[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62550-62551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25224]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Meeting of a Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council for 
Healthcare Research and Quality

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, this notice announces a meeting of a 
Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research 
and Quality.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Monday, October 18th from 10 a.m. to 
6 p.m., and Tuesday, October from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Westin Washington DC City 
Center, 1400 M Street, NW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Wilson, MD MPH, Coordinator of 
the Advisory Council Subcommittee, at the Agency for Healthcare 
Research and Quality, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, Maryland, 20850, 
(301) 427-1310. For press-related information, please contact Karen 
Migdail at (301) 427-1855.
    If sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodation 
for a disability is needed, please contact the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA) Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and 
Diversity Management on (301) 827-4840, no later than October 11 2010. 
The agenda, roster, and minutes will be available from Dr. Nancy 
Wilson.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Purpose of the Sub-Committee

    The purpose of the Sub-Committee is to advise AHRQ and the Centers 
for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS) about measures that could be used 
to monitor the quality of care for Medicaid eligible adults.
    Section 2701 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services to identify and publish a 
recommended core set of adult health quality measures for Medicaid 
eligible adults. ACA also requires the Secretary, in consultation with 
States, to develop a standardized format for reporting information and 
to develop procedures that encourage voluntary reporting based on the 
initial core set of measures. The Secretary is also required to 
establish a Medicaid Quality Measurement Program that will fund the 
development, testing, and validation of emerging and innovative 
evidence-based measures and to subsequently publish recommended changes 
to the initial core measure set. Not later than September 30, 2014 and 
annually thereafter the Secretary is required to collect, analyze, and 
make publically available the information reported by the States.
    AHRQ is working collaboratively with CMS to identify and publish 
for public comment an initial preliminary core set of measures by 
January 1, 2011. The initial core set of measures must then be 
finalized by January 1, 2012.
    The purpose of the National Advisory Council Sub-Committee is to: 
(a) Evaluate measures on importance, validity, and feasibility for use 
by Medicaid programs (b) apply criteria to identify compilations of 
measures that could be selected for the initial core measurement set. 
The Sub-Committee membership will reflect expertise in healthcare 
quality measurement, healthcare disparities, and in the populations 
eligible for Medicaid. Elizabeth McGlynn, PhD, Associate Director for 
RAND Health, and Foster Gesten, M.D., Medical Director of Office of 
Insurance Programs for New York, have agreed to co-chair the Sub-
Committee.

II. Purpose of the National Advisory Council

    The National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality 
was established in accordance with Section 921 (now Section 941) of the 
Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 299c. In accordance with its 
statutory mandate, the Council is to advise the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services and the Director, Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), on matters related to AHRQ's 
conduct of its mission including providing guidance on (A) priorities 
for health care research, (B) the field of health care research 
including training needs and information dissemination on health care 
quality and (C) the role of the Agency in light of private sector 
activity and opportunities for public private partnerships.

Role of the National Advisory Council

    The National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research arid Quality 
was established in accordance with Section 921 (now Section 941) of the 
Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 299c. In accordance with its 
statutory mandate, the Council is to advise the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services and the Director, Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), on matters related to AHRQ's 
conduct of its mission including providing guidance on (A) priorities 
for health care research, (B) the field of health care research 
including training needs and information dissemination on health care 
quality and (C) the role of the Agency in light of private sector 
activity and opportunities for public private partnerships.
    The Council is composed of members of the public, appointed by the 
Secretary, and Federal ex-officio members specified in the authorizing 
legislation.

[[Page 62551]]

III. Agenda

    The final agenda will be available on the AHRQ Web site at 
www.AHRQ.gov no later than October 12, 2010.
    This notice is published less than 15 days in advance of the 
meeting date due to logistical difficulties.

    Dated: September 30, 2010.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-25224 Filed 10-8-10; 8:45 am]
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