[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 104 (Friday, May 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30660-30661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12049]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CM-3130-N]


Medicare Program; Meeting of the Medicare Coverage Advisory 
Committee--July 14, 2004

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting of the Medicare 
Coverage Advisory Committee (MCAC). This Committee provides advice and 
recommendations about whether scientific evidence is adequate to 
determine whether certain medical items and services are reasonable and 
necessary under the Medicare statute. The Committee will discuss and 
make

[[Page 30661]]

recommendations regarding using transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) 
and percutaneous myocardial revascularization (PMR) to treat severe 
angina.
    Notice is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App. 2, section 10(a)(1) and (a)(2)).

DATES: The Meeting: The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 
14, 2004 from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. e.d.t., at the Holiday Inn 
Inner Harbor, 301 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.
    Special Accommodations: For anyone attending the meeting who is 
hearing or visually impaired, or who requires special assistance or 
accommodations, please notify the Executive Secretary by June 25, 2004 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    Presentations and Comments: Interested persons may present data, 
information, or views orally or in writing on issues pending before the 
Committee. Please submit written comments to Michelle Atkinson, by 
email at [email protected] or by mail to the Executive Secretary, 
Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C1-09-06, 
Baltimore, MD 21244.
    Deadline for Presentations and Comments: Written comments must be 
received by June 25, 2004, 5 p.m., e.d.t.
    Web site: You may access up-to-date information on this meeting at 
www.cms.gov/coverage.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Atkinson, Executive 
Secretary, by telephone at 410-786-2881 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 14, 1998, we published a notice 
in the Federal Register (63 FR 68780) to describe the Medicare Coverage 
Advisory Committee, which provides advice and recommendations to us 
about clinical issues. This notice announces a public meeting of the 
Committee.
    Meeting Topic: The Committee will discuss the evidence, hear 
presentations and public comment, and make recommendations regarding 
the use of transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) and percutaneous 
myocardial revascularization (PMR) for treatment of severe angina. TMR 
is a surgical technique that uses a laser to bore holes through the 
myocardium of the heart in an attempt to restore perfusion to areas of 
the heart not being reached due to diseased or clogged arteries; PMR is 
a subset of this technique which is less invasive and is used as a late 
or last resort to relieve symptoms of severe angina in patients 
suffering ischemic heart disease who are not amenable to direct 
coronary revascularization interventions such as angioplasty, stenting, 
or open coronary bypass. Background information about this topic, 
including panel materials, is available on the Internet at http://www.cms.gov/coverage.
    Procedure: This meeting is open to the public. The Committee will 
hear oral presentations from the public for approximately 45 minutes. 
The Committee may limit the number and duration of oral presentations 
to the time available. If you wish to make formal presentations, you 
must notify the Executive Secretary named in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice, and submit the following by 
June 25, 2004, 5 p.m., e.d.t.: A brief statement of the general nature 
of the evidence or arguments you wish to present, and the names and 
addresses of proposed participants. A written copy of your presentation 
must be provided to each Committee member before offering your public 
comments. Your presentation must address the questions asked by CMS to 
the Committee. If the specific questions are not addressed your 
presentation will not be accepted. The questions will be available on 
the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.gov/coverage/mcac. We request that 
you declare at the meeting whether or not you have any financial 
involvement with manufacturers of any items or services being discussed 
(or with their competitors).
    After the public and CMS presentations, the Committee will 
deliberate openly on the topic. Interested persons may observe the 
deliberations, but the Committee will not hear further comments during 
this time except at the request of the chairperson. The Committee will 
also allow a 15-minute unscheduled open public session for any attendee 
to address issues specific to the topic. At the conclusion of the day, 
the members will vote, and the Committee will make its recommendation.

    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: May 6, 2004.
Sean R. Tunis,
Director, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, Chief Medical 
Officer, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 04-12049 Filed 5-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P