Medicare Program; Announcement of the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment Meeting, 39025-39027 [2021-15727]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 139 / Friday, July 23, 2021 / Notices
When commenting, please
reference the document identifier or
OMB control number. To be assured
consideration, comments and
recommendations must be submitted in
any one of the following ways:
1. Electronically. You may send your
comments electronically to https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for ‘‘Comment or
Submission’’ or ‘‘More Search Options’’
to find the information collection
document(s) that are accepting
comments.
2. By regular mail. You may mail
written comments to the following
address: CMS, Office of Strategic
Operations and Regulatory Affairs,
Division of Regulations Development,
Attention: Document Identifier/OMB
Control Number: ___, Room C4–26–05,
7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore,
Maryland 21244–1850.
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’ website address at
website address at https://www.cms.gov/
Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/
PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRAListing.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
William N. Parham at (410) 786–4669.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
ADDRESSES:
Contents
This notice sets out a summary of the
use and burden associated with the
following information collections. More
detailed information can be found in
each collection’s supporting statement
and associated materials (see
ADDRESSES).
CMS–10572 Transparency in Coverage
Reporting by Qualified Health Plan
Issuers
CMS–10781 FOIA/Privacy Act
Requests for Medicare Claims Data via
CMS FOIA Public Portal
Under the 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
requires federal agencies to publish a
60-day notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of
information, including each proposed
extension or reinstatement of an existing
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:49 Jul 22, 2021
Jkt 253001
collection of information, before
submitting the collection to OMB for
approval. To comply with this
requirement, CMS is publishing this
notice.
Information Collection
1. Type of Information Collection
Request: Extension of a currently
approved collection; Title of
Information Collection: Transparency in
Coverage Reporting by Qualified Health
Plan Issuers; Use: Sections
1311(e)(3)(A)–(C) of the ACA, as
implemented at 45 CFR 155.1040(a)–(c)
and 156.220, establish standards for
qualified health plan (QHP) issuers to
submit specific information related to
transparency in coverage. QHP issuers
are required to post and make data
related to transparency in coverage
available to the public in plain language
and submit this data to the Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS),
the Exchange, and the state insurance
commissioner. Section 2715A of the
Public Health Service (PHS) Act as
added by the ACA largely extends the
transparency provisions set forth in
section 1311(e)(3) to non-grandfathered
group health plans and health insurance
issuers offering group and individual
health insurance coverage. Form
Number: CMS–10572 (OMB control
number: 0938–1310); Frequency:
Annually; Affected Public: Private
sector (Business or Not-for-profit
institutions); Number of Respondents:
360; Total Annual Responses: 360; Total
Annual Hours: 17,160. (For policy
questions regarding this collection
contact Jack Reeves at 301–492–5152).
2. Type of Information Collection
Request: New collection (Request for a
new OMB control); Title of Information
Collection: ; Use: This collection of
information is dedicated to Medicare
beneficiaries and third party requesters
(law firms or others) acting on behalf of
beneficiaries that are making requests
for CMS to produce Medicare
beneficiary records through 5 U.S.C.
552(b) (See also 42 CFR 401.136).
Currently the requests are mailed/faxed/
emailed to CMS. The new online portal
will allow for ease and efficiency to
upload the request and required
authorization, which will be quickly
and securely sent directly to CMS.
Additionally, with the new online
portal, requesters will be able to
securely submit requests electronically
that contain PHI or PII; they will be
advised that MyMedicare.gov/Blue
Button is an online service available for
beneficiaries to set up an account to
access their own records and give
authorization to share with third parties.
This secure public online portal will be
PO 00000
Frm 00056
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
39025
integrated with the agency’s current
FOIA/Privacy Act case management
system to ensure a centralized location
for housing, securing, tracking and
processing the incoming requests (See
45 CFR 5.22 and 5.24). Form Number:
CMS–10781 (OMB control number:
0938-New); Frequency: Occasionally;
Affected Public: Individuals or
Households; Number of Respondents:
19,000; Total Annual Responses: 360;
Total Annual Hours: 17,160. (For policy
questions regarding this collection
contact Hugh Gilmore at 410–786–
5352).
