[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37253-37254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-12180]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-3445-N]


Request for Nominations of Members to Serve on the Air Ambulance 
Quality and Patient Safety Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS; Federal 
Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The No Surprises Act, enacted as part of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2021, requires the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services and the Secretary of Transportation to establish and convene 
an advisory committee for the purpose of reviewing options to establish 
quality, patient safety, and clinical capability standards for each 
clinical capability level of air ambulances. This notice announces the 
establishment of the Air Ambulance Quality and Patient Safety Advisory 
Committee and solicits nominations for membership on the Advisory 
Committee.

DATES: Nominations must be received no later than June 28, 2023.

ADDRESSES: To be considered for an HHS appointment, nominations must be 
submitted electronically (by Email) to [email protected]. The subject 
line should state ``Air Ambulance Quality and Patient Safety Advisory 
Committee Nomination.''
    To be considered for a Department of Transportation (DOT) 
appointment, nominations must be submitted electronically (by Email) to 
Johann Hadian at [email protected]. The subject line should state 
``Air Ambulance Quality and Patient Safety Advisory Committee 
Nomination.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    For questions directed to CMS, please contact Ashley Spence, (410) 
786-8123; [email protected]. Press inquiries are handled 
through [email protected].
    For questions directed to DOT, Federal Aviation Administration, 
please contact Johann Hadian, (202) 267-2793; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Section 106(g) of the No Surprises Act, enacted as part of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, div. BB, tit. I, Public Law 116-
260 (Dec. 27, 2020), requires the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services and the Secretary of the Transportation (the Secretaries) to 
establish and convene an advisory committee for the purpose of 
reviewing options to establish quality, patient safety, and clinical 
capability standards for each clinical capability level of air 
ambulances. The Advisory Committee is governed by the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92-463 (Oct. 6, 
1972), as amended, 5 United State Code Appendix.

II. Charter and General Responsibilities

    The Advisory Committee, established on August 24, 2022, is tasked 
with reviewing options to establish quality, patient safety, and 
clinical capability standards for each clinical capability level of air 
ambulances. As outlined in Section 106(g) of the No Surprises Act, the 
Advisory Committee shall study and make recommendations, as 
appropriate, to the Congress regarding each of the following with 
respect to air ambulance services:
     Qualifications of different clinical capability levels and 
tiering of such levels.
     Patient safety and quality standards.
     Options for improving service reliability during poor 
weather, night conditions, or other adverse conditions.
     Differences between air ambulance vehicle types, services, 
and technologies, and other flight capability standards, and the impact 
of such differences on patient safety.
     Clinical triage criteria for air ambulances.
    The Advisory Committee must submit these recommendations no later 
than 180 days after the date of its first meeting.

III. Eligibility for Membership

    The Advisory Committee shall consist of not more than 13 members, 
including:
     The Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the 
Secretary's designee, who shall serve as Chair of the Committee;
     The Secretary of the Transportation, or the Secretary's 
designee;
     One representative, to be appointed by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, of each of the following:
    ++ State insurance regulators;
    ++ Health care providers;
    ++ Group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group 
or individual health insurance coverage;
    ++ Patient advocacy groups;
    ++ Accrediting bodies with experience in quality measures.
     Three representatives of the air ambulance industry, to be 
appointed by the Secretary of Transportation, and
     Three additional representatives, not covered above, as 
determined necessary and appropriate by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services and Secretary of Transportation.
    Individuals applying for membership should keep in mind that 
Committee members will be selected based on their ability and 
willingness to effectively represent the interests of all stakeholders 
in their category, as distinct from their parochial or personal 
interests. For example, an individual selected to serve on the 
Committee as a representative of consumer advocacy groups would 
represent not only his or her own organization, but all consumer 
advocacy groups. As such, the individual would be expected to consult 
with other consumer groups in bringing issues to the table and making 
decisions on proposals before the Committee.

IV. Nomination Process

    The Secretaries are requesting nominations for membership on the

[[Page 37254]]

Advisory Committee. Any interested person may nominate one or more 
qualified individuals for membership on the Advisory Committee. Self-
nominations are also accepted. Nominations must include, in full, the 
following materials to be considered for membership. Failure to submit 
the required information may disqualify a candidate from the review 
process.
     A letter of nomination that contains contact information 
for both the nominator and nominee (if not the same).
     A statement from the nominee that they are willing to 
serve on the Advisory Committee for its duration and an explanation of 
interest in serving on the Advisory Committee. The nominee should also 
indicate which category or categories they are willing to represent. 
(For self-nominations, this information may be included in the 
nomination letter.)
     A biography, including professional and academic 
credentials.
     A resume or curriculum vitae that indicates the nominee's 
educational experience, as well as relevant professional experience.
     Two letters of reference that support the nominee's 
qualifications for participation on the Advisory Committee. (For 
nominations other than self-nominations, a nomination letter that 
includes information supporting the nominee's qualifications may be 
counted as one of the letters of reference.)
     For health care providers applying for the HHS 
appointments, nominees should include physicians, other clinicians, and 
health care operations professionals experienced with air ambulance 
critical care transport services and/or experience in addressing the 
challenges associated with transport in rural areas.
     For nominees applying for the DOT appointments, please 
address the following:
    ++ Current experience with a Part 135 operator, operating 
helicopters and/or airplanes in air ambulance operations. Preference 
will be given to those with experience operating both helicopters and 
airplanes in air ambulance operations.
    ++ Whether the applicant currently holds a management or 
operational position with a part 135 certificate holder operating air 
ambulance aircraft.
    ++ Knowledge of the differences between air ambulance vehicle 
types, services, and technologies, and other flight capability 
standards, and the impact of such differences on patient safety.
    ++ Size and scope of the operations from which operational 
experience was obtained.
    Finally, nominees should state their previous experience on a 
Federal advisory committee and/or aviation rulemaking committee (if 
any), their level of knowledge in the stakeholder groups listed above, 
and the size of their constituency they represent or are able to reach.
    Materials submitted should total five pages or less. Should more 
information be needed, Department staff will contact the applicant/
nominee, obtain information from the applicant's/nominee's past 
affiliations, or obtain information from publicly available sources.
    The Secretaries will make every effort to appoint members to serve 
on the Advisory Committee from among those candidates determined to 
have the technical expertise required to meet specific statutory 
categories and Departmental needs, and in a manner to ensure an 
appropriate balance of membership. Selection of committee members will 
be consistent with achieving the greatest impact, scope, and 
credibility among diverse stakeholders. The diversity in such 
membership includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, disability, 
sexual orientation, and gender identity.
    The Secretaries reserve discretion to appoint members to serve on 
the Advisory Committee who did not respond to this notice if necessary 
to meet specific statutory categories and Departmental needs in a 
manner to ensure an appropriate balance of membership.
    The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
(CMS), Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, having reviewed and approved this 
document, authorizes Evell J. Barco Holland, who is the Federal 
Register Liaison, to electronically sign this document for purposes of 
publication in the Federal Register.

    Dated: June 2, 2023.
Evell J. Barco Holland,
Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2023-12180 Filed 6-2-23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P