Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Application From the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities for Continued Approval of Its Rural Health Accreditation Program, 57822-57824 [2015-24356]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
57822
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 186 / Friday, September 25, 2015 / Notices
When commenting on the
proposed information collections,
please reference the document identifier
or OMB control number. To be assured
consideration, comments and
recommendations must be received by
the OMB desk officer via one of the
following transmissions: OMB, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: CMS Desk Officer, Fax
Number: (202) 395–5806 or Email:
OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.
To obtain copies of a supporting
statement and any related forms for the
proposed collection(s) summarized in
this notice, you may make your request
using one of following:
1. Access CMS’ Web site address at
https://www.cms.hhs.gov/
PaperworkReductionActof1995.
2. Email your request, including your
address, phone number, OMB number,
and CMS document identifier, to
Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov.
3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at
(410) 786–1326.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786–
1326.
ADDRESSES:
Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA)
(44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), federal agencies
must obtain approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for each
collection of information they conduct
or sponsor. The term ‘‘collection of
information’’ is defined in 44 U.S.C.
3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and
includes agency requests or
requirements that members of the public
submit reports, keep records, or provide
information to a third party. Section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)) requires federal agencies
to publish a 30-day notice in the
Federal Register concerning each
proposed collection of information,
including each proposed extension or
reinstatement of an existing collection
of information, before submitting the
collection to OMB for approval. To
comply with this requirement, CMS is
publishing this notice that summarizes
the following proposed collection(s) of
information for public comment:
1. Type of Information Collection
Request: Extension of a previously
approved collection; Title of
Information Collection: Medicare
Beneficiary and Family-Centered
Satisfaction Survey; Use: The data
collection methodology used to
determine Beneficiary Satisfaction flows
from the proposed sampling approach.
Based on recent literature on survey
methodology and response rates by
mode, we recommend using a data
collection that is done primarily by
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:58 Sep 24, 2015
Jkt 235001
mail. A mail-based methodology will
achieve the goals of being efficient,
effective, and minimally burdensome
for beneficiary respondents. We
anticipate that a mail-based
methodology could yield a response rate
of approximately 60 percent. In order to
achieve this response rate, we would
recommend a 3 staged approach to data
collection:
(1) Mailout of a covering letter, the
paper survey questionnaire, and a
postage-paid return envelope.
(2) Mailout of a post card that thanks
respondents and reminds the nonrespondents to please return their
survey.
(3) Mailout of a follow-up covering
letter, the paper survey questionnaire,
and a postage-paid return envelope.
Through the pilot test, we will
determine the response rate that can be
achieved using this approach. If it is
deemed necessary, a prenotification
letter, additional mailout reminders and
a telephone non-response step can be
added to the protocol to achieve desired
response rate.
Form Number: CMS–10393 (OMB
Control number: 0938–1177);
Frequency: Once; Affected Public:
Individuals or households; Number of
Respondents: 16,010; Number of
Responses: 16,010; Total Annual Hours:
4,002. (For policy questions regarding
this collection, contact Nekeshia
McInnis at 410–786–4486.)
Dated: September 22, 2015.
William N. Parham,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office
of Strategic Operations and Regulatory
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015–24471 Filed 9–24–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[CMS–3322–PN]
Medicare and Medicaid Programs:
Application From the American
Association for Accreditation of
Ambulatory Surgery Facilities for
Continued Approval of Its Rural Health
Accreditation Program
Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, HHS.
ACTION: Proposed notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This proposed notice
acknowledges the receipt of an
application from the American
Association for Accreditation of
Ambulatory Surgery Facilities
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(AAAASF) for continued recognition as
a national accrediting organization for
Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). The statute
requires that within 60 days of receipt
of an organization’s complete
application, the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) publish a
notice that identifies the national
accrediting body making the request,
describes the nature of the request, and
provides at least a 30-day public
comment period.
DATES: To be assured consideration,
comments must be received at one of
the addresses provided below, no later
than 5 p.m. on October 26, 2015.
ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer
to file code CMS–3322–PN. Because of
staff and resource limitations, we cannot
accept comments by facsimile (FAX)
transmission.
