[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 28 (Thursday, February 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7345-7346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02798]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1660-N]


Medicare Program: Notice of Seven Membership Appointments to the 
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces seven new membership appointments to the 
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (the Panel). The seven 
new appointments to the Panel will each serve a 4-year period. The new 
members have terms that begin in Calendar Year (CY) 2016 and end in CY 
2020. The purpose of the Panel is to advise the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning the clinical 
integrity of the Ambulatory Payment Classification groups and their 
relative payment weights. The Panel also addresses and makes 
recommendations regarding supervision of hospital outpatient 
therapeutic services. The advice provided by the Panel will be 
considered as we prepare the annual updates for the hospital outpatient 
prospective payment system.
    The Secretary rechartered the Panel in 2014 for a 2-year period 
effective through November 6, 2016.

DATES: March 14, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Web site: For additional information on the Panel meeting 
dates, agenda topics, copy of the charter, and updates to the Panel's 
activities, we refer readers to our Web site at the following address: 
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Designated Federal Official (DFO): 
Carol Schwartz, DFO, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop: C4-04-25, 
Woodlawn, MD 21244-1850. Phone: (410) 786-3985. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the 
Secretary) is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security 
Act (the Act) (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(9)(A)) and section 222 of the Public 
Health Service Act (PHS Act) (42 U.S.C. 217a) to consult with an expert 
outside advisory panel on the clinical integrity of the Ambulatory 
Payment Classification groups and relative payment weights, which are 
major elements of the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment 
System (OPPS), and the appropriate supervision level for hospital 
outpatient therapeutic services. The Panel is governed by the 
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Pub. L. 92-
463), as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets forth standards for 
the formation and use of advisory panels. The Panel Charter provides 
that the Panel shall meet up to 3 times annually. We consider the 
technical advice provided by the Panel as we prepare the proposed and 
final rules to update the OPPS for the following calendar year (CY).
    The Panel shall 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. The Secretary or a designee 
selects the Panel membership based upon either self-nominations or 
nominations submitted by Medicare providers and other interested 
organizations of candidates determined to have the required

[[Page 7346]]

expertise. For supervision deliberations, the Panel shall also include 
members that represent the interests of Critical Access Hospitals 
(CAHs), who advice Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) only 
regarding the level of supervision for hospital outpatient therapeutic 
services.
    New appointments are made in a manner that ensures a balanced 
membership under the FACA guidelines.
    The Panel presently consists of the following members and a Chair.
    (Note: The asterisk [*] indicates the Panel members whose terms end 
during CY 2016, along with the month that the term ends.)
     E. L. Hambrick, M.D., J.D., Chair, a CMS Medical Officer.
     Karen Borman, M.D., F.A.C.S.*(January 2016)
     Dawn L. Francis, M.D., M.H.S.
     Ruth Lande
     Jim Nelson, M.B.A., C.P.A., F.H.F.M.A.*(January 2016)
     Leah Osbahr, M.A., M.P.H.* (January 2016)
     Jacqueline Phillips*(February 2016)
     Johnathan Pregler, M.D.
     Traci Rabine*(January 2016)
     Michael Rabovsky, M.D.
     Wendy Resnick, F.H.F.M.A.
     Michael K. Schroyer, R.N.
     Marianna V. Spanki-Varelas M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A.*(February 
2016)
     Norman Thomson, III, M.D.
     Gale Walker*(January 2016)
     Kris Zimmer

II. Provisions of the Notice

    We published a notice in the Federal Register on August 28, 2015, 
entitled ``Medicare Program; Solicitation of Nominations to the 
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (80 FR 52294). The notice 
solicited nominations for up to seven new members to fill the vacancies 
on the Panel beginning in CY 2016. As a result of that notice, we are 
announcing seven new members to the Panel. The Panel consists of a 
Chair and 15 members. The seven new Panel member appointments are for 
4-year terms beginning March 1, 2016 and will assure that we continue 
to have a Chair and 15 members available to attend our scheduled 
meeting.

New Appointments to the Panel

    New members of the Panel will have terms beginning on March 1, 2016 
and continuing through February 28, 2020 as follows:
     Shelly Dunham, R.N.
     Kenneth Michael Flowe, M.D., M.B.A.
     Erika Hardy, R.H.I.A.
     Karen A. Lambert
     Scott Manaker, M.D., Ph.D.
     Agatha L. Nolen, Ph.D., D.Ph.
     Richard Nordahl, M.B.A.

III. Collection of Information Requirements

    This document does not impose information collection requirements, 
that is, reporting, recordkeeping or third-party disclosure 
requirements. Consequently, there is no need for review by the Office 
of Management and Budget under the authority of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

    Dated: February 2, 2016.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2016-02798 Filed 2-10-16; 8:45 am]
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