[Federal Register: February 28, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 40)]
[Notices]
[Page 9671-9672]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28fe03-102]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-1245-N]
Medicare Program; Request for Nominations to the Advisory Panel
on Ambulatory Payment Classifications Groups
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health
& Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice invites nominations of members to the Advisory
Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Groups (the Panel).
There will be six vacancies on the Panel as of March 31, 2003. The
purpose of the Panel is to review the APC groups and their associated
weights and to advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services and
the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
concerning the clinical integrity of these groups and weights, which
are major elements of the hospital outpatient prospective payment
system. The Panel was recently rechartered for a 2-year period through
November 21, 2004.
Nominations: Nominations will be considered if received at the
appropriate address, which is provided below, no later than 5 p.m.
e.s.t. March 31, 2003. Mail or deliver nominations to the following
address: CMS, Center for Medicare Management, Hospital & Ambulatory
Policy Group, Division of Outpatient Care, Attention: Paul Rudolf,
M.D., J.D., Chairman, Advisory Panel on APC Groups, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Mail Stop C4-05-17, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
Web Site: Please refer to the Internet at http://www.cms.gov/faca
Web Site: Please refer to the Internet at http://www.cms.gov/faca
for additional information and updates on the Panel's activities.
[[Page 9672]]
Advisory Committees' Information Lines: Information Hotlines at 1-
877-449-5659 (toll-free) or 410-786-9379 (local) for additional
information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirl Ackerman-Ross, at
SAckermanross@cms.hhs.gov or call her on (410) 786-4474. News media
representatives should contact the CMS Press Office, (202) 690-6145.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) is
required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security Act (the Act),
as amended by section 201(h)(1)(B) and redesignated by section 202
(a)(2) of the Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-113),
to consult with an advisory panel on APC groups (the Panel). The Panel
will meet up to three times annually to review the APC groups and
provide technical advice to the Secretary and the Administrator of the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (the Administrator) concerning
the clinical integrity of the groups and their associated weights. The
groups and their weights are major elements of the hospital outpatient
prospective payment system (OPPS). The technical advice provided by the
Panel will be considered as we prepare the annual Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking that will propose changes to the OPPS for the next calendar
year.
The current members of the Panel are: Michelle Burke, R.N.; Leslie
Jane Collins, R.N.; Geneva Craig, R.N.; Lora A. DeWald, M.ED; Gretchen
M. Evans, R.N.; Robert E. Henkin, M.D.; Lee H. Hilborne, M.D.; Stephen
T. House, M.D.; Kathleen P. Kinslow, CRNA, Ed.D; Mike Metro, R.N.;
Gerald V. Naccarelli, M.D; Beverly K. Philip, M.D.; Karen L. Rutledge,
B.S.; William A. Van Decker, M.D., J.D., and Paul E. Wallner, D.O. The
Panel Chairperson is Paul M. Rudolf, M.D, J.D., a CMS Medical officer.
The charter allows for up to 15 members plus a Chair, and we will
have 6 openings as of March 31, 2003. Therefore, we are requesting
nominations for members to serve on the Panel. Panel members serve
without compensation, pursuant to advance written agreement; however,
travel, meals, lodging, and related expenses will be reimbursed in
accordance with standard government travel regulations. We have a
special interest for ensuring that women, minorities, and the
physically challenged are adequately represented on the Panel, and we
encourage nominations of qualified candidates from those groups.
The Secretary, or his designee, will appoint new members to the
Panel from among those candidates determined to have the required
expertise; new appointments will be done in a manner that will ensure
an appropriate balance of membership.
II. Criteria for Nominees
Qualified nominees will meet those requirements necessary to be a
Panel member. Panel members must be representatives of Medicare
providers (including Community Mental Health Centers) subject to the
OPPS, with technical and/or clinical expertise in any of the following
areas:
[sbull] Hospital payment systems.
[sbull] Hospital medical care delivery systems.
[sbull] Outpatient payment requirements.
[sbull] Ambulatory payment classification groups.
[sbull] Use of, and payment for, drugs and medical devices in an
outpatient setting.
[sbull] Provision of, and payment for, partial hospitalization
services.
[sbull] Any other relevant expertise.
It is not necessary that any nominee possess expertise in all of
the areas listed, but each must have a minimum of 5 years experience
and currently be employed full-time in his or her area of expertise.
Members of the Panel serve overlapping 4-year terms, contingent upon
the rechartering of the Panel.
Any interested person may nominate one or more qualified
individuals. Self-nominations will also be accepted. Each nomination
must include a letter of nomination, a curriculum vita of the nominee,
and a statement from the nominee that the nominee is willing to serve
on the Panel under the conditions described in this notice and further
specified in the Charter.
III. Copies of the Charter
You may obtain a copy of the charter for the Panel by submitting a
request to Shirl Ackermann-Ross, CMS, CMM, HAPG, DOC, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Mail Stop C4-05-17, Baltimore, MD 21244, (410) 786-4474, or
e-mail the request to SAckermanross@cms.hhs.gov. A copy of the charter
is also available on the Internet at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/faca.
is also available on the Internet at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/faca.
Authority: Section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 13951(t)(9)(A)) and section 10(a) of Pub. L. 92-463 (5 U.S.C.
App. 2).
Dated: February 25, 2003.
Thomas A. Scully,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 03-4804 Filed 2-27-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P