Dated: July 20, 2021.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office
of Strategic Operations and Regulatory
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021–15756 Filed 7–22–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[CMS–1764–N]
Medicare Program; Announcement of
the Advisory Panel on Hospital
Outpatient Payment Meeting
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
This notice announces a
virtual meeting of the Advisory Panel on
Hospital Outpatient Payment (the Panel)
for Calendar Year 2021. The purpose of
the Panel is to advise the Secretary of
the Department of Health and Human
Services and the Administrator of the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services concerning the clinical
integrity of the Ambulatory Payment
Classification groups and their
associated weights, and supervision of
hospital outpatient therapeutic services.
The advice provided by the Panel will
be considered as we prepare the annual
updates for the hospital outpatient
prospective payment system.
DATES: Meeting date: The virtual
meeting of the Panel is scheduled for
Monday, August 23, 2021, from 9:30
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
(EDT). The times listed in this notice are
EDT and are approximate times.
Consequently, the meetings may last
longer or be shorter than the times listed
in this notice, but would not begin
before the posted time.
Deadline for presentations and
comment letters: Presentations or
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\23JYN1.SGM
23JYN1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
39026
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 139 / Friday, July 23, 2021 / Notices
comment letters, and form CMS–20017
(located at https://www.cms.gov/
Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/
downloads/cms20017.pdf), must be
received by 5:00 p.m. EDT, Friday,
August 6, 2021. We note that form
CMS–20017 must accompany each
presentation or comment letter
submission. Presentations and comment
letters that are not received by the due
date and time, or that do not include a
completed form CMS–20017 are
considered late or incomplete, and
cannot be included on the agenda. In
commenting, refer to file code CMS–
1764–N.
Meeting Registration Timeframe: All
presentation or comment letter speakers,
including any alternates, with items on
the agenda must register electronically
to our Panel mailbox, APCPanel@
cms.hhs.gov no later than 5:00 p.m.
EDT, Friday, August 6, 2021. The
subject of the email may state ‘‘Agenda
Speaker Registration for HOP Panel
Meeting.’’
I. Background
B. Meeting Information Updates
The Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services (the
Secretary) is required by section
1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security Act
(the Act) and is allowed by section 222
of the Public Health Service Act (PHA)
to consult with an expert outside Panel,
such as the Advisory Panel on Hospital
Outpatient Payment (the Panel),
regarding the clinical integrity of the
Ambulatory Payment Classification
(APC) groups and relative payment
weights. The Panel is governed by the
provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463), as
amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), to set
forth standards for the formation and
use of advisory Panels. We consider the
technical advice provided by the Panel
as we prepare the proposed and final
rules to update the Hospital Outpatient
Prospective Payment System (OPPS) for
the following calendar year (CY).
The actual meeting hours and days
will be posted in the agenda. As
information and updates regarding this
webinar and listen-only teleconference,
including the agenda, become available,
they will be posted to our website at:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-andGuidance/Guidance/FACA/
AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPayment
ClassificationGroups.
ADDRESSES:
A. Meeting Agenda
Meeting location and webinar: The
meeting will be held virtually. The
public may participate in this meeting
by webinar, or listen-only via
teleconference. Closed captioning will
be available on the webinar.
Teleconference dial-in and webinar
information will appear on the final
meeting agenda, which will be posted
on our website when available at:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-andGuidance/Guidance/FACA/Advisory
PanelonAmbulatory
PaymentClassificationGroups.
News media: Press inquiries are
handled through the CMS Press Office
at (202) 690–6145.
Advisory committees information
line: The telephone number for the
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient
Payment Committee Hotline is (410)
786–3985.
Websites: For additional information
on the Panel, including the Panel
charter, and updates to the Panel’s
activities, we refer readers to view our
website at: https://www.cms.gov/
Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/
FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatory
PaymentClassificationGroups.
Information about the Panel and its
membership in the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) database are also
located at: https://
www.facadatabase.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elise Barringer, Designated Federal
Official (DFO) (410) 786–9222, email at:
APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:49 Jul 22, 2021
Jkt 253001
II. Annual Advisory Panel Meeting
The agenda for the August 23, 2021
Panel meeting will provide for
discussion and comment on the
following topics as designated in the
Panel’s Charter:
• Addressing whether procedures
within an APC group are similar both
clinically and in terms of resource use.
• Reconfiguring APCs.
• Evaluating APC group weights.
• Reviewing packaging the cost of
items and services, including drugs and
devices, into procedures and services,
including the methodology for
packaging and the impact of packaging
the cost of those items and services on
APC group structure and payment.
