[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 58 (Friday, March 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13441-13442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6772]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-3212-N]


Medicare Program; Request for Nominations for Members for the 
Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a request for nominations for 
consideration for membership on the Medicare Evidence Development & 
Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC). Among other things, the MEDCAC 
advises the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services 
(the Secretary) and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services on whether medical items and services are 
``reasonable and necessary'' and therefore eligible for coverage under 
Title XVIII of the Social Security Act.
    We are requesting nominations for both voting and nonvoting members 
to serve on the MEDCAC. Nominees are selected based upon their 
individual qualifications and not as representatives of professional 
associations or societies. We have a special interest in ensuring that 
women, minority groups, and physically challenged individuals are 
adequately represented on the MEDCAC. Therefore, we encourage 
nominations of qualified candidates from these groups.
    The MEDCAC reviews and evaluates medical literature, reviews 
technology assessments, and examines data and information on the 
effectiveness and appropriateness of medical items and services that 
are covered or eligible for coverage under Medicare.

DATES: Nominations for membership will be considered if postmarked by 
April 27, 2009 and mailed to the contact person specified in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice to the designated 
address, as provided in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

ADDRESSES: You may mail nominations for membership to the following: 
Attention: Maria Ellis, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail 
Stop: C1-09-06, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Ellis, Executive Secretary for 
MEDCAC, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services OCSQ--Coverage and 
Analysis Group, Mailstop: C1-09-06, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, 
MD 21244, or contact Ms. Ellis by phone at 410-786-0309; or via e-mail 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On December 14, 1998, we published a notice in the Federal Register 
(63 FR 68780) announcing establishment of the Medicare Coverage 
Advisory Committee (MCAC). The Secretary signed the initial charter for 
the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee on November 24, 1998. On 
January 26, 2007 the Secretary published a notice in the Federal 
Register (72FR 3853), changing the Committee's name to the Medicare 
Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC). The 
charter for the committee was renewed by the Secretary and will 
terminate on November 24, 2010, unless renewed again by the Secretary.
    The MEDCAC is governed by provisions of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), which 
sets forth standards for the formulation and use of advisory 
committees, and is authorized by section 222 of the Public Health 
Service Act as amended (42 U.S.C. 217a).
    The MEDCAC consists of a pool of 100 appointed members including: 6 
patient advocates, who are standard voting members, and 6 
representatives of industry interests, who are nonvoting members. 
Members are selected from among authorities in clinical medicine of all 
specialties, administrative medicine, public health, biologic and 
physical sciences, health care data and information management and 
analysis, patient advocacy, the economics of health care, medical 
ethics, and other related professions such as epidemiology and 
biostatistics, and methodology of trial design.
    The MEDCAC functions on a committee basis. The Committee reviews 
and evaluates medical literature, reviews technology assessments, and 
examines data and information on the effectiveness and appropriateness 
of medical items and services that are covered or eligible for coverage 
under Medicare. The

[[Page 13442]]

Committee works from an agenda provided by the Designated Federal 
Official that lists specific issues, and develops technical advice to 
assist us in determining reasonable and necessary applications of 
medical services and technology when we make national coverage 
decisions for Medicare. The Committee also advises CMS as part of 
Medicare's coverage evidence development activities.

II. Provisions of the Notice

    As of May 2009, there will be 20 terms of membership expiring, 2 of 
which are nonvoting industry representatives and 2 are voting patient 
advocates.
    Accordingly, we are requesting nominations for both voting and 
nonvoting members to serve on the MEDCAC. Nominees are selected based 
upon their individual qualifications and not as representatives of 
professional associations or societies. We have a special interest in 
ensuring that women, minority groups, and physically challenged 
individuals are adequately represented on the MEDCAC. Therefore, we 
encourage nominations of qualified candidates from these groups.
    All nominations must be accompanied by curricula vitae. Nomination 
packages must be sent to the address listed in the ADDRESSES section of 
this notice. Nominees for voting membership must meet MEDCAC criteria 
by having expertise and experience in one or more of the following 
fields:
     Clinical medicine of all specialties.
     Administrative medicine.
     Public health.
     Patient advocacy.
     Biologic and physical sciences.
     Health care data and information management and analysis.
     The economics of health care.
     Medical ethics.
     Other related professions such as epidemiology and 
biostatistics, and methodology of clinical trial design.
    We are looking for experts in a number of fields. Our most critical 
needs are for experts in Bayesian statistics; clinical epidemiology; 
clinical trial methodology; knee, hip, and other joint replacement 
surgery; ophthalmology; psychopharmacology; registries; rheumatology; 
screening and diagnostic testing analysis; and stroke. We also need 
experts in biostatistics in clinical settings, cardiovascular 
epidemiology, cost effectiveness analysis, dementia, endocrinology, 
geriatrics, gynecology, minority health, observational research design, 
stroke epidemiology, and women's health.
    The nomination letter must include a statement that the nominee is 
willing to serve as a member of the MEDCAC and appears to have no 
conflict of interest that would preclude membership. We are requesting 
that all curricula vitae include the following:
     Date of birth.
     Place of birth.
     Social security number.
     Title and current position.
     Professional affiliation.
     Home and business address.
     Telephone and fax numbers.
     E-mail address.
     List of areas of expertise.
    In the nomination letter, we are requesting that the nominee 
specify whether they are applying for a voting patient advocate 
position, for another voting position, or as a non-voting industry 
representative. Potential candidates will be asked to provide detailed 
information concerning such matters as financial holdings, 
consultancies, and research grants or contracts in order to permit 
evaluation of possible sources of conflict of interest.
    Members are invited to serve for overlapping 2-year terms. A member 
may serve after the expiration of the member's term until a successor 
takes office. Any interested person may nominate one or more qualified 
persons. Self-nominations are also accepted.
    The current Secretary's Charter for the MEDCAC is available on the 
CMS Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/Downloads/medcaccharter.pdf, or you may obtain a copy of the charter by 
submitting a request to the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)(1) and (a)(2).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.773, 
Medicare--Hospital Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, Medicare--
Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

    Dated: March 18, 2009.
Barry M. Straube,
Chief Medical Officer, Director, Office of Clinical Standards and 
Quality, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E9-6772 Filed 3-26-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P