of up to 4 years based
on the needs of the Panel and
contingent upon the rechartering of the
Panel.
Any interested person or organization
may nominate one or more qualified
individuals. Self-nominations will also
be accepted. Each nomination must
include the following:
• Letter of Nomination;
• Curriculum Vita of the nominee;
and
• Written statement from the nominee
that the nominee is willing to serve on
the Panel under the conditions
described in this notice and further
specified in the Charter.
III. Copies of the Charter
To obtain a copy of the Panel’s
Charter, submit a written request to the
DFO at the address provided or by email at CMS_APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov, or
call her at 410–786–4474. Copies of the
Charter are also available on the Internet
at the following:
https://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/05_
AdvisoryPanelonAmbu
latoryPaymentClassificationGroups.
asp#TopOfPage.
Authority: Section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(9)(A)). The Panel is
governed by the provisions of Pub. L. 92–463,
as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2).
E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM
24NON1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 226 / Friday, November 24, 2006 / Notices
Dated: October 31, 2006.
Leslie V. Norwalk,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E6–19432 Filed 11–22–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[CMS–1326–N]
Medicare Program; Rechartering of the
Advisory Panel on Ambulatory
Payment Classification Groups
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS), Department
of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the
rechartering of the Advisory Panel on
Ambulatory Payment Classification
(APC) Groups (the Panel) by the
Secretary of DHHS (the Secretary) for a
2-year period with the new Charter
effective until November 21, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shirl Ackerman-Ross, Designated
Federal Official (DFO), Advisory Panel
on APC Groups; Center for Medicare
Management, Hospital and Ambulatory
Policy Group, Division of Outpatient
Care; 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail
Stop C4–05–17; Baltimore, MD 21244–
1850. You may also contact the DFO by
phone at 410–786–4474 or by e-mail at
CMS_ APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov.
For additional information on the
APC Panel and updates to the Panel’s
activities, please search our Web site at:
https://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/
05_AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatory
PaymentClassification
Groups.asp#TopOfPage. You may also
refer to the CMS Federal Advisory
Committee Hotline at 1–877–449–5659
(toll-free) or call 410–786–9379 (local)
for additional information. News media
representatives should contact the CMS
Press Office at 202–690–6145.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Secretary is required by section
1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security Act
(the Act) to consult with an expert,
outside advisory panel on the
ambulatory payment classification
(APC) groups established under the
Medicare hospital Outpatient
Prospective Payment System (OPPS).
The purpose of the Panel is to review
the APC groups and their associated
weights and to advise the Secretary and
VerDate Aug<31>2005
13:24 Nov 22, 2006
Jkt 211001
the Administrator, CMS, (the
Administrator) concerning the clinical
integrity of the APC groups and their
associated weights. The advice provided
by the Panel will be considered as CMS
prepares its annual updates of the
hospital OPPS through rulemaking.
The Panel membership must be fairly
balanced in terms of the points of view
represented and the functions to be
performed. The Panel consists of up to
15 members. Each Panel member must
be employed full-time by a hospital or
other Medicare provider subject to the
OPPS; have technical expertise to
enable him or her to fully participate in
the work of the Panel; and have a
minimum of 5 years experience in his/
her area(s) of expertise. For purposes of
this Panel, consultants or independent
contractors are not considered to be fulltime employees of providers.
A Federal official serves as the Chair
and facilitates the Panel meetings. A
DFO is appointed to the Panel as
provided by the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA).
Meetings are held up to three times a
year at the call of the DFO, and are open
to the public, except as determined
otherwise by the Secretary or other
official to whom the authority has been
delegated in accordance with the
Government in the Sunshine Act (5
U.S.C. 552b(c)). Advance notice of all
meetings is published in the Federal
Register, as required by applicable laws
and Departmental regulations, stating
reasonably accessible and convenient
locations and times.
II. Provisions of this Notice
The effective date of the APC Panel
Charter renewal is November 21, 2006.
The Charter will terminate on November
21, 2008, unless rechartered by the
Secretary before the expiration date.