• Removing procedures from the
inpatient only list for payment under
the OPPS.
• Using claims and cost report data
for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) determination of APC
group costs.
• Addressing other technical issues
concerning APC group structure.
• Evaluating the required level of
supervision for hospital outpatient
services.
• OPPS APC rates for covered
Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC)
procedures.
The Agenda will be posted on our
website at: https://www.cms.gov/
Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/
FACA/AdvisoryPanelon
AmbulatoryPaymentClassification
Groups approximately 1 week before the
meeting.
PO 00000
Frm 00057
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
C. Presentations and Comment Letters
The subject matter of any presentation
and comment letter must be within the
scope of the Panel as designated in the
Charter. Any presentations or comments
outside of the scope of the Panel will be
returned or requested for amendment.
Unrelated topics include, but are not
limited to: The conversion factor, charge
compression, revisions to the cost
report, pass-through payments, correct
coding, new technology applications
(including supporting information/
documentation), provider payment
adjustments, supervision of hospital
outpatient diagnostic services, and the
types of practitioners that are permitted
to supervise hospital outpatient
services. The Panel may not recommend
that services be designated as
nonsurgical extended duration
therapeutic services. Presentations or
Comment Letters that address OPPS
APC rates as they relate to covered ASC
procedures are within the scope of the
Panel’s charter; however, ASC payment
rates, ASC payment indicators, the ASC
covered procedures list, or other ASC
payment system matters will be
considered out of scope. The Panel may
use data collected or developed by
entities and organizations other than
Department of Health and Human
Services and CMS in conducting its
review. We recommend organizations
submit data for CMS staff and the
Panel’s review. All presentations are
limited to 5 minutes, regardless of the
number of individuals or organizations
represented by a single presentation.
Presenters may use their 5 minutes to
present either one or more agenda items.
In the email, all of the following
information must be submitted when
registering:
• Speaker’s name.
• Speaker’s organization or company
name.
• Company or organization that the
speaker is representing that submitted a
presentation or comment letter that is
on the agenda.
• Email addresses to which materials
regarding meeting registration and
instructions on connecting to the
meeting may be sent.
E:\FR\FM\23JYN1.SGM
23JYN1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 139 / Friday, July 23, 2021 / Notices
Registration details may not be
revised once they are submitted. If
registration details require changes, a
new registration entry must be
submitted by August 06, 2021. In
addition, registration information must
reflect individual-level content and not
reflect an organization entry. Also, each
individual may only register one person
at a time (that is, one individual may
not register multiple individuals at the
same time).
A confirmation email will be sent
upon receipt of the registration. The
email will provide information to the
speaker in preparation for the meeting.
Registration is only required for
agenda speakers and alternates and
must be submitted by the deadline
specified above. We note that no
registration is required for participants
who plan to view the Panel meeting by
webinar or listen teleconference.
2. Form CMS–20017, with complete
contact information that includes the
names, addresses, phone numbers, and
email addresses for all presenters;
comment letters; and a contact person
who can answer any questions and
provide revisions that are requested for
the presentation or comment letter.
Presenters and commenter letters must
clearly explain the actions that they are
requesting CMS take in the appropriate
section of the form. A presenter or
commenter’s relationship with the
organization that they represent must
also be clearly listed.
• The form is available through the
CMS Forms website at: https://
www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/
CMS-Forms/downloads/cms20017.pdf.
• We encourage submitters to make
efforts to ensure that their presentations
and comment letters are 508 compliant.
Section 508 Compliance
In addition to formal presentations
(limited to 5 minutes total per
presentation), there will be an
opportunity during the meeting for
public comments as time permits
(limited to 1 minute for each individual
and a total of 3 minutes per
organization).
For this meeting, we are aiming to
have all presentations and comment
letters available on our website.
Materials on our website must be
Section 508 compliant to ensure access
to federal employees and members of
the public with and without disabilities.
We encourage presenters and
commenters to reference the guidance
on making documents section 508
compliant as they draft their
submissions, and, whenever possible, to
submit their presentations and comment
letters in a 508 compliant form. Such
guidance is available at: https://
www.cms.gov/research-statistics-dataand-systems/cms-informationtechnology/section508.
