[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 244 (Thursday, December 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 88393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28128]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-9889-N]


Charter Renewal for Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and 
Patient Billing (GAPB)--November 16, 2023

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

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 (HHS), the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of the 
Treasury (the Secretaries) to establish and convene an advisory 
committee for the purpose of reviewing options to improve the 
disclosure of charges and fees for ground ambulance services, better 
inform consumers of insurance options for such services, and protect 
consumers from balance billing (the ``GAPB Advisory Committee'' or the 
``Committee''). The Secretaries established the GAPB Advisory Committee 
on November 16, 2021 with a standard 2-year expiration period ending 
November 16, 2023. In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (FACA), HHS is hereby giving notice that the charter for the 
Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing (GAPB) was 
renewed effective November 16, 2023.

DATES: The charter for the Advisory Committee on GAPB was renewed is 
November 16, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries about the Committee can be mailed to Center for 
Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop WB-22-75, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-8016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Shaheen Halim, CMS, by phone (410) 786-0641 or via email at 
[email protected].
    Press inquiries may be submitted by phone at (202) 690-6145 or via 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 117(a) 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 Secretaries of 
Labor, HHS, and the Treasury to establish and convene an advisory 
committee for the purpose of reviewing options to improve the 
disclosure of charges and fees for ground ambulance services, better 
inform consumers of insurance options for such services, and protect 
consumers from balance billing. The GAPB Advisory Committee is governed 
by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public 
Law 92-463 (Oct. 6, 1972), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. 2.
    The GAPB Advisory Committee first convened in 2023. It will make 
recommendations with respect to the disclosure of charges and fees for 
ground ambulance services and insurance coverage, consumer protection 
and enforcement authorities of the Departments of Labor, Health and 
Human Services, and the Treasury (the Departments) and relevant States, 
and the prevention of balance billing to consumers. The recommendations 
shall address options, best practices, and identified standards to 
prevent instances of balance billing; steps that can be taken by State 
legislatures, State insurance regulators, State attorneys general, and 
other State officials as appropriate, consistent with current legal 
authorities regarding consumer protection; and legislative options for 
Congress to prevent balance billing. The purpose of renewing the GAPB 
Advisory Committee is to provide the Committee with more time to review 
relevant information, review options and best practices, and consider 
the recommendations that it has been charged with making. A copy of the 
charter and other information regarding the GAPB Advisory Committee's 
activity can be found at: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-ground-ambulance-and-patient-billing-gapb. The Administrator of CMS, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, 
having reviewed and approved this document, authorizes Vanessa Garcia, 
who is the Federal Register Liaison, to electronically sign this 
document for purposes of publication in the Federal Register.

    Dated: December 18, 2023.
Vanessa Garcia,
Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2023-28128 Filed 12-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P