[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 150 (Thursday, August 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47446-47448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17992]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1275-N]


Medicare Program; Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory 
Payment Classification Groups--September 1, 2, and 3, 2004

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of 
Health and Human Services (DHHS).

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA)(5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), this notice announces the 
second biannual meeting of the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment 
Classification (APC) Groups (the Panel) for 2004.

[[Page 47447]]

    The purpose of the Panel is to review the APC groups and their 
associated weights and to advise the Secretary, DHHS, (the Secretary) 
and the Administrator, CMS, (the Administrator) concerning the clinical 
integrity of the APC groups and their associated weights. The Secretary 
and the Administrator consider the Panel's advice as CMS prepares its 
annual updates of the hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System 
(OPPS) through rulemaking.

DATES: The second biannual meeting for 2004 is scheduled for the 
following dates and times: Wednesday, September 1, 2004, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. 
(e.d.t.); Thursday, September 2, 2004, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (e.d.t.); Friday, 
September 3, 2004, 8 a.m.-12 noon (e.d.t.).
    Deadlines:
    Deadline for Hardcopy and Electronic Comments or Suggested Agenda 
Topics--
     5 p.m. (e.d.t.), Wednesday, August 18, 2004.
    Deadline for Hardcopy and Electronic Presentations--
     5 p.m. (e.d.t.), Wednesday, August 18, 2004.
    Deadline for Attendance Registration--
     5 p.m. (e.d.t.), Monday, August 23, 2004.
    Deadline for Special Accommodations--
     5 p.m. (e.d.t.), Monday, August 23, 2004.

Submittal of Materials to the Designated Federal Officer (DFO)

    Because of staffing and resource limitations, we cannot accept 
written comments/presentations by facsimile (FAX), nor can we print 
written comments/presentations received electronically for 
dissemination at the meeting.
    Only hardcopy comments and presentations will be accepted for 
placement in the meeting booklets.
    We are also requiring electronic versions of the written comments 
and presentations (in addition to the hardcopies) for the Panel's 
review prior to the meeting.
    Therefore, you must send BOTH electronic and hardcopy versions of 
your presentations and written comments by the prescribed deadlines. 
(Electronic transmission must be sent to the e-mail address, and 
hardcopies must be mailed to the DFO, as shown below.)

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Multipurpose Room, 1st 
Floor, at the CMS Central Office, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, 
Maryland 21244-1850.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For inquiries regarding the meeting; 
meeting registration; and hardcopy submissions of oral presentations, 
agenda items, and comments, please use the following:
    Mailing Address: Shirl Ackerman-Ross, DFO, CMS, CMM, HAPG, DOC, 
7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C4-05-17, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. 
Phone number--(410) 786-4474. E-mail address--[email protected]. 
Public Affairs Office Phone Number--(202) 690-6145.
    News media representatives should contact our Public Affairs Office 
at this phone number.
    Advisory Committees' Information Lines: The CMS Advisory 
Committees' Information Line is 1-877-449-5659 (toll free) and (410) 
786-9379 (local).
    Web Sites: For additional information on the APC meeting agenda 
topics and/or updates to the Panel's activities, please search our 
Internet Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/faca/apc/default.asp.
    To obtain Charter copies, search our Internet Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/faca, or e-mail the DFO at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Secretary, DHHS, is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the 
Social Security Act (the Act), as amended by section 201(h)(1)(B) and 
redesignated by section 202(a)(2) of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP 
Balanced Budget Refinement Act (BBRA) of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-113), to 
establish and consult with an expert, outside advisory panel on APC 
groups. The Panel meets up to three times annually to review the APC 
groups and to provide technical advice to the Secretary and the 
Administrator concerning the clinical integrity of the groups and their 
associated weights. We will consider the technical advice provided by 
the Panel as we prepare the proposed rule that proposes changes to the 
OPPS for the next calendar year.
    The Panel may consist of up to 15 representatives who are full-time 
employees (not consultants) of Medicare providers, which are subject to 
the OPPS, and a Chair/Acting Chair. Panel members must have technical 
expertise that will enable them to fully participate in the Panel's 
work. The Administrator selected the Panel membership based upon either 
self-nominations or nominations submitted by providers or interested 
organizations. The Panel presently consists of the following members 
and an Acting Chair: Edith Hambrick, M.D., J.D.; Acting Chair, Marilyn 
Bedell, M.S., R.N., O.C.N.; Albert Brooks Einstein, Jr., M.D.; Robert 
E. Henkin, M.D.; Lee H. Hilborne, M.D., M.P.H. Stephen T. House, M.D.; 
Kathleen Kinslow, C.R.N.A., Ed.D.; Mike Metro, R.N., B.S.; Sandra J. 
Metzler, M.B.A., R.H.I.A., C.P.H.Q.*; Gerald V. Naccarelli, M.D.; Frank 
G. Opelka, M.D., F.A.C.S.; Beverly K. Philip, M.D.; Lou Ann 
Schraffenberger, M.B.A., R.H.I.A., C.C.S.-P*; Lynn R. Tomascik, R.N., 
M.S.N., C.N.A.A.; Timothy Gene Tyler, Pharm.D.; William Van Decker, 
M.D. (*New member as of April 1, 2004).