We will review presentations and
comment letters for 508 compliance and
place compliant materials on our
website. As resources permit, we will
also convert non-compliant submissions
to 508 compliant forms, and offer
assistance to submitters who are making
their submissions 508 compliant. All
508 compliant presentations and
comment letters will be made available
on the CMS website. If difficulties are
encountered accessing the materials,
contact the Designated Federal Official
(DFO) (the DFO’s address, email, and
phone number are provided in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this notice).
In order to consider presentations
and/or comment letters, we will need to
receive the following:
1. An email copy of the presentation
or comment letters sent to the DFO
mailbox: APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:49 Jul 22, 2021
Jkt 253001
D. Formal Presentations
E. Panel Recommendations and
Discussions
The Panel’s recommendations at any
Panel meeting generally are not final
until they have been reviewed and
approved by the Panel on the last day
of the meeting, before the final
adjournment. These recommendations
will be posted to our website after the
meeting.
F. Membership Appointments to the
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient
Payment
The Panel Charter provides that the
Panel may meet up to 3 times annually.
We consider the technical advice
provided by the Panel as we prepare the
proposed and final rules to update the
OPPS for the following 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. The Panel
may also include a representative of the
provider with ASC expertise, who may
advise CMS only on OPPS APC rates, as
appropriate, impacting ASC covered
procedures within the context and
purview of the Panel’s scope. The
Secretary or a designee selects the Panel
membership based upon either selfnominations or nominations submitted
PO 00000
Frm 00058
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
39027
by Medicare providers and other
interested organizations of candidates
determined to have the required
expertise. For supervision deliberations,
the Panel may include members that
represent the interests of Critical Access
Hospitals, who advise CMS only
regarding the level of supervision for
hospital outpatient therapeutic services.
New appointments are made in a
manner that ensures a balanced
membership under the FACA
guidelines. The Secretary rechartered
the Panel in 2020 for a 2-year period
effective through November 20, 2022.
The current charter is available on the
CMS website at: https://www.cms.gov/
files/document/2020-hop-panelcharter.pdf. The Panel presently
consists of members and a Chair named
below.
• E.L. Hambrick, M.D., J.D., CMS
Chairperson
• Terry Bohlke, C.P.A., C.M.A, M.H.A.,
C.A.S.C
• Carmen Cooper-Oguz, P.T., D.P.T,
M.B.A, C.W.S, W.C.C
• Paul Courtney, M.D.
• Peter Duffy, M.D.
• Lisa Gangarosa, M.D.
• Michael Kuettel, M.D., M.B.A, Ph.D.
• Scott Manaker, M.D., Ph.D.
• Brian Nester, D.O., M.B.A.
• Bo Gately, M.B.A.
• Matthew Wheatley, M.D., F.A.C.E.P.
III. 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.).
The Administrator of the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS),
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, having
reviewed and approved this document,
authorizes Lynette Wilson, who is the
Federal Register Liaison, to
electronically sign this document for
purposes of publication in the Federal
Register.
Dated: July 20, 2021.
Lynette Wilson,
Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2021–15727 Filed 7–22–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
E:\FR\FM\23JYN1.SGM
23JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 139 (Friday, July 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39025-39027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15727]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-1764-N]
Medicare Program; Announcement of the Advisory Panel on Hospital
Outpatient Payment Meeting
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces a virtual meeting of the Advisory Panel
on Hospital Outpatient Payment (the Panel) for Calendar Year 2021. The
purpose of the Panel is to advise the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning the clinical integrity of the
Ambulatory Payment Classification groups and their associated weights,
and supervision of hospital outpatient therapeutic services. The advice
provided by the Panel will be considered as we prepare the annual
updates for the hospital outpatient prospective payment system.
DATES: Meeting date: The virtual meeting of the Panel is scheduled for
Monday, August 23, 2021, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight
Time (EDT). The times listed in this notice are EDT and are approximate
times. Consequently, the meetings may last longer or be shorter than
the times listed in this notice, but would not begin before the posted
time.
Deadline for presentations and comment letters: Presentations or
[[Page 39026]]
comment letters, and form CMS-20017 (located at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/downloads/cms20017.pdf), must be received
by 5:00 p.m. EDT, Friday, August 6, 2021. We note that form CMS-20017
must accompany each presentation or comment letter submission.
Presentations and comment letters that are not received by the due date
and time, or that do not include a completed form CMS-20017 are
considered late or incomplete, and cannot be included on the agenda. In
commenting, refer to file code CMS-1764-N.
