[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 246 (Monday, December 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78367-78368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30454]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1411-N]


Medicare Program; Request for Nominations to the Advisory Panel 
on Ambulatory Payment Classification Groups

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health 
and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice solicits nominations of five new members to the 
Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Groups (the 
Panel). There will be five vacancies on the Panel as of August 16, 
2009.
    The purpose of the Panel is to review the APC groups and their 
associated weights and to advise the Secretary of the Department of 
Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), concerning the clinical integrity 
of the APC groups and their associated weights.
    The Secretary rechartered the Panel in 2008 for a 2-year period 
effective through November 21, 2010.

DATES: Submission of Nominations: We will consider nominations if they 
are received no later than 5 p.m. (e.s.t.), March 13, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand deliver nominations for membership to: 
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Attn: Shirl Ackerman-Ross, 
Designated Federal Official (DFO), Advisory Panel on APC Groups; Center 
for Medicare Management, Hospital & Ambulatory Policy Group, Division 
of Outpatient Care; 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C4-05-17; 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    Web Site: For additional information on the APC Panel and updates 
to the Panel's activities, we refer readers to view our Web site at: 
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/05_AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.asp#TopOfPage. 
(Use control + click the mouse in order to access the previous URL.) 
(Note: There is an underscore after FACA/05--; there is no space.)
    Advisory Committee's Information Lines: You may also refer to the 
CMS Federal Advisory Committee Hotlines at 1-877-449-5659 (toll-free) 
or 410-786-9379 (local) for additional information.
    Further Information Contact: Persons wishing to nominate 
individuals to serve on the Panel or to obtain further information may 
also contact Shirl Ackerman-Ross, the DFO, at CMS [email protected], 
or call (410) 786-4474. (Note: There is no underscore in this e-mail 
address; there is a space between CMS and APCPanel.), or call 410-786-
4474.
    News Media: Representatives should contact the CMS Press Office at 
202-690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Secretary is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social 
Security Act (the Act) to consult with an expert outside advisory Panel 
regarding the clinical integrity of the APC groups and relative payment 
weights that are components of the Medicare hospital Outpatient 
Prospective Payment System (OPPS).
    The Charter requires that the Panel meet up to three times 
annually. CMS considers the technical advice provided by the Panel as 
we prepare the proposed and final rules to update the OPPS for the next 
calendar year.
    The Panel may consist of a chair and up to 15 members who are full-
time employees of hospitals, hospital systems, or other Medicare 
providers that are subject to the OPPS. (For purposes of the Panel, 
consultants or independent contractors are not considered to be full-
time employees in these organizations.)
    The current Panel members are as follows: (The asterisk [*] 
indicates the Panel members whose terms end on August 16, 2009.)
     E. L. Hambrick, M.D., J.D., Chair, a CMS Medical Officer
     Gloryanne Bryant, B.S., RHIA, RHIT, CCS*
     Kathleen M. Graham, R.N., MSHA, CPHQ
     Patrick A. Grusenmeyer, Sc.D., FACHE
     Judith T. Kelly, B.S.H.A., RHIT, RHIA, CCS
     Michael D. Mills, Ph.D.
     Thomas M. Munger, M.D., FACC*
     Agatha L. Nolen, D.Ph., M.S.
     Randall A. Oyer, M.D.
     Beverly Khnie Philip, M.D.
     Russ Ranallo, M.S., B.S.
     James V. Rawson, M.D.*
     Michael A. Ross, M.D., FACEP
     Patricia Spencer-Cisek, M.S., APRN-BC, AOCN[supreg]
     Kim Allen Williams, M.D., FACC, FABC*
     Robert M. Zwolak, M.D., Ph.D., FACS*
    Panel members serve without compensation, according to an advance 
written agreement; however, for the

[[Page 78368]]

meetings, CMS reimburses travel, meals, lodging, and related expenses 
in accordance with standard Government travel regulations.
    CMS has a special interest in attempting to ensure, while taking 
into account the nominee pool, that the Panel is diverse in all 
respects of the following: Geography; rural or urban practice; race, 
ethnicity, sex, and disability; medical or technical specialty; and 
type of hospital, hospital health system, or other Medicare provider 
subject to the OPPS.
    Based upon either self-nominations or nominations submitted by 
providers or interested organizations, the Secretary, or his designee, 
appoints new members to the Panel from among those candidates 
determined to have the required expertise. New appointments are made in 
a manner that ensures a balanced membership under the guidelines of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act.

II. Criteria for Nominees

    The Panel must be fairly balanced in its membership in terms of the 
points of view represented and the functions to be performed. The Panel 
shall consist of up to 15 members who are representatives of providers. 
Each Panel member must be employed full-time by a hospital, hospital 
system, or other Medicare provider subject to payment under the OPPS. 
All members must have technical expertise to enable them to participate 
fully in the Panel's work. The expertise encompasses hospital payment 
systems; hospital medical care delivery systems; provider billing 
systems; APC groups; Current Procedural Terminology codes; and alpha-
numeric Health Care Common Procedure Coding System codes; and the use 
of, and payment for, drugs, medical devices, and other services in the 
outpatient setting, as well as other forms of relevant expertise.
    It is not necessary for a nominee to possess expertise in all of 
the areas listed, but each must have a minimum of 5 years experience 
and currently have full-time employment in his or her area of 
expertise. Members of the Panel serve overlapping terms up to 4 years, 
based on the needs of the Panel and contingent upon the rechartering of 
the Panel.
    Any interested person or organization may nominate one or more 
qualified individuals. Self-nominations will also be accepted. Each 
nomination must include the following:
     Letter of Nomination;
     Curriculum Vita of the nominee; and
     Written statement from the nominee that the nominee is 
willing to serve on the Panel under the conditions described in this 
notice and further specified in the Charter.

III. Copies of the Charter

    To obtain a copy of the Panel's Charter, submit a written request 
to the DFO at the address provided in the ADDRESSES section or by e-
mail at CMS [email protected], or call 410-786-4474.
    Copies of the Charter are also available on the Internet at the 
following: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/05_AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.asp#TopOfPage.

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

    Dated: December 11, 2008.
Kerry Weems,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
 [FR Doc. E8-30454 Filed 12-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P