[Federal Register: August 26, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 165)]
[Notices]
[Page 50358]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26au05-97]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-1486-N]
Medicare Program; Announcement of New Members of the Advisory
Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Groups
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment
Classification (APC) Groups (the Panel) is to review the APC groups and
their associated weights and to advise the Secretary of the Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Administrator of the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning the clinical
integrity of the APC groups and their associated weights. The advice
provided by the Panel will be considered as CMS prepares its annual
updates of the hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS)
through rulemaking. This notice announces the new members selected to
serve on the Panel.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For inquiries about the Panel, please
contact the Designated Federal Officer (DFO): Shirl Ackerman-Ross, DFO,
CMS, CMM, HAPG, DOC, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C4-05-17,
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. Phone (410) 786-4474.
E-mail Address for comments is: APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov. News media
representatives must contact our Public Affairs Office at (202) 690-
6145.
Advisory Committees' Information Lines: The CMS Advisory
Committees' Information Line is 1-877-449-5659 (toll free) and (410)
786-9379 (local).
Web Sites: For additional information on APC meeting agendas and
updates to the Panel's activities, search our Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/faca/apc/default.asp.
To obtain Charter copies, search
our Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/faca or e-mail the Panel DFO.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
(the Secretary) is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social
Security Act, as amended and redesignated by sections 201(h) and
202(a)(2) of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget
Refinement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-113), respectively, to establish
and consult with an expert, outside advisory panel on APC groups. The
APC Panel meets up to three times annually to review the APC groups and
to provide technical advice to the Secretary and the Administrator of
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (the
Administrator) concerning the clinical integrity of the groups and
their associated weights. All members must have technical expertise
that will enable them to participate fully in the work of the Panel.
The expertise encompasses hospital payment systems, hospital medical-
care delivery systems, outpatient payment requirements, APCs,
Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology Codes (CPTs), the use and
payment of drugs and medical devices in the outpatient setting, and
other forms of relevant expertise. It is not necessary that any one
member be an expert in all areas.
We will consider the technical advice provided by the Panel as we
prepare the final rule that updates the OPPS payment rates for the next
calendar year. The Secretary re-chartered the Panel on November 1,
2004.
II. Announcement of New Members
The Panel may consist of a Chair and up to 15 representatives who
are full-time employees (not consultants) of Medicare providers, which
are subject to the OPPS. Panel members serve without compensation,
according to an advance written agreement; however, travel, meals,
lodging, and related expenses are reimbursed in accordance with
standard Government travel regulations. CMS has a special interest for
ensuring that women, minorities, and the physically challenged are
adequately represented on the Panel.
The Secretary, or his designee, appoints new members to the Panel
from among those candidates determined to have the required expertise.
New appointments are made in a manner that ensures a balanced
membership.
The Panel presently consists of the following members and a Chair:
Edith Hambrick, M.D., J.D., Chair.
Marilyn Bedell, M.S., R.N., O.C.N.
Albert Brooks Einstein, Jr., M.D.
Sandra J. Metzler, M.B.A., R.H.I.A., C.P.H.Q.
Frank G. Opelka, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Louis Potters, M.D., F.A.C.R.
Lou Ann Schraffenberger, M.B.A., R.H.I.A., C.C.S.-P.
Judie S. Snipes, R.N., M.B.A., F.A.C.H.E.
Lynn R. Tomascik, R.N., M.S.N., C.N.A.A.
Timothy Gene Tyler, Pharm.D.
On February 25, 2005, we published a notice in the Federal Register
(70 FR 9336) requesting nominations to the Panel to replace the six
Panel members whose terms expired on March 31, 2005. In order to obtain
additional nominees whose expertise matched the needs of the Panel, we
published a second notice in the Federal Register on April 8, 2005 (70
FR 18028) extending the deadline. As a result of these two notices, the
six new 4-year appointments to the APC Panel effective August 17, 2005,
and ending August 16, 2009, are as follows:
Gloryanne Bryant, B.S., R.H.I.A., R.H.I.T., C.C.S.
Hazel Kimmel, R.N., C.C.S., C.P.C.
Thomas M. Munger, M.D., F.A.C.C.
James V. Rawson, M.D.
Kim Allan Williams, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.B.C.
Robert Matthew Zwolak, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.
Authority: Section 1833(t) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)). The
Panel is governed by the provisions of Pub. L. 92-463, as amended (5
U.S.C. Appendix 2).
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.773,
Medicare--Hospital Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, Medicare--
Supplementary Medical Insurance Program).
Dated: August 9, 2005.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 05-16798 Filed 8-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P