[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73283-73284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25261]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Health Information Technology Advisory Committee 2021 Schedule of 
Meetings

AGENCY: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information 
Technology (ONC), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) 
was established in accordance with the 21st Century Cures Act and the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act. The HITAC, among other things, 
identifies priorities for standards adoption and makes recommendations 
to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (National 
Coordinator). The HITAC will hold public meetings throughout 2021. See 
list of public meetings below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren Richie, Designated Federal 
Officer, at [email protected], (202) 205-7674.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4003(e) of the 21st Century Cures 
Act (Pub. L. 114-255) establishes the Health Information Technology 
Advisory Committee (referred to as the ``HITAC''). The HITAC will be 
governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 
(Pub. L. 92-463), as amended, (5 U.S.C. App.), which sets forth 
standards for the formation and use of federal advisory committees.

Composition

    The HITAC is comprised of at least 25 members, of which:
     No fewer than 2 members are advocates for patients or 
consumers of health information technology;
     3 members are appointed by the HHS Secretary
    [cir] 1 of whom shall be appointed to represent the Department of 
Health and Human Services and
    [cir] 1 of whom shall be a public health official;
     2 members are appointed by the majority leader of the 
Senate;
     2 members are appointed by the minority leader of the 
Senate;
     2 members are appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives;
     2 members are appointed by the minority leader of the 
House of Representatives; and
     Other members are appointed by the Comptroller General of 
the United States.
    Members will serve for one-, two-, or three-year terms. All members 
may be reappointed for a subsequent three-year term. Each member is 
limited to two three-year terms, not to exceed six years of service. 
Members serve without pay, but will be provided per-diem and travel 
costs for committee services, if warranted.

Recommendations

    The HITAC recommendations to the National Coordinator are publicly 
available at https://www.healthit.gov/topic/federal-advisory-committees/recommendations-national-coordinator-health-it.

Public Meetings

    The schedule of meetings to be held in 2021 is as follows:

 January 13, 2021 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 February 10, 2021 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 April 15, 2021 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 May 13, 2021 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./Eastern 
Time (virtual meeting)
 June 9, 2021 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./Eastern 
Time (virtual meeting)
 July 14, 2021 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 September 9, 2021 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 November 10, 2021 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)

    All meetings are open to the public. Additional meetings may be 
scheduled as needed. For web conference instructions and the most up-
to-date information, please visit the HITAC calendar on the ONC 
website, https://www.healthit.gov/topic/federal-advisory-committees/hitac-calendar.
    Contact Person for Meetings: Lauren Richie, [email protected]. 
A notice in the Federal Register about last minute modifications that 
impact a previously announced advisory committee meeting cannot always 
be published quickly enough to provide timely notice. Please email 
Lauren Richie for the most current information about meetings.
    Agenda: As outlined in the 21st Century Cures Act, the HITAC will 
develop and submit recommendations to the National Coordinator on the 
topics of interoperability, privacy and security, and patient access. 
In addition, the committee will also address any administrative matters 
and hear periodic reports from ONC. ONC intends to make background 
material available to the public no later than 24 hours prior to the 
meeting start time. If ONC is unable to post the background material on 
its website prior to the meeting, the material will be made publicly 
available on ONC's website after the meeting, at http://www.healthit.gov/hitac.
    Procedure: Interested persons may present data, information, or 
views, orally or in writing, on issues pending before the committee. 
Written submissions may be made to the contact

[[Page 73284]]

person prior to the meeting date. An oral public comment period will be 
scheduled at each meeting. Time allotted for each commenter will be 
limited to three minutes. If the number of speakers requesting to 
comment is greater than can be reasonably accommodated during the 
scheduled public comment period, ONC will take written comments after 
the meeting.
    Persons attending in-person HITAC meetings are advised that the 
agency is not responsible for providing wireless access or access to 
electrical outlets.
    ONC welcomes the attendance of the public at its HITAC meetings. 
Seating is limited at in-person meetings, and ONC will make every 
effort to accommodate persons with physical disabilities or special 
needs. If you require special accommodations due to a disability, 
please contact Lauren Richie at least seven (7) days in advance of the 
meeting.
    Notice of these meetings are given under the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App. 2).

    Dated: November 9, 2020.
Lauren Richie,
Designated Federal Officer, Office of the National Coordinator for 
Health Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2020-25261 Filed 11-16-20; 8:45 am]
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