III. Copies of the Charter
You may obtain a copy of the APC
Panel’s Charter by submitting a request
to the DFO at the street or e-mail
addresses listed above or by calling her
at 410–786–4474.
Authority: Section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(9)(A)). The Panel is
governed by the provisions of Public Law 92–
463, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2).
The Panel was established by statute
and has functions that are of a
continuing nature. Therefore, its
duration is not governed by section
14(a) of FACA, but rather it is otherwise
provided by law. The Panel is
rechartered in accordance with section
14(b)(2) of FACA.
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Frm 00030
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
67875
Dated: October 31, 2006.
Leslie V. Norwalk,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E6–19761 Filed 11–22–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[CMS–4128–N]
Medicare Program; Decisions Affecting
Medicare Advantage Plans Deemed by
Joint Commission for the
Accreditation of Health Care
Organizations
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces our
decisions regarding deemed status of
Joint Commission for the Accreditation
of Health Care Organization-accredited
Medicare Advantage plans. These
decisions follow business decisions
made by Joint Commission for the
Accreditation of Health Care
Organization in late 2005 which affect
its deeming operations beginning
January 1, 2006 and continue until Joint
Commission for the Accreditation of
Health Care Organization’s deeming
authority expires on March 24, 2008.
DATES: Effective January 1, 2006 through
March 24, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shaheen Halim, (410) 786–0641.
I. Background on Medicare Advantage
Deeming Program
Under the Medicare program, eligible
beneficiaries may receive covered
services through a managed care
organization (MCO) that has a Medicare
Advantage (MA) (formerly,
Medicare+Choice) contract with the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS). The regulations
specifying the Medicare requirements
that must be met in order for an MCO
to enter into an MA contract with CMS
are located at 42 CFR part 22. These
regulations implement Part C of Title
XVIII of the Social Security Act (the
Act), which specifies the services that
an MCO must provide and the
requirements that the organization must
meet to be an MA contractor. Other
relevant sections of the Act are Parts A
and B of Title XVIII and Part A of Title
XI pertaining to the provision of
services by Medicare certified providers
and suppliers.
E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM
24NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 226 (Friday, November 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67873-67875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19432]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-1305-N]
Medicare Program; Request for Nominations to the Advisory Panel
on Ambulatory Payment Classification Groups
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 67874]]
SUMMARY: This notice invites nominations of members to the Advisory
Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Groups (the Panel).
One vacancy presently exists on the Panel due to a Panel member's
retirement in June 2006. There will be six more vacancies on the Panel
between January 1 and September 30, 2007. Consequently, this
solicitation is for seven new members.
The purpose of the Panel is to review the APC groups and their
associated weights and to advise the Secretary, DHHS, (the Secretary)
and the Administrator, CMS, (the Administrator) concerning the clinical
integrity of the APC groups and their associated weights. The advice
provided by the Panel will be considered as we prepare our annual
updates of the hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS)
through rulemaking.
The Secretary rechartered the Panel in 2004 for a 2-year period
through November 21, 2006. The new Panel Charter will be effective
through November 21, 2008.
Nominations: We will consider nominations if they are received no
later than 5 p.m. on December 18, 2006. Please mail or deliver
nominations to the following address: CMS; Attn: Shirl Ackerman-Ross,
Designated Federal Official (DFO), Advisory Panel on APC Groups; Center
for Medicare Management, Hospital & Ambulatory Policy Group, Division
of Outpatient Care; 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C4-05-17;
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
Web Site: For additional information on the APC Panel and updates
to the Panel's activities, search our Web site at the following: http:/
/www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/05_
AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.[fxsp
0]asp#TopOfPage.
Advisory Committees' Information Lines: You may also refer to the
CMS Federal Advisory Committee Hotlines at 1-877-449-5659 (toll-free)
or 410-786-9379 (local) for additional information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons wishing to nominate
individuals to serve on the Panel or to obtain further information may
also contact Shirl Ackerman-Ross, the DFO, at CMS--APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov
or call 410-786-4474. News media representatives should contact the CMS
Press Office at 202-690-6145.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Secretary is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social
Security Act (the Act), as amended and redesignated by sections 201(h)
and 202(a)(2) of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget
Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA) (Pub. L. 106-113), to consult with an
expert, outside advisory panel regarding the clinical integrity of the
APC groups and relative payment weights that are components of the
hospital OPPS.