You may submit comments in one of
four ways:
1. Electronically. You may submit
electronic comments on specific issues
in this regulation to https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
‘‘submit a comment’’ instructions.
2. By regular mail. You may mail
written comments (one original and two
copies) to the following address ONLY:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Department of Health and
Human Services, Attention: CMS–3322–
PN, P.O. Box 8016, Baltimore, MD
21244–8010.
Please allow sufficient time for mailed
comments to be received before the
close of the comment period.
3. By express or overnight mail. You
may send written comments to the
following address ONLY: Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services,
Department of Health and Human
Services, Attention: CMS–3322–PN,
Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.
4. By hand or courier. Alternatively,
you may deliver (by hand or courier)
your written comments to the following
addresses:
a. For delivery in Washington, DC:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Department of Health and
Human Services, Room 445–G, Hubert
H. Humphrey Building, 200
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20201.
(Because access to the interior of the
Hubert H. Humphrey Building is not
readily available to persons without
Federal government identification,
commenters are encouraged to leave
their comments in the CMS drop slots
located in the main lobby of the
building. A stamp-in clock is available
for persons wishing to retain a proof of
filing by stamping in and retaining an
extra copy of the comments being filed.)
E:\FR\FM\25SEN1.SGM
25SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 186 / Friday, September 25, 2015 / Notices
I. Background
concerning provider agreements are at
42 CFR part 489 and those pertaining to
activities relating to the survey and
certification of facilities are at 42 CFR
part 488. The regulations at 42 CFR part
491, subpart A, specify the minimum
conditions that an RHC must meet to
participate in the Medicare program.
Generally, to enter into an agreement,
an RHC must first be certified by a State
survey agency as complying with the
conditions or requirements set forth in
part 491, subpart A of our Medicare
regulations. Thereafter, the RHC is
subject to regular surveys by a State
survey agency to determine whether it
continues to meet these requirements.
Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides
that, if a provider entity demonstrates
through accreditation by a Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
approved national accrediting
organization that all applicable
Medicare conditions are met or
exceeded, we may deem those provider
entities as having met the requirements.
Accreditation by an accrediting
organization is voluntary and is not
required for Medicare participation.
If an accrediting organization is
recognized by the Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human
Services (the Secretary) as having
standards for accreditation that meet or
exceed Medicare requirements, any
provider entity accredited by the
national accrediting body’s approved
program may be deemed to meet the
Medicare conditions. A national
accrediting organization applying for
approval of its accreditation program
under part 488, subpart A, must provide
CMS with reasonable assurance that the
accrediting organization requires the
accredited provider entities to meet
requirements that are at least as
stringent as the Medicare conditions.
Our regulations concerning the approval
and re-approval of accrediting
organizations are set forth at § 488.5.
The regulations at § 488.5(i) require
accrediting organizations to reapply for
continued approval of its accreditation
program every 6 years or sooner as
determined by CMS.
American Association for
Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery
Facilities (AAAASF’s) current term of
approval for their RHC accreditation
program expires March 23, 2016.
Under the Medicare program, eligible
beneficiaries may receive covered
services from a Rural Health Clinic
(RHC), provided certain requirements
are met. Section 1861(aa) of the Social
Security Act (the Act) establishes
distinct criteria for facilities seeking
designation as an RHC. Regulations
II. Approval of Deeming Organizations
Section 1865(a)(2) of the Act and our
regulations at § 488.5 require that our
findings concerning review and
approval of a national accrediting
organization’s requirements consider,
among other factors, the applying
accrediting organization’s requirements
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Comments erroneously mailed to the
addresses indicated as appropriate for
hand or courier delivery may be delayed
and received after the comment period.
b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Department of Health and
Human Services, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.
If you intend to deliver your
comments to the Baltimore address, call
telephone number (410) 786–9994 in
advance to schedule your arrival with
one of our staff members.
