[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 67 (Thursday, April 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17184-17185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8849]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[HCFA-1071-N]


Medicare Program; April 23, 1999 Open Town Hall Meeting to 
Discuss the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF/
PPS) and Quality of Care in Nursing Facilities

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a Town Hall meeting to provide an 
opportunity for nursing homes, beneficiary advocates, and other 
interested parties to ask questions and raise issues regarding the 
prospective payment system for skilled nursing facilities and the 
quality of care in nursing facilities. The meeting represents one 
aspect of the evolving process for making our payment, coverage, and 
quality reviews more open and responsive to the public. The meeting 
will address the following topics:
     An update and future refinements to the skilled nursing 
facility/prospective payment system including a discussion of 
nontherapy ancillary services and consolidated billing.
     Outpatient therapy caps and other Part B issues.
     Skilled nursing facility coverage and medical review.
     Nursing home enforcement and quality issues.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for April 23, 1999 from 8:00 a.m. until 
5:00 p.m., E.D.T.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the HCFA headquarters 
auditorium, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21244.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jackie Gordon, (410) 786-4517, or 
Martha Kuespert, (410) 786-4605.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    We are announcing a Town Hall meeting to provide an opportunity for 
nursing homes, beneficiary advocates, and other interested parties to 
ask questions and raise issues regarding the skilled nursing facility 
(SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) and the quality of care in 
nursing homes. On May 12, 1998, we published an interim final rule with 
comment period to implement SNF PPS (63 FR 26252). Initially, we 
provided a 60-day period for public comment. In response to requests 
from the industry, we extended the comment period twice (see 63 FR 
37498 (July 13, 1998) and 63 FR 65561 (November 27, 1998)). The comment 
period for the SNF PPS interim final rule ended on December 28, 1998. 
We are currently developing the final rule and we expect to publish it 
soon. In developing the final rule, we are considering all public 
comments properly submitted during the public comment period. We will 
not accept any further comments on the interim final rule at this Town 
Hall meeting; that is, this meeting does not mean we are extending the 
public comment period.
    In addition to the implementation of SNF PPS, we have embarked on 
an ambitious program to improve the quality of care in all nursing 
facilities. These two major initiatives have had wide-ranging effects 
on nursing facilities. The public has raised questions about how we 
propose to implement various aspects of these initiatives; how they 
interrelate; and how, and to what extent, we currently anticipate 
acting on current research and experience as a means of initiating 
future improvements in our quality assurance and payment systems.
    This Town Hall meeting provides a forum for addressing these 
issues. We anticipate participation by nursing homes, nursing home 
organizations, hospital organizations, professional medical and allied 
health organizations, therapy and other nursing home supplier 
organization groups, national nursing home advocacy organizations, the 
press, and other members of the public with an interest in future SNF 
PPS and quality of care nursing home issues.
    We intend that the meeting will provide a forum for the 
aforementioned groups to ask questions and raise issues about SNF PPS 
and quality of care in nursing homes. We intend to discuss our research 
efforts and the general direction that we are moving toward concerning 
these topics.
    The format of the meeting will include an overview of the SNF PPS 
and quality of care topics. There will be a panel for each of the 
following topics:
     An update and future refinements to the skilled nursing 
facility/prospective payment system including a discussion of 
nontherapy ancillary services and consolidated billing.
     Outpatient therapy caps and other Part B issues.
     Skilled nursing facility coverage and medical review.
     Nursing home enforcement and quality issues.

We will allow short (10-20 minutes) presentations by the public and our 
staff on these topics. The meeting will conclude with a question-and-
answer session during which the public may raise issues related to the 
topics discussed.
    Individuals who wish to make a presentation or be panelists at the 
meeting must contact Jackie Gordon at (410) 786-4517 or via e-mail at 
JG[email protected] or Martha Kuespert at (410) 786-4605 or via e-mail 
MK[email protected] no later than April 16, 1999. It is important that 
parties wishing to participate at the meeting include the topic for the 
panel on which they wish to participate. Also, because of time 
constraints, only a limited number of parties will be able to make 
presentations. We will notify participants who have been selected to 
make a presentation. We will not assign presentation times until the 
end of the public notice period established by this notice.
    While the meeting is open to the public, attendance is limited to 
space available. Individuals must register in advance as described 
below.

Registration

    The Office of Professional Relations will handle registration for 
the meeting. Individuals may register by sending a fax to the attention 
of Bernice Harper, Ph.D., at the Office of Professional Relations. At 
the time of registration, please provide your name, address, telephone 
number, and fax number.
    Receipt of your fax will constitute confirmation of your 
registration. You will be provided with meeting materials at the time 
of the meeting.
    For fax registration, the number is 202-401-7438.
    If you have questions regarding registration please contact either

[[Page 17185]]

Bernice Harper, Ph.D., at 202-690-7899 or I. David Wolfson, J.D., 
R.Ph., at 410-786-4585.
    We will accept written questions or other materials, either before 
the meeting, or up to 14 days after the meeting. Written submissions 
should be sent to: Health Care Financing Administration, ATTN: Jackie 
Gordon, Room C5-06-25, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 
21244-1850. You may contact Ms. Gordon at: Telephone Number: (410) 786-
4517, Fax Number (410) 786-0765, E-mail: JG[email protected].

    Authority: Section 1102 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1302).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.773 
Medicare--Hospital Insurance Program; and No. 93.774, Medicare--
Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

    Dated: April 5, 1999.
Nancy-Ann Min DeParle,
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-8849 Filed 4-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P