[Federal Register: September 24, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 185)]
[Notices]
[Page 57325]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24se04-77]
[[Page 57325]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-3137-N]
Medicare Program; Meeting of the Medicare Coverage Advisory
Committee--November 4, 2004
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting of the Medicare
Coverage Advisory Committee. This Committee provides advice and
recommendations about whether scientific evidence is adequate to
determine whether certain medical items and services are reasonable and
necessary under the Medicare statute. This meeting concerns bariatric
surgery for the treatment of morbid obesity. Notice is given under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)).
DATES: The public meeting will be held on Thursday, November 4, 2004
from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. e.s.t.
Special Accommodations: For anyone attending the meeting who is
hearing or visually impaired, or who requires special assistance or
accommodations, please notify the Executive Secretary by October 18,
2004 (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT)
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Inner Harbor,
301 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.
Presentations and Comments (and Deadline): Interested persons may
present data, information, or views orally or in writing on issues
pending before the Committee. Please submit written comments to
Kimberly Long, by email at klong@cms.hhs.gov or by mail to the
Executive Secretary, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop
C1-09-06, Baltimore, MD 21244. Written comments must be received by
October 4, 2004, 5 p.m., e.s.t.
Web site: You may access up-to-date information on this meeting at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcac/default.asp#meetings.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Long, Executive Secretary, by
telephone at 410-786-5702 or by e-mail at klong@cms.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 14, 1998, we published a notice
in the Federal Register (63 FR 68780) to describe the Medicare Coverage
Advisory Committee, which provides advice and recommendations to us
about clinical issues. This notice announces a public meeting of the
Committee.
Meeting Topic: The Committee will discuss the evidence, hear
presentations and public comment, and make recommendations regarding
the use of bariatric surgery for the treatment of morbid obesity.
Background information about this topic, including panel materials, is
available on the Internet at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/coverage/.
Procedure: This meeting is open to the public. The Committee will
hear oral presentations from the public for approximately 45 minutes.
The Committee may limit the number and duration of oral presentations
to the time available. If you wish to make formal presentations, you
must notify the Executive Secretary named in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section and submit the following by October 4,
2004, 5 p.m., e.s.t.: a brief statement of the general nature of the
evidence or arguments you wish to present; and the names and addresses
of proposed participants. A written copy of your presentation must be
provided to each Committee member before offering your public comments.
Your presentation must address the questions asked by us to the
Committee. If the specific questions are not addressed your
presentation will not be accepted. The questions will be available on
the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcac/default.asp#meetings.
We request that you declare at the meeting whether or not you have any
financial involvement with manufacturers of any items or services being
discussed (or with their competitors).
After the public and CMS presentations, the Committee will
deliberate openly on the topic. Interested persons may observe the
deliberations, but the Committee will not hear further comments during
this time except at the request of the chairperson. The Committee will
also allow a 15 minute unscheduled open public session for any attendee
to address issues specific to the topic. At the conclusion of the day,
the members will vote and the Committee will make its recommendation.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a).
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.774, Medicare--
Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)
Dated: August 26, 2004.
Sean R. Tunis,
Director, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 04-21201 Filed 9-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P