[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 108 (Monday, June 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35654-35655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14091]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[HCFA-1137-N]


Medicare Program; Announcement of a Series of National and 
Regional Training Sessions To Provide Training to Medicare+Choice 
Organizations and Others Concerning Data Requirements, and the Timely 
and Accurate Submission of Physician and Hospital Outpatient Encounter 
Data To Support a Comprehensive Risk Adjustment Model.

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

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a series of national and regional 
training sessions to provide Medicare+Choice organizations, providers, 
practitioners, and others with appropriate technical training to enable 
them to submit timely and accurate physician and hospital outpatient 
encounter data. The national training sessions will address the 
following topics:
     Data requirements and edits for physician encounter data.
     Data requirements and edits for hospital outpatient 
encounter data.
    Overview of Comprehensive Risk Adjustment models and timeline. 
Review of workflow associated with encounter data transactions. 
Communications and connectivity to the Palmetto Data Network and the 
Encounter Data Front-End Edits system.
     Tracking status and disposition of encounter data 
submissions.
     Review of training events and customer support services. 
The regional meetings will deal with the specific requirements for 
submission of physician encounter data and hospital outpatient 
encounter data.

[[Page 35655]]


NATIONAL TRAINING DATES: The Physician National Training session is 
scheduled for June 19, 2000 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Eastern Time. The 
Hospital Outpatient National Training session is scheduled for 
September 15, 2000 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Eastern Time.

NATIONAL ADDRESSES: The National meetings on June 19, 2000 and 
September 15, 2000 will be held in the HCFA Auditorium, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21244-1850.

REGIONAL TRAINING DATES AND CITIES: The Physician Regional Training 
sessions will be held as follows:

Physician Encounter Data Training Schedule 2000

Date and Location

June 29-30, 2000:
    BOSTON, MA--Sheraton Boston Hotel, 39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA 
02199, (617) 236-2000
July 6-7, 2000:
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA--Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason Street, San Francisco, 
CA 94102, (415) 394-1111
July 11-12, 2000:
    CHICAGO, IL--The Drake Hotel, 140 East Walton Place, Chicago, IL 
60611, (312) 787-2200
July 17-18, 2000:
    ATLANTA, GA--Hyatt Regency, 265 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, 
GA 30303, (404) 577-1234

    The Hospital Outpatient Regional Training sessions will be held as 
follows:

Hospital Outpatient Encounter Data Training Schedule 2000

Date and Location

September 18-19, 2000:
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA--San Francisco Airport, Marriott 1800 Old 
Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, CA 94010, (650) 692-9100
September 21-22, 2000:
    ATLANTA, GA--Wyndham Atlanta, 160 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA 
30303, (404) 688-8600
October 16-17, 2000:
    CHICAGO, IL--Westin O'Hare, 6100 River Road, Rosemont, IL 60018, 
(847) 698-6000
October 19-20, 2000:
    BOSTON, MA--Boston Park Plaza Hotel, 64 Arlington Street, 
Boston, MA 02116, (617) 426-2000

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Encounter Data Representative at (301) 
519-6700 or e-mail us with your questions at 
[email protected]. Please refer to the HCFA Advisory 
Committees Information Lines 1(877) 449-5659 toll free or (410) 786-
9379 local or via the Internet at hhtp:www.hcfa.gov/fac for additional 
information and updates on committee activities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) (Public Law 105-33) 
established the Medicare+Choice program. Under the BBA, we must 
implement a risk adjustment methodology that accounts for variations in 
per capita costs based on health status and other demographic factors 
for payment to Medicare+Choice organizations (M+COs). Risk adjustment 
implementation began January 1, 2000.
    The BBA also gives us the authority to collect inpatient hospital 
data for discharges on or after July 1, 1997, and additional data for 
services occurring on or after July 1, 1998. Pending OMB approval, 
M+COs must submit physician and hospital outpatient encounter data on 
the following schedule:
     October 1, 2000: Submission of physician encounters 
begins.
     January 1, 2001: Submission of hospital outpatient 
encounters begin with dates of services retroactive to October 1, 2000.
    This notice announces these training sessions to provide an 
opportunity for M+COs, providers, practitioners, and others to obtain 
information on the requirements for the collection of physician and 
hospital outpatient encounter data. These training sessions will also 
provide additional information on our data collection efforts, systems 
processes, training approach, and customer service support. Subsequent 
to these sessions we will implement user groups to facilitate ongoing 
discussions and training support. We are announcing these training 
sessions to provide physician and hospital outpatient data requirements 
and to allow individuals and organizations familiar with issues related 
to physician and hospital outpatient data collection to raise questions 
that can be answered in these and subsequent training sessions. The 
agenda for each session will include presentations by Aspen Systems 
Corporation, the encounter data training contractor, on related topics 
and will conclude with a question-and-answer period.

Registration

    Registration for these training sessions is required and will be on 
a first-come, first-served basis, limited to two attendees per 
organization. A waiting list will be available for additional requests. 
Registration can be accomplished via the Internet at www.hcfa.gov/events or by completing a paper form available at the aforementioned 
Internet address. A confirmation notice will be sent to attendees upon 
finalization of registration.
    Attendees will be provided with training materials at the time of 
the training session. We will accept written questions or requests for 
training materials either before the session or up to 14 days after the 
session. These written questions or requests must be sent to: Aspen 
Systems Corporation, ATTN: Wanda Keyes, Mail Stop 9Y, 2277 Research 
Boulevard, Rockville, Maryland 20850.
    You may also contact Encounter Data Representative: Telephone 
Number: (301) 519-6700, Fax Number: (301) 519-6360, E-mail: 
[email protected].

(Authority: Sections 1851 through 1859 of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395w-21 through 1395w-28))

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

    Dated: May 31, 2000.
Nancy-Ann Min DeParle,
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-14091 Filed 6-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P