For information on viewing public
comments, see the beginning of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cindy Melanson, (410) 786–0310;
Patricia Chmielewski, (410) 786–6899.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Submitting Comments: We welcome
comments from the public on all issues
set forth in this proposed notice to assist
us in fully considering issues and
developing policies. Referencing the file
code CMS–3322–PN and the specific
‘‘issue identifier’’ that precedes the
section on which you choose to
comment will assist us in fully
considering issues and developing
policies.
Inspection of Public Comments: All
comments received before the close of
the comment period are available for
viewing by the public, including any
personally identifiable or confidential
business information that is included in
a comment. We post all comments
received before the close of the
comment period on the following Web
site as soon as possible after they have
been received: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the search
instructions on that Web site to view
public comments.
Comments received timely will also
be available for public inspection as
they are received, generally beginning
approximately 3 weeks after publication
of a document, at the headquarters of
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, 7500 Security Boulevard,
Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday
through Friday of each week from 8:30
a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an
appointment to view public comments,
phone 1–800–743–3951.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:58 Sep 24, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00041
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
57823
for accreditation; survey procedures;
resources for conducting required
surveys; capacity to furnish information
for use in enforcement activities;
monitoring procedures for provider
entities found not in compliance with
the conditions or requirements; and
ability to provide CMS with the
necessary data for validation.
Section 1865(a)(3)(A) of the Act
further requires that we publish, within
60 days of receipt of an organization’s
complete application, a notice
identifying the national accrediting
body making the request, describing the
nature of the request, and providing at
least a 30-day public comment period.
We have 210 days from the receipt of a
complete application to publish notice
of approval or denial of the application.
The purpose of this proposed notice
is to inform the public of AAAASF’s
request for continued approval of its
RHC accreditation program. This notice
also solicits public comment on whether
AAAASF’s requirements meet or exceed
the Medicare conditions for certification
for RHCs.
III. Evaluation of Deeming Authority
Request
AAAASF submitted all the necessary
materials to enable us to make a
determination concerning its request for
continued approval of its RHC
accreditation program. This application
was determined to be complete on July
31, 2015. Under section 1865(a)(2) of the
Act and our regulations at § 488.5
(Application and re-application
procedures for national accrediting
organizations), our review and
evaluation of AAAASF will be
conducted in accordance with, but not
necessarily limited to, the following
factors:
• The equivalency of AAAASF’s
standards for RHCs as compared with
Medicare’s RHC conditions for
certification.
• AAAASF’s survey process to
determine the following:
++ The composition of the survey
team, surveyor qualifications, and the
ability of the organization to provide
continuing surveyor training.
++ The comparability of AAAASF’s
processes to those of State agencies,
including survey frequency, and the
ability to investigate and respond
appropriately to complaints against
accredited facilities.
++ AAAASF’s processes and
procedures for monitoring a RHC found
out of compliance with AAAASF’s
program requirements. These
monitoring procedures are used only
when AAAASF identifies
noncompliance. If noncompliance is
E:\FR\FM\25SEN1.SGM
25SEN1
57824
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 186 / Friday, September 25, 2015 / Notices
identified through validation reviews or
complaint surveys, the State survey
agency monitors corrections as specified
at § 488.9(c).
++ AAAASF’s capacity to report
deficiencies to the surveyed facilities
and respond to the facility’s plan of
correction in a timely manner.
++ AAAASF’s capacity to provide
CMS with electronic data and reports
necessary for effective validation and
assessment of the organization’s survey
process.
++ The adequacy of AAAASF’s staff
and other resources, and its financial
viability.
++ AAAASF’s capacity to adequately
fund required surveys.
++ AAAASF’s policies with respect
to whether surveys are announced or
unannounced, to assure that surveys are
unannounced.
++ AAAASF’s agreement to provide
CMS with a copy of the most current
accreditation survey together with any
other information related to the survey
as CMS may require (including
corrective action plans).
IV. Collection of Information
Requirements
This document does not impose
information collection requirements,
that is, reporting, recordkeeping or
third-party disclosure requirements.