Meeting Registration Timeframe: All presentation or comment letter
speakers, including any alternates, with items on the agenda must
register electronically to our Panel mailbox, [email protected] no
later than 5:00 p.m. EDT, Friday, August 6, 2021. The subject of the
email may state ``Agenda Speaker Registration for HOP Panel Meeting.''
ADDRESSES:
Meeting location and webinar: The meeting will be held virtually.
The public may participate in this meeting by webinar, or listen-only
via teleconference. Closed captioning will be available on the webinar.
Teleconference dial-in and webinar information will appear on the final
meeting agenda, which will be posted on our website when available at:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.
News media: Press inquiries are handled through the CMS Press
Office at (202) 690-6145.
Advisory committees information line: The telephone number for the
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment Committee Hotline is
(410) 786-3985.
Websites: For additional information on the Panel, including the
Panel charter, and updates to the Panel's activities, we refer readers
to view our website at: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.
Information about the Panel and its membership in the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) database are also located at: https://www.facadatabase.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elise Barringer, Designated Federal
Official (DFO) (410) 786-9222, email at: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the
Secretary) is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security
Act (the Act) and is allowed by section 222 of the Public Health
Service Act (PHA) to consult with an expert outside Panel, such as the
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (the Panel), regarding
the clinical integrity of the Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC)
groups and relative payment weights. The Panel is governed by the
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), as
amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), to set forth standards for the formation
and use of advisory Panels. We consider the technical advice provided
by the Panel as we prepare the proposed and final rules to update the
Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) for the following
calendar year (CY).
II. Annual Advisory Panel Meeting
A. Meeting Agenda
The agenda for the August 23, 2021 Panel meeting will provide for
discussion and comment on the following topics as designated in the
Panel's Charter:
Addressing whether procedures within an APC group are
similar both clinically and in terms of resource use.
Reconfiguring APCs.
Evaluating APC group weights.
Reviewing packaging the cost of items and services,
including drugs and devices, into procedures and services, including
the methodology for packaging and the impact of packaging the cost of
those items and services on APC group structure and payment.
Removing procedures from the inpatient only list for
payment under the OPPS.
Using claims and cost report data for Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services (CMS) determination of APC group costs.
Addressing other technical issues concerning APC group
structure.
Evaluating the required level of supervision for hospital
outpatient services.
OPPS APC rates for covered Ambulatory Surgical Center
(ASC) procedures.
The Agenda will be posted on our website at: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups approximately 1
week before the meeting.
B. Meeting Information Updates
The actual meeting hours and days will be posted in the agenda. As
information and updates regarding this webinar and listen-only
teleconference, including the agenda, become available, they will be
posted to our website at: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.
C. Presentations and Comment Letters
The subject matter of any presentation and comment letter must be
within the scope of the Panel as designated in the Charter. Any
presentations or comments outside of the scope of the Panel will be
returned or requested for amendment. Unrelated topics include, but are
not limited to: The conversion factor, charge compression, revisions to
the cost report, pass-through payments, correct coding, new technology
applications (including supporting information/documentation), provider
payment adjustments, supervision of hospital outpatient diagnostic
services, and the types of practitioners that are permitted to
supervise hospital outpatient services. The Panel may not recommend
that services be designated as nonsurgical extended duration
therapeutic services. Presentations or Comment Letters that address
OPPS APC rates as they relate to covered ASC procedures are within the
scope of the Panel's charter; however, ASC payment rates, ASC payment
indicators, the ASC covered procedures list, or other ASC payment
system matters will be considered out of scope. The Panel may use data
collected or developed by entities and organizations other than
Department of Health and Human Services and CMS in conducting its
review. We recommend organizations submit data for CMS staff and the
Panel's review. All presentations are limited to 5 minutes, regardless
of the number of individuals or organizations represented by a single
presentation. Presenters may use their 5 minutes to present either one
or more agenda items.
In the email, all of the following information must be submitted
when registering:
Speaker's name.
Speaker's organization or company name.
Company or organization that the speaker is representing
that submitted a presentation or comment letter that is on the agenda.
Email addresses to which materials regarding meeting
registration and instructions on connecting to the meeting may be sent.
[[Page 39027]]
Registration details may not be revised once they are submitted. If
registration details require changes, a new registration entry must be
submitted by August 06, 2021. In addition, registration information
must reflect individual-level content and not reflect an organization
entry. Also, each individual may only register one person at a time
(that is, one individual may not register multiple individuals at the
same time).
