[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 225 (Friday, November 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65740-65741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5801]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1377-N]


Medicare Program; Listening Session on Hospital-Acquired 
Conditions and Present on Admission Indicator Reporting, December 17, 
2007

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a listening session being conducted as 
part of the selection of Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) and 
implementation of Present on Admission (POA) Indicator Reporting, as 
authorized by section 5001(c) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 
(DRA). The purpose of this listening session is to solicit informal 
comments in preparation for the fiscal year 2009 inpatient prospective 
payment system (IPPS) rulemaking process. Hospitals, hospital 
associations, representatives of consumer purchasers, payors of health 
care services, and all interested parties are invited to attend and 
make comments in person or in writing. It will also be possible to 
listen to the session by teleconference. However, because of time 
constraints, telephone participants will not be able to make verbal 
comments. Informal written comments will be accepted. This meeting is 
open to the public, but registration is required due to limited space 
and security requirements to enter the meeting location. This Listening 
Session is being held as a joint partnership between the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services and Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.

DATES: Meeting Date: The listening session will be held on Monday, 
December 17, 2007 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., e.s.t.
    Deadline for Meeting Registration and Submitting Requests for 
Special Accommodations: Registration must be completed no later than 5 
p.m., e.s.t. on Monday, December 10, 2007. Requests for special 
accommodations must be received no later than 5 p.m., e.s.t. on Monday, 
December 10, 2007.
    Deadline for Presentations and Written Comments: Written comments 
may be sent electronically to the address specified in the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice and must be received by 5 p.m., e.s.t. on 
Monday, December 31, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The meeting will be held in the main 
auditorium of the central building of the Centers for Medicare & 
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 at http://registration.intercall,com/go/cms2. Individuals who need special 
accommodations should contact Colette Shatto (410) 786-6932, or via e-
mail at [email protected].
    Written Comments or Statements: Written comments may be sent by e-
mail. Please e-mail comments to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Further information regarding the 
December 17, 2007 listening session will be posted on the HAC & POA 
section of the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HospitalAcqCond/01_Overview.asp. You may also contact Colette Shatto, [email protected], 
in the Medicare Feedback Group. Press inquiries are handled through the 
CMS Press Office at 202-690-6145.

I. Background

    On February 8, 2006, the President signed the Deficit Reduction Act 
of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-171) (DRA). Section 5001(c) of the DRA requires 
the Secretary to identify, by October 1, 2007, at least two conditions 
that: (1) Are high cost or high volume or both; (2) result in the 
assignment of a case to a DRG that has a higher payment when present as 
a secondary diagnosis; and (3) could reasonably have been prevented 
through the application of evidence-based guidelines.
    For discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2008, hospitals 
will not receive additional payment for cases in which one of the 
selected conditions occurring during hospitalization was not present on 
admission. That is, the case would be paid as though the secondary 
diagnosis was not present. Section 5001(c) of the DRA provides that we 
can revise the list of conditions from time to time, as long as it 
contains at least two conditions. In addition, CMS Change Request (CR) 
5499 required hospitals to begin reporting the Present On Admission 
(POA) indicator for all diagnoses on claims beginning October 1, 2007.

II. Listening Session Format

    The December 17, 2007 listening session will begin at 10 a.m., 
e.s.t. with an overview of the objectives for the

[[Page 65741]]

session and a presentation on Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC) and 
POA background. A brief overview regarding the implementation strategy 
for selecting the hospital-acquired conditions will then be presented. 
Next, a review of the conditions included in the FY 2008 hospital 
inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) final rule with comment 
period will be presented followed by a public comment session. There 
will be a lunch break from approximately 1 to 2 p.m., e.s.t. Following 
lunch, there will be presentations on the following: (1) The role of 
providers in documentation; (2) POA Indicator Reporting; and (3) HAC & 
POA Outreach and Education. An additional public comment period will 
follow the presentations. The meeting will conclude by 5 p.m., e.s.t.

III. Registration Instructions

    For security reasons, any persons wishing to attend this meeting 
must register by the date listed in the DATES section of this notice. 
Persons interested in attending the meeting or listening by 
teleconference must register by completing the on-line registration 
located at http://registration.intercall.com/go/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 as the number of call-in lines 
will be limited. The call-in number will be provided upon confirmation 
of registration.
    An audio download of the listening session will be available 
through the CMS HAC and POA Indicator Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HospitalAcqCond/01_Overview.asp after the listening 
session.

IV. Security, Building, and Parking Guidelines

    This meeting will be held in a Federal government building; 
therefore, Federal security measures are applicable. In planning your 
arrival time, we recommend allowing additional time to clear security. 
The on-site check-in for visitors will begin at 9 a.m., e.s.t. Please 
allow sufficient time to complete security checkpoints.
    Security measures include the following:
     Presentation of government-issued photographic 
identification to the Federal Protective Service or Guard Service 
personnel.
     Interior and exterior inspection of vehicles (this 
includes engine and trunk inspection) at the entrance to the grounds. 
Parking permits and instructions will be issued after the vehicle 
inspection.
     Passing through a metal detector and inspection of items 
brought into the building. We note that all items brought to CMS, 
whether personal or for the purpose of demonstration or to support a 
demonstration, are subject to inspection.
    We cannot assume responsibility for coordinating the receipt, 
transfer, transport, storage, set-up, safety, or timely arrival of any 
personal belongings or items used for demonstration or to support a 
demonstration.

    Note: 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 building earlier than 30 to 45 
minutes prior to the convening of the meeting.
    All visitors must be escorted in areas other than the lower and 
first floor levels in the Central Building. Seating capacity is 
limited to the first 550 registrants.


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

    Dated: November 16, 2007.
Kerry Weems,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 07-5801 Filed 11-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P