Consequently, there is no need for
review by the Office of Management and
Budget under the authority of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
V. Response to Public Comments
Because of the large number of public
comments we normally receive on
Federal Register documents, we are not
able to acknowledge or respond to them
individually. We will consider all
comments we receive by the date and
time specified in the DATES section of
this preamble, and, when we proceed
with a subsequent document, we will
respond to the comments in the
preamble to that document.
Upon completion of our evaluation,
including evaluation of comments
received as a result of this notice, we
will publish a final notice in the Federal
Register announcing the result of our
evaluation.
Dated: September 16, 2015.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2015–24356 Filed 9–24–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:43 Sep 24, 2015
Jkt 235001
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[CMS–3315–FN]
Medicare and Medicaid Programs;
Continued Approval of the American
Association of Diabetes Educators as
an Accrediting Organization for
Diabetes Self-Management Training
Programs
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Final notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This final notice announces
our decision to approve the American
Association of Diabetes Educators
(AADE) for continued recognition as a
national accreditation program for
accrediting entities that wish to furnish
outpatient diabetes self-management
training (DSMT) to Medicare
beneficiaries.
This final notice is effective
September 25, 2015 through September
27, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kristin Shifflett, (410) 786–4133;
Jacqueline Leach, (410) 786–4282.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
I. Background
Under the Medicare program, eligible
beneficiaries may receive outpatient
diabetes self-management training
(DSMT) when ordered by the physician
(or qualified non-physician practitioner)
treating the beneficiary’s diabetes,
provided certain requirements are met
by the provider. Pursuant to our
regulations at 42 CFR 410.141 (e)(3), we
use national accrediting organizations
(NAOs) to assess whether provider
entities meet Medicare requirements
when providing DSMT services for
which Medicare payment is made. If a
provider entity is accredited by an
approved accrediting organization, it is
‘‘deemed’’ to meet applicable Medicare
requirements.
A NAO must meet the standards and
requirements specified by the Secretary
of the Department of Health and Human
Services in our regulations under part
410, subpart H, to qualify for deeming
authority. The regulations pertaining to
application procedures for NAOs for
DSMT are specified at § 410.142 (CMS
process for approving national
accreditation organizations).
A NAO applying for deeming
authority must provide us with
reasonable assurance that the
accrediting organization requires
PO 00000
Frm 00042
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
accredited entities to meet requirements
that are at least as stringent as our
requirements.
We may approve and recognize a
nonprofit organization with
demonstrated experience in
representing the interests of individuals
with diabetes to accredit entities to
furnish DSMT. The accreditation
organization, after being approved and
recognized by CMS, may accredit an
entity to meet one of the sets of quality
standards in § 410.144 (Quality
standards for deemed entities).
Section 1865(a)(2) of the Social
Security Act (the Act) requires that we
review the applying accreditation
organization’s requirements for
accreditation, as follows:
• Survey procedures.
• Ability to provide adequate
resources for conducting required
surveys.
• Ability to supply information for
use in enforcement activities.
• Monitoring procedures for
providers found out of compliance with
the conditions or requirements.
• Ability to provide CMS with
necessary data for validation.
II. Application Approval Process
Section 1865(a)(3)(A) of the Act
provides a statutory timetable to ensure
that our review of applications for CMSapproval of an accreditation program is
conducted in a timely manner. The Act
provides us 210 days after the date of
receipt of a complete application, with
any documentation necessary to make
the determination, to complete our
survey activities and application
process. Within 60 days after receiving
a complete application, we must
publish a notice in the Federal Register
that identifies the national accrediting
body making the request, describes the
request, and provides no less than a 30day public comment period. At the end
of the 210-day period, we must publish
a notice in the Federal Register
approving or denying the application.
III. Provisions of the Proposed Notice
On April 24, 2015, we published a
proposed notice in the Federal Register
(80 FR 23009) entitled ‘‘Application by
the American Association of Diabetes
Educators for Continued Deeming
Authority for Diabetes Self-Management
Training,’’ announcing the receipt of an
application from AADE for continued
recognition as a national accreditation
program for accrediting entities that
wish to furnish outpatient diabetes selfmanagement training to Medicare
beneficiaries.
