[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 36 (Friday, February 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8179-8180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3048]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1383-N2]


Medicare Program; Listening Session on the Draft Plan for 
Medicare Hospital Value-Based Purchasing--April 12, 2007

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the second Listening Session being 
conducted as part of the development of a plan for Medicare hospital 
value-based purchasing, as authorized by section 5001(b) of the Deficit 
Reduction Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-171) (DRA). The purpose of the 
second Listening Session is to solicit comments on the Draft Plan that 
has been developed. Hospitals, hospital associations, and all 
interested parties are invited to attend and make comments in person. 
The perspectives expressed during this session and in writing will 
assist us in making revisions to the Draft Plan to create the final 
Medicare Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Plan to be completed by June 
2007. The Draft Plan will be posted no later than March 22, 2007 on the 
CMS Web site, Hospital Center, under Spotlights at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/hospital.asp.

DATES: 
    Meeting Date: The listening session will be held on Thursday, April 
12, 2007 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. e.d.t.
    Registration and Request for Special Accommodations Deadline: 
Registration will open February 26, 2007. For security reasons, 
registration must be completed no later than 5 p.m. e.d.t. on Thursday, 
April 9, 2007. Requests for special accommodations must be received by 
5 p.m. e.d.t. on Thursday, April 9, 2007. See Section III. below for 
detailed instructions.
    Deadline for Submission of Written Comments or Statements: Written 
comments on the Draft Plan may be sent by mail, fax, or electronically 
and must be received by 5 p.m. e.d.t. on April 19, 2007.

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting Location: The Listening Session will be held in the main 
auditorium of the central building of the Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    Registration and Special Accommodations: Persons interested in 
attending the meeting or listening by teleconference must register by 
completing the on-line registration located at http://registration.mshow.com/cms2/. Individuals who need special 
accommodations should contact Robin Phillips at (410) 786-3010, by e-
mail to [email protected], or by regular mail to Mail Stop C4-
13-07 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    Written Comments or Statements: Written comments on the Draft Plan 
may be mailed to Mail Stop C4-13-07 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244; e-mail to 
[email protected] or fax to 410-786-0330.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin Phillips, 410-786-3010 in the 
Medicare Feedback Group. You may also send inquires about this meeting 
via e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 5001(b) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-
171) (DRA) specifies that we develop a plan to implement a Value-Based 
Purchasing (VBP) Program for payments under the Medicare program for 
subsection (d) hospitals (as defined in section 1886(d)(1)(B) of the 
Social Security Act) beginning with FY 2009. The Congress specified 
that the ``plan'' include consideration of the following issues:
     The ongoing development, selection, and modification 
process for measures of quality and efficiency in hospital inpatient 
settings.
     The reporting, collection, and validation of quality data.
     The structure of value-based payment adjustments, 
including the determination of thresholds or improvements in quality 
that would substantiate a payment adjustment, the size of such 
payments, and the sources of funding for the value-based payments.
     The disclosure of information on hospital performance.
    In developing the plan, we must consult with relevant affected 
parties and consider experience with demonstrations that are relevant 
to the VBP program. We have created an internal Hospital Pay-for-
Performance Workgroup that is charged with developing the VBP Plan for 
Medicare hospital services. This Workgroup is organized into four 
subgroups to address each of the required planning

[[Page 8180]]

issues: (1) Measures; (2) data collection and validation; (3) incentive 
structure; and (4) public reporting. It is also charged with preparing 
a set of design options, narrowing the set of design options to prepare 
a draft plan, and preparing a report on the plan for implementing VBP 
for Medicare hospital services, which will be provided to the Congress 
as required under section 5001(b)(3) of the DRA.
    In the November 24, 2006 Federal Register, we announced that we 
would have a listening session to consider design questions posed in 
the Issues Paper that we posted on our Web site http://www.cms.hhs.gov. 
This listening session was held on January 17, 2007.

II. Listening Session Format and Agenda

    The second listening session will be held on April 12, 2007 to 
consider the Draft Plan. This listening session will begin at 10 a.m. 
with an overview of the objectives for the session and a brief summary 
of the approach to developing the Draft Plan. Beginning at 
approximately 10:30 a.m., the remainder of the meeting will be devoted 
to addressing each section of the Plan. The agenda will provide 
opportunities for brief 2-minute comments from on-site session 
attendees. As time allows, telephone participants will also have the 
opportunity to provide brief 2-minute comments. A lunch break will 
occur from approximately 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The meeting will 
conclude by 5 p.m. with brief comments on ``next steps.''

III. Registration Instructions

    Persons interested in attending the meeting or listening by 
teleconference must register by completing the on-line registration 
located at http://registration.mshow.com/cms2/. The on-line 
registration system will generate a confirmation page to indicate the 
completion of your registration. Please print this page as your 
registration receipt.
    Individuals may also participate in the listening session by 
teleconference. Registration is required. The call-in number will be 
provided upon confirmation of registration.
    An audio download of the listening session will be available 
through the CMS Hospital Center Web site within 72 hours after 
completion of the listening session.

IV. Security, Building, and Parking Guidelines

    Because this meeting will be located on Federal property, for 
security reasons, any persons wishing to attend this meeting must 
register by close of business on April 9, 2007. 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 550 
registrants.
    The on-site check-in for visitors will begin at 9:15 a.m. Please 
allow sufficient time to go through the security checkpoints at both 
the entrance to the grounds and the entrance to the building. It is 
suggested that you arrive at central building by 9 a.m. so that you 
will have enough time to check-in before the session begins.
    Security measures will include inspection of vehicles, inside and 
out, at the entrance to the grounds. In addition, all persons entering 
the building must check in by name with Security, provide a government-
issued ID, and pass through a metal detector. All items brought to the 
building, whether personal or for the purpose of demonstration or to 
support a presentation, including items such as laptops, cell phones, 
and palm pilots, are subject to physical inspection.

    Authority: Section 5001(b) The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 
2005.

    Dated: February 15, 2007.
Leslie V. Norwalk,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E7-3048 Filed 2-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P