II. Agenda

    The agenda for the September 2004 meeting will provide for 
discussion and comment on the following topics as designated in the 
Panel's Charter:
     Reconfiguration of APCs (for example, splitting of APCs, 
moving Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System HCPCS) codes from one 
APC to another and moving HCPCS codes from new technology APCs to 
clinical APCs).
     Evaluation of APC weights.
     Packaging devices and drug costs into APCs: methodology, 
effect on APCs, and need for reconfiguring APCs based upon device and 
drug packaging.
     Removal of procedures from the inpatient list for payment 
under the OPPS.
     Use of single and multiple procedure claims data.
     Packaging of HCPCS codes.
     Other technical issues concerning APC structure.

III. Written Comments and Suggested Agenda Topics

    The DFO must receive the electronic and hardcopy written comments 
and suggested agenda topics by 5 p.m. (e.d.t.), Wednesday, August 18, 
2004.
    Additionally, the written comments and suggested agenda topics must 
fall within the subject categories listed above that are outlined in 
the Panel's Charter.

IV. Oral Presentations

    Individuals or organizations wishing to make 5-minute oral 
presentations must contact the DFO. The DFO must receive the electronic 
and hardcopy presentations by 5 p.m. (e.d.t.), on Wednesday, August 18, 
2004, in order to be scheduled.
    The number of oral presentations may be limited by the time 
available. Oral presentations must not exceed 5 minutes in length.
    The Acting Chair may further limit time allowed for presentations 
due to the number of oral presentations scheduled, if necessary.

[[Page 47448]]

V. Presenter and Presentation Criteria

    The additional criteria below must be supplied to the DFO by the 
August 18 deadline (along with hardcopies of presentations).
     Required personal information regarding presenter(s):
     Name of presenter(s),
     Title(s),
     Organizational affiliation,
     Address,
     E-mail address, and
     Telephone number(s).
    All presentations must contain, at a minimum, the following 
supporting information and data:
     Financial relationship(s) of presenter(s), if any, with 
any company whose products, services, or procedures that are under 
consideration;
     Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes 
involved;
     APC(s) affected;
     Description of the issue(s);
     Clinical description of the service under discussion (with 
comparison to other services within the APC);
     Recommendations and rationale for change;
     Expected outcome of change; and
     Potential consequences of not making the change(s).
    Form CMS-20017, Presenter/Presentation Information Checklist.
    To assist presenters in meeting the above criteria, Form CMS-20017, 
which identifies the specific standard for Panel presentations, can be 
found on our Internet Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/forms/cms20017.pdf.

VI. Oral Comments

    In addition to formal oral presentations, there will be opportunity 
during the meeting for public oral comments that will be limited to 1 
minute for each individual and a total of 5 minutes per organization.

VII. Meeting Attendance

    The meeting is open to the public; however, attendance is limited 
to space available. Attendance will be determined on a first-come, 
first-served basis.
    Persons wishing to attend this meeting, which is located on Federal 
property, must call or e-mail the Panel DFO to register in advance no 
later than 5 p.m. (e.d.t.), Monday, August 23, 2004.
    The following information must be e-mailed or telephoned to the DFO 
by the date and time above:
     Name(s) of attendee(s),
     Title(s),
     Organization,
     E-mail address(es), and
     Telephone number(s).

VIII. Security, Building, and Parking Guidelines

    Persons attending the meeting must present photographic 
identification to the Federal Protective Service or Guard Service 
personnel before they will be allowed to enter the building.
    Individuals who are not registered in advance will not be permitted 
to enter the building, and will be unable to attend the meeting. The 
public may not enter the Central Office (CO) complex earlier than 30 to 
45 minutes prior to when the meeting convenes each day. For example, 
entrance into CO on Day 1 (Wednesday, September 1) would not be until 
12:15 p.m., at the earliest, for the 1 p.m. meeting. Likewise, entrance 
into CO on Days 2 and 3 would not be until 7:15 a.m., at the earliest, 
for the 8 a.m. meetings.
    All visitors must be escorted in areas other than the lower-lobby 
and first floor levels in CO building.
    Parking permits and instructions are issued upon arrival by the 
guards at the main entrance on Security Boulevard.

IX. Special Accommodations

    Individuals requiring sign-language interpretation or other special 
accommodations must send a request for these services to the DFO by 5 
p.m. (e.d.t.), Monday, August 23, 2004.

    Authority: Section 1833(t) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t), as 
amended by section 201(h) of the BBRA of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-113). The 
Panel is governed by the provisions of Pub. L. 92-463, as amended (5 
U.S.C. Appendix 2).


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

    Dated: July 8, 2004.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 04-17992 Filed 8-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P