In that notice, we detailed our
evaluation criteria. Under section
E:\FR\FM\25SEN1.SGM
25SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 186 (Friday, September 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57822-57824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24356]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-3322-PN]
Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Application From the American
Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities for
Continued Approval of Its Rural Health Accreditation Program
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS.
ACTION: Proposed notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This proposed notice acknowledges the receipt of an
application from the American Association for Accreditation of
Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) for continued recognition as a
national accrediting organization for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). The
statute requires that within 60 days of receipt of an organization's
complete application, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS) publish a notice that identifies the national accrediting body
making the request, describes the nature of the request, and provides
at least a 30-day public comment period.
DATES: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of
the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on October 26, 2015.
ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-3322-PN.
Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by
facsimile (FAX) transmission.
You may submit comments in one of four ways:
1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on specific
issues in this regulation to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
``submit a comment'' instructions.
2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments (one original and
two copies) to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention:
CMS-3322-PN, P.O. Box 8016, Baltimore, MD 21244-8010.
Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received
before the close of the comment period.
3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments to
the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,
Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-3322-PN, Mail
Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
4. By hand or courier. Alternatively, you may deliver (by hand or
courier) your written comments to the following addresses:
a. For delivery in Washington, DC: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Room 445-G, Hubert
H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC
20201.
(Because access to the interior of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building
is not readily available to persons without Federal government
identification, commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in
the CMS drop slots located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-
in clock is available for persons wishing to retain a proof of filing
by stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being
filed.)
[[Page 57823]]
Comments erroneously mailed to the addresses indicated as
appropriate for hand or courier delivery may be delayed and received
after the comment period.
b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Department of Health and Human Services, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
If you intend to deliver your comments to the Baltimore address,
call telephone number (410) 786-9994 in advance to schedule your
arrival with one of our staff members.
For information on viewing public comments, see the beginning of
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Melanson, (410) 786-0310;
Patricia Chmielewski, (410) 786-6899.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Submitting Comments: We welcome comments from the public on all
issues set forth in this proposed notice to assist us in fully
considering issues and developing policies. Referencing the file code
CMS-3322-PN and the specific ``issue identifier'' that precedes the
section on which you choose to comment will assist us in fully
considering issues and developing policies.
Inspection of Public Comments: All comments received before the
close of the comment period are available for viewing by the public,
including any personally identifiable or confidential business
information that is included in a comment. We post all comments
received before the close of the comment period on the following Web
site as soon as possible after they have been received: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the search instructions on that Web site to
view public comments.
Comments received timely will also be available for public
inspection as they are received, generally beginning approximately 3
weeks after publication of a document, at the headquarters of the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard,
Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday through Friday of each week from 8:30
a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment to view public comments,
phone 1-800-743-3951.
I. Background
Under the Medicare program, eligible beneficiaries may receive
covered services from a Rural Health Clinic (RHC), provided certain
requirements are met. Section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (the
Act) establishes distinct criteria for facilities seeking designation
as an RHC. Regulations concerning provider agreements are at 42 CFR
part 489 and those pertaining to activities relating to the survey and
certification of facilities are at 42 CFR part 488. The regulations at
42 CFR part 491, subpart A, specify the minimum conditions that an RHC
must meet to participate in the Medicare program.
Generally, to enter into an agreement, an RHC must first be
certified by a State survey agency as complying with the conditions or
requirements set forth in part 491, subpart A of our Medicare
regulations. Thereafter, the RHC is subject to regular surveys by a
State survey agency to determine whether it continues to meet these
requirements.
Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides that, if a provider entity
demonstrates through accreditation by a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) approved national accrediting organization that all
applicable Medicare conditions are met or exceeded, we may deem those
provider entities as having met the requirements. Accreditation by an
accrediting organization is voluntary and is not required for Medicare
participation.