A confirmation email will be sent upon receipt of the registration.
The email will provide information to the speaker in preparation for
the meeting.
Registration is only required for agenda speakers and alternates
and must be submitted by the deadline specified above. We note that no
registration is required for participants who plan to view the Panel
meeting by webinar or listen teleconference.
Section 508 Compliance
For this meeting, we are aiming to have all presentations and
comment letters available on our website. Materials on our website must
be Section 508 compliant to ensure access to federal employees and
members of the public with and without disabilities. We encourage
presenters and commenters to reference the guidance on making documents
section 508 compliant as they draft their submissions, and, whenever
possible, to submit their presentations and comment letters in a 508
compliant form. Such guidance is available at: https://www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-and-systems/cms-information-technology/section508.
We will review presentations and comment letters for 508 compliance
and place compliant materials on our website. As resources permit, we
will also convert non-compliant submissions to 508 compliant forms, and
offer assistance to submitters who are making their submissions 508
compliant. All 508 compliant presentations and comment letters will be
made available on the CMS website. If difficulties are encountered
accessing the materials, contact the Designated Federal Official (DFO)
(the DFO's address, email, and phone number are provided in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice).
In order to consider presentations and/or comment letters, we will
need to receive the following:
1. An email copy of the presentation or comment letters sent to the
DFO mailbox: [email protected].
2. Form CMS-20017, with complete contact information that includes
the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses for all
presenters; comment letters; and a contact person who can answer any
questions and provide revisions that are requested for the presentation
or comment letter. Presenters and commenter letters must clearly
explain the actions that they are requesting CMS take in the
appropriate section of the form. A presenter or commenter's
relationship with the organization that they represent must also be
clearly listed.
The form is available through the CMS Forms website at:
https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/downloads/cms20017.pdf.
We encourage submitters to make efforts to ensure that
their presentations and comment letters are 508 compliant.
D. Formal Presentations
In addition to formal presentations (limited to 5 minutes total per
presentation), there will be an opportunity during the meeting for
public comments as time permits (limited to 1 minute for each
individual and a total of 3 minutes per organization).
E. Panel Recommendations and Discussions
The Panel's recommendations at any Panel meeting generally are not
final until they have been reviewed and approved by the Panel on the
last day of the meeting, before the final adjournment. These
recommendations will be posted to our website after the meeting.
F. Membership Appointments to the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient
Payment
The Panel Charter provides that the Panel may meet up to 3 times
annually. We consider the technical advice provided by the Panel as we
prepare the proposed and final rules to update the OPPS for the
following 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. The Panel may
also include a representative of the provider with ASC expertise, who
may advise CMS only on OPPS APC rates, as appropriate, impacting ASC
covered procedures within the context and purview of the Panel's scope.
The Secretary or a designee selects the Panel membership based upon
either self-nominations or nominations submitted by Medicare providers
and other interested organizations of candidates determined to have the
required expertise. For supervision deliberations, the Panel may
include members that represent the interests of Critical Access
Hospitals, who advise CMS only regarding the level of supervision for
hospital outpatient therapeutic services. New appointments are made in
a manner that ensures a balanced membership under the FACA guidelines.
The Secretary rechartered the Panel in 2020 for a 2-year period
effective through November 20, 2022. The current charter is available
on the CMS website at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/2020-hop-panel-charter.pdf. The Panel presently consists of members and a Chair
named below.
E.L. Hambrick, M.D., J.D., CMS Chairperson
Terry Bohlke, C.P.A., C.M.A, M.H.A., C.A.S.C
Carmen Cooper-Oguz, P.T., D.P.T, M.B.A, C.W.S, W.C.C
Paul Courtney, M.D.
Peter Duffy, M.D.
Lisa Gangarosa, M.D.
Michael Kuettel, M.D., M.B.A, Ph.D.
Scott Manaker, M.D., Ph.D.
Brian Nester, D.O., M.B.A.
Bo Gately, M.B.A.
Matthew Wheatley, M.D., F.A.C.E.P.
III. 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.).
The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS), Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, having reviewed and approved this
document, authorizes Lynette Wilson, who is the Federal Register
Liaison, to electronically sign this document for purposes of
publication in the Federal Register.
Dated: July 20, 2021.
Lynette Wilson,
Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2021-15727 Filed 7-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
