[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 47193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18678]



[[Page 47193]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-7011-N]


Medicare Program: Request for Cosponsors for E-prescribing 
Educational Conference

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the opportunity for public and private-
sector organizations to act as potential cosponsors for a 2-day 
conference that we are sponsoring to educate stakeholders about the new 
e-prescribing initiative as described in section 132 of the Medicare 
Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.

DATES: Deadline for Cosponsor proposals: Proposals must be received no 
later than Friday, August 15, 2008, 5 p.m., d.s.t.

ADDRESSES: Address for Cosponsor proposals: Proposals must be sent 
electronically to the following: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy Self, (410) 786-2133, 
[email protected], or Rachael Horvath, (410) 786-7424, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 132 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers 
Act of 2008 (MIPPA) (Pub. L. 110-275) authorizes the Secretary to 
provide incentive payments for 2009 through 2013 to successful 
electronic prescribers. As described in section 132 of MIPPA, 
successful electronic prescribers are based on either the reporting of 
applicable electronic prescribing measures established under the 
Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) or through the use of 
Part D data.

II. Goals of the Conference

    We are sponsoring a 2-day conference on October 6 and 7, 2008, from 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. d.s.t. at the Sheraton Boston Hotel and Towers, 
Boston, Massachusetts 02199.
    The goals of the conference are to--
     Equip health care professionals and other stakeholders 
with the knowledge and the tools to integrate e-prescribing into their 
business model;
     Generate discussion about the use of e-prescribing and 
other e-health initiatives to increase patient compliance and overall 
improved health outcomes;
     Educate health care professionals about the structure and 
the agency's plans for implementation of the incentive payment 
structure in regard to e-prescribing and PQRI;
     Identify and promote opportunities to overcome barriers to 
adoption of this new technology; and,
     Address constituent concerns about privacy, security and 
risk management in regard to the implementation of this new provision.

III. Cosponsor Proposals and Evaluation Criteria

    This notice is an invitation to submit proposals for cosponsorship 
of the conference to the following: interested physician and provider 
organizations (including those representing primary care, specialty 
care, surgical and medicine-based specialties), not-for-profit 
organizations representing health information networks, health care 
professionals, retail and community pharmacies, and organizations 
representing State and local officials.
    Interested parties must submit proposals detailing how they will 
support CMS in a nonfiduciary relationship by developing conference 
content, identifying speakers, and implementing outreach activities to 
educate eligible professionals and impacted consumer constituencies 
about the MIPPA provision.
    Each proposal must state that the organization has expressed a 
willingness to serve as a cosponsor and must be accompanied by 
documentation that indicates said sponsor meets the evaluation criteria 
as described in this notice. In order to permit an evaluation of 
possible sources of conflict of interest, potential cosponsors may be 
asked to provide detailed information concerning financial interests 
related to e-health implementation.
    Cosponsors will be selected based on the following evaluation 
criteria. Cosponsors must:
     Be a non-profit entity representing impacted 
constituencies of e-prescribing.
     Have no direct for-profit interest in the implementation 
of this provision;
     Demonstrate a substantial interest in e-prescribing 
technology and implementation and knowledge of current e-prescribing 
standards for Medicare Part D [Note: Documentation should include the 
organization's goals and mission; and details of previous activities to 
support e-prescribing including newsletter articles, internet sources, 
research papers, educational conferences, public testimony, or other 
similar documentation];
     Propose activities and connections that are likely to 
provide a substantial public health benefit, consistent with HHS goals 
and the e-prescribing initiative including but not limited to 
encouraging attendance through member networks, use of cosponsor's logo 
in support of conference outreach and identifying and engaging industry 
leaders for this event;
     Have the expertise and capacity to carry out its proposed 
activities; and,
     Demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively with 
other public and private sector organizations to achieve the e-health 
initiatives.
    We will select organizations that meet the established evaluation 
criteria to enter into formal cosponsor agreements to consult on the 
conference program content, speaker selection, and outreach strategies 
in addition to other tasks as described in individual cosponsor 
agreements. Potential cosponsors understand that any cosponsor 
agreements will clearly indicate that there will be no Federal 
endorsement of the cosponsor or any policies, activities, products or 
services thereof.

    Authority: Sections 1848(k)(6), 1848(m)(5)(A), and 1851(d) of 
the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1395(w)-4(k)(6), 42 U.S.C. 
1395(w)-4(m)(5)(A), and 42 U.S.C. 1395w-21.

    Dated: August 8, 2008.
Kerry Weems,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E8-18678 Filed 8-8-08; 12 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P