If an accrediting organization is recognized by the Secretary of
the Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) as having
standards for accreditation that meet or exceed Medicare requirements,
any provider entity accredited by the national accrediting body's
approved program may be deemed to meet the Medicare conditions. A
national accrediting organization applying for approval of its
accreditation program under part 488, subpart A, must provide CMS with
reasonable assurance that the accrediting organization requires the
accredited provider entities to meet requirements that are at least as
stringent as the Medicare conditions. Our regulations concerning the
approval and re-approval of accrediting organizations are set forth at
Sec. 488.5. The regulations at Sec. 488.5(i) require accrediting
organizations to reapply for continued approval of its accreditation
program every 6 years or sooner as determined by CMS.
American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery
Facilities (AAAASF's) current term of approval for their RHC
accreditation program expires March 23, 2016.
II. Approval of Deeming Organizations
Section 1865(a)(2) of the Act and our regulations at Sec. 488.5
require that our findings concerning review and approval of a national
accrediting organization's requirements consider, among other factors,
the applying accrediting organization's requirements for accreditation;
survey procedures; resources for conducting required surveys; capacity
to furnish information for use in enforcement activities; monitoring
procedures for provider entities found not in compliance with the
conditions or requirements; and ability to provide CMS with the
necessary data for validation.
Section 1865(a)(3)(A) of the Act further requires that we publish,
within 60 days of receipt of an organization's complete application, a
notice identifying the national accrediting body making the request,
describing the nature of the request, and providing at least a 30-day
public comment period. We have 210 days from the receipt of a complete
application to publish notice of approval or denial of the application.
The purpose of this proposed notice is to inform the public of
AAAASF's request for continued approval of its RHC accreditation
program. This notice also solicits public comment on whether AAAASF's
requirements meet or exceed the Medicare conditions for certification
for RHCs.
III. Evaluation of Deeming Authority Request
AAAASF submitted all the necessary materials to enable us to make a
determination concerning its request for continued approval of its RHC
accreditation program. This application was determined to be complete
on July 31, 2015. Under section 1865(a)(2) of the Act and our
regulations at Sec. 488.5 (Application and re-application procedures
for national accrediting organizations), our review and evaluation of
AAAASF will be conducted in accordance with, but not necessarily
limited to, the following factors:
The equivalency of AAAASF's standards for RHCs as compared
with Medicare's RHC conditions for certification.
AAAASF's survey process to determine the following:
++ The composition of the survey team, surveyor qualifications, and
the ability of the organization to provide continuing surveyor
training.
++ The comparability of AAAASF's processes to those of State
agencies, including survey frequency, and the ability to investigate
and respond appropriately to complaints against accredited facilities.
++ AAAASF's processes and procedures for monitoring a RHC found out
of compliance with AAAASF's program requirements. These monitoring
procedures are used only when AAAASF identifies noncompliance. If
noncompliance is
[[Page 57824]]
identified through validation reviews or complaint surveys, the State
survey agency monitors corrections as specified at Sec. 488.9(c).
++ AAAASF's capacity to report deficiencies to the surveyed
facilities and respond to the facility's plan of correction in a timely
manner.
++ AAAASF's capacity to provide CMS with electronic data and
reports necessary for effective validation and assessment of the
organization's survey process.
++ The adequacy of AAAASF's staff and other resources, and its
financial viability.
++ AAAASF's capacity to adequately fund required surveys.
++ AAAASF's policies with respect to whether surveys are announced
or unannounced, to assure that surveys are unannounced.
++ AAAASF's agreement to provide CMS with a copy of the most
current accreditation survey together with any other information
related to the survey as CMS may require (including corrective action
plans).
IV. Collection of Information Requirements
This document does not impose information collection requirements,
that is, reporting, recordkeeping or third-party disclosure
requirements. Consequently, there is no need for review by the Office
of Management and Budget under the authority of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
V. Response to Public Comments
Because of the large number of public comments we normally receive
on Federal Register documents, we are not able to acknowledge or
respond to them individually. We will consider all comments we receive
by the date and time specified in the DATES section of this preamble,
and, when we proceed with a subsequent document, we will respond to the
comments in the preamble to that document.
Upon completion of our evaluation, including evaluation of comments
received as a result of this notice, we will publish a final notice in
the Federal Register announcing the result of our evaluation.
Dated: September 16, 2015.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-24356 Filed 9-24-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
