[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 24 (Monday, February 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8974-8975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2941]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[HCFA-3061-N]


Medicare Program; Meetings of the Medical Devices and Prosthetics 
Panel and the Executive Committee of the Medicare Coverage Advisory 
Committee; February 21 and 22, 2001

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

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces public meetings of the Medical Devices 
and Prosthetics Panel (the Panel) and the Executive Committee (EC) of 
the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee (MCAC). The Panel and the EC 
will provide advice and recommendations to HCFA about clinical issues.
    On Wednesday, February 21, 2001, the Panel will hear and discuss 
presentations from interested persons regarding ambulatory blood 
pressure monitoring for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. On 
Thursday, February 22, 2001, the meeting of the EC will be to discuss 
comments received on the March 1, 2000, interim recommendations for 
evaluating effectiveness of the MCAC process. It will also ratify or 
comment on the recommendations of the Medical and Surgical Procedures 
Panel meeting that took place on October 17 and 18, 2000 regarding both 
electrostimulation for the treatment of chronic wounds and sacral nerve 
stimulation for the treatment of incontinence.
    Notice of these meetings is given under the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)(1) and (a)(2)).

DATES: The Meetings: The meetings will be held on Wednesday, February 
21, and Thursday, February 22, 2001, respectively, from 8 a.m. until 4 
p.m., E.S.T.
    Deadline for Presentation Notification and Comments: February 14, 
2001, 5 p.m., E.S.T.
    Special Accommodations: Persons attending the meetings who are 
hearing-or visually-impaired, and/or have a condition that requires 
special assistance/accommodations, are asked to notify the respective 
Executive Secretaries by February 14, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The Meetings: The meetings will be held at the Baltimore 
Convention Center, Rooms 327 and 328 (for both days), One West Pratt 
Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.
    Presentations and Comments: Submit formal presentations and written 
comments for the Panel's discussion on ambulatory blood pressure 
monitoring for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension to Patricia 
M. Brocato-Simons, Executive Secretary, Office of Clinical Standards 
and Quality, Health Care Financing Administration, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Mail Stop S3-02-01, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    Submit formal presentations and written comments for the EC's 
discussions on interim recommendations for evaluating effectiveness of 
the MCAC process, or on electrostimulation for the treatment of chronic 
wounds and sacral nerve stimulation for the treatment of incontinence 
to Constance A. Conrad, Executive Secretary, Office of Clinical 
Standards and Quality, Health Care Financing Administration, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S3-02-01, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    Website: You may access up-to-date information on this meeting at 
www.hcfa.gov/quality/8b.htm.
    Hotline: You may access up-to-date information on this meeting on 
the HCFA Advisory Committee Information Hotline, 1-877-449-5659 (toll 
free) or in the Baltimore area (410) 786-9379.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia M. Brocato-Simons, Executive 
Secretary for the Panel, at 410-786-0261, or Constance A. Conrad, 
Executive Secretary for the EC, at 410-786-4631.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 13, 1999, we published a notice 
(64 FR 44231) to describe the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee 
(MCAC), which provides advice and recommendations to us about clinical 
issues. This notice announces the

[[Page 8975]]

following public meetings of the Medical Devices and Prosthetics Panel 
(the Panel) and the Executive Committee (EC) of the MCAC:

The Medical Devices and Prosthetics Panel and Invited Guests

    Harold Sox, Jr., M.D.; Ronald Davis, M.D.; Willarda Edwards, M.D.; 
John Hinton, D.O., M.P.H.; Anne Roberts, M.D.; Karl Matuszewski, M.S., 
PharmD; Thomas Strax, M.D.; Wade Aubry, M.D.; Rory Cooper, Ph.D.; and 
Eileen Helzner, M.D. In addition, two invitees will attend the Panel 
meeting and lend their respective expertise to the deliberations: 
Kenneth Brin, M.D., M.P.H, a current member of the Medical and Surgical 
Procedures Panel, with a specialty in the field of cardiology, will 
serve as a temporary, voting member of the Panel; and Parker Staples, 
M.D., the Carrier Medical Director for the State of Rhode Island, will 
serve as a temporary, non-voting guest of the Panel.

Topic of the Meeting

    On Wednesday, February 21, 2001, the Panel will hear and discuss 
presentations from interested persons regarding ambulatory blood 
pressure monitoring for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.

The EC Members:

    Alan M. Garber, M.D.; Michael D. Maves, M.D.; Daisy Alford-Smith, 
M.D.; Joe Johnson, D.C.; Harold Sox, M.D.; Ronald Davis, M.D.; Frank 
Papatheofanis, M.D., Ph.D.; John Ferguson, M.D.; Robert Murray, J.D., 
Ph.D.; Thomas Holohan, M.D., M.B.A.; Leslie Francis, Ph.D., J.D.; 
Robert Brook, M.D., Linda Bergthold; and Randel Richner, M.P.H.

Topic of the Meeting

    On Thursday, February 22, 2001, the EC will hear and discuss 
presentations from interested persons regarding comments received on 
interim recommendations for evaluating effectiveness of the MCAC 
process. The guidelines were developed on March 1, 2000, for the 
purpose of providing guidance to the specialty panels. It will also 
ratify or comment on recommendations regarding electrostimulation for 
the treatment of chronic wounds and sacral nerve stimulation, discussed 
by the Medical and Surgical Procedures Panel on October 17 and 18, 
2000.

Procedure and Agenda

    The meetings are open to the public. Oral presentations will be 
heard from the public for approximately 2.5 hours each meeting day. 
However, the number and duration of each oral presentation may be 
limited in recognition of the time available. If you wish to make 
formal presentations, you must notify the respective Executive 
Secretaries listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this notice, and submit the following by the Deadline for Presentations 
and Comments date listed in the DATES section of this notice: a brief 
statement of the general nature of the evidence or arguments you wish 
to present, the names and addresses of proposed participants, and an 
estimate of the time required to make the presentation. A written copy 
of your presentation will be provided to each Panel or EC member prior 
to offering your public comments. We will request that you declare at 
the meetings whether or not you have any financial involvement with 
manufacturers of any items or services being discussed (or with their 
respective competitors).
    After HCFA presentations, the public will be asked to make its 
presentations to the Panel (February 21) or the EC (February 22). After 
public presentations, the Panel or the EC will deliberate openly on the 
topic. Interested persons may observe the deliberations, but the Panel 
or the EC will not hear further comments during this time except at the 
request of the chairpersons. Each day, there will be approximately a 
30-minute open public session for any attendee to address issues 
specific to the topic. At the conclusion of each day, the respective 
members will vote, and the Panel or the EC will make its 
recommendations.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)(1) and (a)(2).


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

    Dated: January 26, 2001.
Jeffrey L. Kang,
Director, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, Health Care, 
Financing Administration
[FR Doc. 01-2941 Filed 2-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P