[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 204 (Friday, October 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65360-65362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26716]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-2326-PN]


Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Application by the Joint 
Commission for Deeming Authority for Psychiatric Hospitals

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

ACTION: Proposed notice.

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SUMMARY  This proposed notice with comment period acknowledges the 
receipt of an application from the Joint Commission for recognition as 
a national accrediting organization for psychiatric hospitals that wish 
to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Section 
1865(a)(3)(A) of the Social Security Act requires that within 60 days 
of receipt of an organization's complete application, we publish a 
notice that identifies the national accrediting body making the 
request, describes the nature of the request, and provides at least a 
30-day public comment period.

DATES: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of 
the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on November 22, 
2010.

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-2326-PN. 
Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by 
facsimile (FAX) transmission.

[[Page 65361]]

    You may submit comments in one of four ways (no duplicates, 
please):
    1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on specific 
issues in this regulation to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/eRulemaking. Click 
on the link ``Submit electronic comments on CMS regulations with an 
open comment period.'' (Attachments should be in Microsoft Word, 
WordPerfect, or Excel; however, we prefer Microsoft Word.)
    2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments (one original and 
two copies) to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: 
CMS-2326-PN, P.O. Box 8010, Baltimore, MD 21244-8010.
    Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received 
before the close of the comment period.
    3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments (one 
original and two copies) to the following address only: Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, 
Attention: CMS-2326-PN, Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    4. By hand or courier. If you prefer, you may deliver (by hand or 
courier) your written comments (one original and two copies) before the 
close of the comment period to one of the following addresses. If you 
intend to deliver your comments to the Baltimore address, please call 
telephone number (410) 786-9994 in advance to schedule your arrival 
with one of our staff members. Room 445-G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 
200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201; or 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

(Because access to the interior of the HHH Building is not readily 
available to persons without Federal government identification, 
commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in the CMS drop slots 
located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-in clock is 
available for persons wishing to retain a proof of filing by stamping 
in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being filed.)

    Comments mailed to the addresses indicated as appropriate for hand 
or courier delivery may be delayed and received after the comment 
period.
    For information on viewing public comments, see the beginning of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: L. Tyler Whitaker, (410) 786-5236. 
Patricia Chmielewski, (410) 786-6899.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Submitting Comments: We welcome comments from the public on all 
issues set forth in this proposed notice to assist us in fully 
considering issues and developing policies. You can assist us by 
referencing the file code CMS-2326-PN and the specific ``issue 
identifier'' that precedes the section on which you choose to comment.
    Inspection of Public Comments: All comments received before the 
close of the comment period are available for viewing by the public, 
including any personally identifiable or confidential business 
information that is included in a comment. We post all comments 
received before the close of the comment period on the following Web 
site as soon as possible after they have been received: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/eRulemaking. Click on the link ``Electronic Comments on 
CMS Regulations'' on that Web site to view public comments.
    Comments received timely will also be available for public 
inspection as they are received, generally beginning approximately 3 
weeks after publication of a document, at the headquarters of the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday through Friday of each week from 8:30 
a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment to view public comments, 
phone 1-800-743-3951.

I. Background

    Under the Medicare program, eligible beneficiaries may receive 
covered services from a psychiatric hospital provided certain 
requirements are met. Section 1861(f) of the Social Security Act (the 
Act) establishes distinct criteria for facilities seeking designation 
as a psychiatric hospital. Regulations concerning provider agreements 
are at 42 CFR part 489 and those pertaining to activities relating to 
the survey and certification of facilities are at 42 CFR part 488. The 
regulations at 42 CFR part 482, subpart E specify, among other things, 
the conditions that a psychiatric hospital must meet in order to 
participate in the Medicare program.
    Generally, in order to enter into a provider agreement with the 
Medicare program, a psychiatric hospital must first be certified by a 
State survey agency as complying with the applicable conditions or 
requirements set forth in 42 CFR part 482. Thereafter, the psychiatric 
hospital is subject to regular surveys by a State survey agency to 
determine whether it continues to meet these requirements. However, 
there is an alternative to surveys by State agencies.
    Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides that, if a provider entity 
demonstrates through accreditation by an approved national accrediting 
organization that all applicable Medicare conditions are met or 
exceeded, we will deem those provider entities as having met the 
requirements. Accreditation by an accrediting organization is voluntary 
and is not required for Medicare participation.
    If an accrediting organization is recognized by the Secretary as 
having standards for accreditation that meet or exceed Medicare 
requirements, any provider entity accredited by the national 
accrediting body's approved program would be deemed to meet the 
Medicare conditions. A national accrediting organization applying for 
deeming authority under 42 CFR part 488, subpart A must provide us with 
reasonable assurance that the accrediting organization requires the 
accredited provider entities to meet requirements that are at least as 
stringent as the Medicare conditions of participation. The regulations 
at Sec.  488.8(d)(3) require accrediting organizations to reapply for 
continued deeming authority every 6 years or sooner as determined by 
us.

