[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 207 (Friday, October 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63485-63486]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24900]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1421-N]


Medicare Program; Plan To Transition to a Medicare Value-Based 
Purchasing Program for Physician and Other Professional Services: 
Listening Session, December 9, 2008

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a listening session being conducted as 
part of the development of a plan for the transition to a value-based 
purchasing program for physician and other professional services as 
required by section 131(d) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients 
and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA). The purpose of the listening session 
is to solicit comments on an issues paper that will present the range 
of issues being considered for plan development. Physicians, physician 
associations, and all others interested in the pursuit of new payment 
approaches to enhance the quality and efficiency of physician and other 
professional services are invited to participate, in person or by 
calling in to the teleconference. The issues paper will be posted on 
the CMS Web site Physician Center Spotlights at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/physician.asp no later than November 28, 2008. The issues 
identified and discussed during this meeting will assist us in 
developing options for the plan. The meeting is open to the public, but 
attendance is limited to space and teleconference lines available.

DATES: Meeting Date: The listening session will be held on Tuesday, 
December 9, 2008 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. e.s.t.
    Deadline for Meeting Registration and Request for Special 
Accommodations: Registration opens on Monday, October 27, 2008. 
Registration must be completed by 5 p.m. e.s.t. Tuesday, December 2, 
2008. Requests for special accommodations must be received by 5 p.m. 
e.s.t. on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
    Deadline for Submission of Written Comments or Statements: Written 
comments or statements on the issues paper may be sent via mail, fax, 
or electronically to the address specified in the ADDRESSES section of 
this notice and must be received by 5 p.m. e.s.t. on Tuesday, December 
16, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The listening session 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 participating by teleconference must register 
by completing the on-line registration via the CMS Web site at http://registration.intercall.com/go/cms2. Individuals who require special 
accommodations should send an e-mail request to [email protected] or via 
regular mail to Robin Phillips at the address specified in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION section of this notice.
    Written Comments or Statements: Written comments or statements may 
be sent via e-mail to [email protected], faxed to 410-786-8005; 
or sent via regular mail to: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 
7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, Mail Stop C5-15-02, 
Attn: Physician VBP comments.
    All persons planning to make a statement in person at the listening 
session are urged to submit statements in writing during the listening 
session and should subsequently submit the information electronically 
by the timeframe specified in the DATES section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the 
December 9, 2008 listening session contact Robin Phillips, 410-786-3010 
in the Provider Communications Group. You may also send inquiries about 
this listening session via e-mail to [email protected] or via regular 
mail at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mail Stop C4-13-07, 
7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

I. Background

    Section 131(d) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and 
Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA), enacted on July 15, 2008, requires the 
Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a 
plan to transition to a value-based purchasing (VBP) program for 
Medicare payment for covered professional services. It also requires 
the Secretary to submit a Report to Congress no later than May 1, 2010, 
containing the plan with recommendations for legislation and 
administrative action that the Secretary deems appropriate.
    We have created an internal Physician VBP Workgroup that is charged 
with developing the plan. The workgroup is organized into four 
subgroups to address the major components of the plan: (1) Measures; 
(2) data infrastructure and reporting; (3) incentive methodology; and 
(4) public reporting. The CMS workgroup will identify key issues in 
each component to create the issues paper, prepare a set of design 
options that take into consideration the findings from the listening 
session and comments on the issues paper, narrow the set of design 
options to prepare a draft plan, and develop the final plan that will 
be submitted in a Report to Congress. The process of plan development 
began in September 2008 and is intended to be completed in time for 
submission of the Report to Congress (which is due no later than May 1, 
2010). The December listening session and perhaps other sessions will 
be hosted to solicit comments from physicians and other health 
professionals on outstanding design questions associated with 
development of the plan.

[[Page 63486]]

II. Listening Session Format

    The listening session will be held on December 9, 2008 to consider 
the key design issues raised in the issues paper. The session will 
begin at 10 a.m. e.s.t. with an overview of the objectives for the 
session and a brief summary of the approach to developing the plan. 
Beginning at approximately 10:30 a.m. e.s.t. the remainder of the 
meeting will be devoted to presenting and receiving comments on key 
design and policy issues in each of the major components of the plan: 
(1) Measures; (2) data infrastructure and reporting; (3) incentive 
methodology; and (4) public reporting. The agenda will provide 
opportunities for brief 2-minute comments on each of the key issues 
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. e.s.t. to 1:15 
p.m. e.s.t. The meeting will conclude by 4 p.m. e.s.t. with brief 
comments on next steps.

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 participating by 
teleconference must register by completing the on-line registration via 
the CMS Web site 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 within 
72 hours after completion of the listening session through the CMS Web 
site Physician Center Spotlights at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/physician.asp.

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 9:15 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 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 250 registrants.

    Authority: Section 131(d) The Medicare Improvements for Patients 
and Providers Act of 2008.

    Dated: October 9, 2008.
Kerry Weems,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
 [FR Doc. E8-24900 Filed 10-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P