[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 97 (Thursday, May 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28988-28989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12342]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-5502-N]


Medicare Program; Accelerated Development Sessions for 
Accountable Care Organizations--June 20, 21, and 22, 2011

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the first of four accelerated 
development sessions (ADSs) that will provide executives with the 
opportunity to learn about core functions of an Accountable Care 
Organization (ACO) and ways to build their organization's capacity to 
succeed as an ACO. This 3-day, in-person ADS is to help new ACOs 
deliver better care and reduce costs. We invite all new or newly 
emerging ACOs to register a team of senior executives to participate.

DATES: Meeting Dates: Monday, June 20, 2011, 1 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., 
central standard time (c.d.t.); Tuesday, June 21, 2011, 8 a.m. to 5:45 
p.m., (c.d.t.); Wednesday, June 22, 2011, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (c.d.t.).
    Deadline for Meeting Registration: All teams must register by 
Monday, June 20, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The first ADS will be held at the 
Doubletree by Hilton, Minneapolis-Park Place, 1500 Park Place 
Boulevard, Minneapolis, MN 55416. Meeting Registration: Individuals and 
teams wishing to participate must complete the online registration 
located at https://acoregister.rti.org. Potential participants are also 
strongly encouraged to complete the comprehensive planning tool 
discussed in section III of this notice before arriving to the meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information is available on 
the registration Web site at https://acoregister.rti.org. Click on 
``contact us'' to send questions or comments via e-mail. Press 
inquiries are handled through the CMS Press Office at (202) 690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 1115A of the Social Security Act (the Act), as added by 
section 3021 the Affordable Care Act, established the Center for 
Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) for the purpose of 
examining new ways of delivering health care and paying health care 
providers in ways that can save money for Medicare and Medicaid while 
improving the quality of care for our beneficiaries. Through 
accelerated development sessions (ADSs), the Innovation Center will 
test whether intensive shared learning activities will expand and 
improve the capabilities of provider organizations to coordinate the 
care of a population of Medicare beneficiaries more effectively than 
organizations that do not participate in the ADSs. Well coordinated 
care can improve beneficiaries' quality outcomes and reduce the growth 
of Medicare expenditures.
    Completion of the ADS will not be a factor for selection or 
participation in a CMS ACO program. It is intended to provide new ACOs 
with the opportunity to learn from their peers about essential ACO 
functions and various ways to build capacity needed to achieve better 
care for individuals, better population health, and lower growth in 
health care expenditures.

II. Session Participant Information and Agenda

    Faculty at each ADS will be senior leadership from organizations 
that have already developed many of the characteristics of an ACO, and 
other experts in ACO core competencies--practitioners with first-hand 
experience with what is working and not working in the field. Each will 
offer a focused curriculum on core competencies for ACO development 
within four main areas: leadership and priority-setting; the clinical 
and operating challenge of transforming care delivery, including use of 
health IT; the managerial and financial challenge of assuming and 
managing risk; and meeting patient needs while reducing the total cost 
of care. Individual sessions and faculty will help participants 
complete corresponding sections of a comprehensive ACO implementation 
plan, including defining ACO goals and an action plan for establishing 
ACO core competencies.
    Each participating team should consist of two to four senior-level 
leaders (including at least one executive with financial/management 
responsibility and one with clinical responsibility). Participants are 
also asked to attend future Web based seminars and complete a full ACO 
implementation plan as part of the broader ADS initiative to facilitate 
on-going learning and evaluation.
    The agenda for the first ADS is available online at https://acoregister.rti.org.

III. Completion of Planning Tool and Session Registration Information

    Registrants need to complete the registration form in order to 
participate in an ACO ADS. Potential participants are also strongly 
encouraged to complete a comprehensive planning tool, which will allow 
them to take full advantage of the hands-on learning activities during 
the ADS. The

[[Page 28989]]

registration form and comprehensive planning tool are available on the 
ACO ADS Web site at https://acoregister.rti.org.
    This session is open to the public. However, space is limited and 
participants are encouraged to register as soon as possible. 
Registration for this session will remain open until the date specified 
in the DATES section of this notice or the seating capacity has been 
reached.
    Participants are responsible for their own travel, parking, meals, 
and overnight-stay expenses. More information about the venue and 
accommodations can be found at https://aco-adsregister.rti.org.
    Subsequent ADSs will be offered in other locations in different 
regions around the country at later dates to be determined. Information 
for all future ADSs will be posted online at https://acoregister.rti.org as they become available.

    Authority: Section 1115A of the Act.

    Dated: May 16, 2011.
Donald M. Berwick,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2011-12342 Filed 5-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P