[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 124 (Friday, June 27, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38269-38270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16053]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

42 CFR Chapter IV

[CMS-6012-N6]
RIN 0938-AL13


Medicare Program; Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Special 
Payment Provisions and Requirements for Prosthetics and Certain Custom-
Fabricated Orthotics; Meeting Announcement

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, this notice announces an additional public meeting of 
the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Special Payment Provisions and 
Requirements for Prosthetics and Certain Custom-Fabricated Orthotics. 
The Committee was mandated by section 427 of the Medicare, Medicaid, 
and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA).

DATES: The final negotiated rulemaking committee meeting will be held 
July 14, 2003 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. e.s.t.
    This meeting is open to the public. If the Committee decides to 
hold another meeting, that meeting will be announced in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: The Committee meeting will be held in the multipurpose room

[[Page 38270]]

at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Blvd., 
Baltimore, Maryland 21244.
    Meeting Registration: Because this meeting will be located on 
Federal property, for security reasons, all individuals must register 
to attend. Any persons wishing to attend this meeting must e-mail 
[email protected] or call Theresa Linkowich at (410) 786-9249 to 
register by close of business on July 10, 2003. Attendees must show 
valid photographic identification to the Federal Protective Service or 
Guard Service personnel before they will be permitted to enter the 
building. Individuals who have not registered in advance will not be 
allowed to enter the building to attend the meeting. Seating capacity 
is limited to the first 250 registrants.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theresa Linkowich, (410) 786-9249 
(General inquiries concerning prosthetics and custom-fabricated 
orthotics), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 7500 
Security Blvd, Baltimore MD 21244; or
    Lynn Sylvester, 202-606-9140, Federal Mediation and Conciliation 
Services, 2100 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20427; or Ira Lobel, 518-
431-0130, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, 1 Clinton 
Square, Room 952, Albany, NY 12207

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We published a notice in the Federal 
Register on July 26, 2002 (67 FR 48839-48840) announcing the 
establishment of the negotiated rulemaking committee to advise us on 
developing a proposed rule that would establish special payment 
provisions and requirements for suppliers of prosthetics and certain 
custom-fabricated orthotics under the Medicare program. The notice also 
announced dates for the Committee's first two meetings on October 1-3, 
2002 and October 29-31, 2002. Subsequent meetings were announced in the 
Federal Register at 67 FR 70358 (November 22, 2002), 68 FR 3482 
(January 24, 2003), and 68 FR 15139 (March 28, 2003).
    Through face-to-face negotiations, the Committee hopes to reach 
consensus on the substance of the proposed rule. If consensus is 
reached, the Committee will transmit to us a report containing required 
information for developing a proposed rule and we will use the report 
as the basis for the proposed rule. The Committee is responsible for 
identifying the key issues, gauging their importance, analyzing the 
information necessary to resolve the issues, arriving at a consensus, 
and recommending the text and content of the proposed regulation. 
Detailed information is available on the CMS Internet Home Page: http://cms.hhs.gov/faca/prosthetic/ or by calling the Federal Advisory 
Committee Hotline at (410) 786-9379. Out-of-town callers can reach the 
Hotline by calling toll free at 1-877-449-5659.
    The Agenda for the July 14 meeting will be as follows:
    1. Review of the June 2 and 3 minutes.
    2. Final discussion of statutory terms to be further defined by 
regulation.
    3. Final discussion on L codes.
    4. Final discussion on qualifications as defined in the statute.
    5. Draft, revise, and sign the Committee's report containing the 
negotiated provisions of the proposed rule.

Public Participation

    All interested parties are invited to attend these public meetings, 
but attendance is limited to the space available. Advance registration 
is required. Seating will be available on a first-come first'served 
basis. Individuals requiring sign language interpretation for the 
hearing impaired or other special accommodations should contact Theresa 
Linkowich, [email protected] or call (410) 786-9249 at least 10 
days before the meeting. The Committee has the authority to decide to 
what extent oral presentations by members of the public may be 
permitted at the meeting. Oral presentations will be limited to 
statements of fact and views, and shall not include any questioning of 
the Committee members or other participants unless the facilitators 
have specifically approved these questions. The number of oral 
presentations may be limited by the time available.
    Interested parties can file statements with the Committee. Mail 
written statements to the following address: Federal Mediation and 
Conciliation Services, 2100 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20427, 
Attention: Lynn Sylvester, or call Lynn Sylvester at (202) 606-9140.

Additional Meetings

    The Committee does not anticipate the need for additional meetings. 
If additional meetings are necessary, we will publish notice(s) of the 
future meetings in the Federal Register. All future meetings will be 
open to the public.

    Authority: Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2)

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

    Dated: June 19, 2003.
Thomas A. Scully,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 03-16053 Filed 6-26-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P