The Panel meets up to three times annually to review the APC groups
and to provide technical advice to the Secretary and the Administrator.
We consider the technical advice provided by the Panel in preparing the
proposed rule to update the OPPS for the next calendar year.
The Panel may consist of a chair and up to 15 members who are full-
time employees of hospitals, hospital systems, or other Medicare
providers that are subject to the OPPS. (For purposes of the Panel,
consultants or independent contractors are not considered to be full-
time employees in these organizations.)
The Administrator selects the Panel membership based upon either
self-nominations or nominations submitted by providers or interested
organizations.
The current Panel members are as follows: (The asterisk [*]
indicates a Panel member who will retire or whose term expires within
2007.)
E.L. Hambrick, M.D., J.D., Chair, a CMS Medical Officer.
*Marilyn K. Bedell, M.S., R.N., O.C.N.
Gloryanne Bryant, B.S., R.H.I.A., R.H.I.T., C.C.S.
*Albert Brooks Einstein, Jr., M.D.
Hazel Kimmel, R.N., C.C.S., C.P.C.
*Sandra J. Metzler, M.B.A., R.H.I.A.
Thomas M. Munger, M.D.
*Frank G. Opelka, M.D.
Louis Potters, M.D.
James V. Rawson, M.D.
*Lou Ann Schraffenberger, M.B.A., R.H.I.A.
Judie S. Snipes, R.N., M.B.A., C.H.E.
*Timothy Gene Tyler, Pharm.D.
Kim Allen Williams, M.D.
Robert M. Zwolak, M.D.
Panel members serve without compensation, according to an advance
written agreement; however, for the meetings, we reimburse travel,
meals, lodging, and related expenses in accordance with standard
Government travel regulations.
We have a special interest in attempting to ensure, while taking
into account the nominee pool, that the Panel is diverse in all
respects to the following: Geography; rural or urban practice; race;
ethnicity; sex; disability; medical or technical specialty; and type of
hospital, hospital health system, or other Medicare provider.
The Secretary, or his designee, appoints new members to the Panel
from among those candidates determined to have the required expertise.
New appointments are made in a manner that attempts to ensure a
balanced membership under the guidelines of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act.
II. Criteria for Nominees
All nominees must have technical expertise that enables them to
participate fully in the work of the Panel. Such expertise encompasses
hospital payment systems, hospital medical-care delivery systems,
outpatient payment requirements, APC Groups, Physicians' Current
Procedural Terminology Codes, the use and payment of drugs and medical
devices in the outpatient setting, and other forms of relevant
expertise.
It is not necessary for a nominee to possess expertise in all of
the areas listed, but each must have a minimum of 5 years experience
and currently have full-time employment in his or her area of
expertise. Members of the Panel serve overlapping terms of up to 4
years based on the needs of the Panel and contingent upon the
rechartering of the Panel.
Any interested person or organization may nominate one or more
qualified individuals. Self-nominations will also be accepted. Each
nomination must include the following:
Letter of Nomination;
Curriculum Vita of the nominee; and
Written statement from the nominee that the nominee is
willing to serve on the Panel under the conditions described in this
notice and further specified in the Charter.
III. Copies of the Charter
To obtain a copy of the Panel's Charter, submit a written request
to the DFO at the address provided or by e-mail at CMS--
APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov, or call her at 410-786-4474. Copies of the
Charter are also available on the Internet at the following: https://
www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/05_
AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroup
s.asp#TopOfPage.
Authority: Section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Act (42 U.S.C.
1395l(t)(9)(A)). The Panel is governed by the provisions of Pub. L.
92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2).
[[Page 67875]]
Dated: October 31, 2006.
Leslie V. Norwalk,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E6-19432 Filed 11-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