II. Approval of Deeming Organizations

    Section 1865(a)(2) of the Act and our regulations at Sec.  488.8(a) 
require that our findings concerning review and approval of a national 
accrediting organization's requirements consider, among other factors, 
the applying accrediting organization's requirements for accreditation; 
survey procedures; resources for conducting required surveys; capacity 
to furnish information for use in enforcement activities; monitoring 
procedures for provider entities found not in compliance with the 
conditions or requirements; and the ability to provide us with the 
necessary data for validation.
    Section 1865(a)(3)(A) of the Act further requires that we publish, 
within 60 days of receipt of an organization's complete application, a 
notice identifying the national accrediting body making the request, 
describing the nature of the request, and providing at least a 30-day 
public comment period. We have 210 days from the receipt of a complete 
application to publish notice of approval or denial of the application.
    The purpose of this proposed notice is to inform the public of the 
Joint Commission's request for deeming authority for psychiatric 
hospitals. This notice also solicits public comment on whether the 
Joint Commission's requirements meet or exceed the

[[Page 65362]]

Medicare conditions for participation for psychiatric hospitals.

III. Evaluation of Deeming Authority Request

    The Joint Commission submitted all the necessary materials to 
enable us to make a determination concerning its request for approval 
as a deeming organization for psychiatric hospitals. This application 
was determined to be complete on September 3, 2010. Under section 
1865(a)(2) of the Act and Sec.  488.8 (Federal review of accrediting 
organizations), our review and evaluation of the Joint Commission will 
be conducted in accordance with, but not necessarily limited to, the 
following factors:
     The equivalency of the Joint Commission's standards for a 
psychiatric hospital as compared with CMS' psychiatric hospital 
conditions of participation.
     The Joint Commission's survey process to determine the 
following:
    + The composition of the survey team, surveyor qualifications, and 
the ability of the organization to provide continuing surveyor 
training.
    + The comparability of the Joint Commission's processes to those of 
State agencies, including survey frequency, and the ability to 
investigate and respond appropriately to complaints against accredited 
facilities.
    + The Joint Commission's processes and procedures for monitoring 
psychiatric hospitals found out of compliance with the Joint 
Commission's program requirements. These monitoring procedures are used 
only when the Joint Commission identifies noncompliance. If 
noncompliance is identified through validation reviews, the State 
survey agency monitors corrections as specified at Sec.  488.7(d).
    + The Joint Commission's capacity to report deficiencies to the 
surveyed facilities and respond to the facility's plan of correction in 
a timely manner.
    + The Joint Commission's capacity to provide us with electronic 
data and reports necessary for effective validation and assessment of 
the organization's survey process.
    + The adequacy of the Joint Commission's staff and other resources, 
and its financial viability.
    + The Joint Commission's capacity to adequately fund required 
surveys.
    + The Joint Commission's policies with respect to whether surveys 
are announced or unannounced, to assure that surveys are unannounced.
    + The Joint Commission's agreement to provide us with a copy of the 
most current accreditation survey together with any other information 
related to the survey as we may require (including corrective action 
plans).

IV. Response to Public Comments and Notice Upon Completion of 
Evaluation

    Because of the large number of public comments we normally receive 
on Federal Register documents, we are not able to acknowledge or 
respond to them individually. We will consider all comments we receive 
by the date and time specified in the DATES section of this preamble, 
and, when we proceed with a subsequent document, we will respond to the 
comments in the preamble to that document.
    Upon completion of our evaluation, including evaluation of comments 
received as a result of this notice, we will publish a final notice in 
the Federal Register announcing the result of our evaluation.

V. Collection of Information Requirements

    This document does not impose information collection and 
recordkeeping requirements. Consequently, it need not be reviewed by 
the Office of Management and Budget under the authority of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 35).

VI. Regulatory Impact Statement

    In accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 12866, the 
Office of Management and Budget did not review this proposed notice.
    In accordance with Executive Order 13132, we have determined that 
this proposed notice would not have a significant effect on the rights 
of States, local or Tribal governments.

    Authority: Section 1865 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395bb).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.778, Medical 
Assistance Program; No. 93.773, Medicare--Hospital Insurance 
Program; and No. 93.774, Medicare--Supplementary Medical Insurance 
Program)

    Dated: October 14, 2010.
Donald M. Berwick,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-26716 Filed 10-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P