[Federal Register: December 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 246)]
[Notices]
[Page 76313-76315]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23de05-82]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-1289-N]
Medicare Program: Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory
Payment Classification (APC) Groups--March 1, 2, and 3, 2006
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), this notice announces the
first biannual meeting of the Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC)
Panel (the Panel) for 2006.
The purpose of 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 & 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.
DATES: Meeting Dates: The first biannual meeting for 2006 is scheduled
for the following dates and times:
Wednesday, March 1, 2006, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (e.s.t.).
Thursday, March 2, 2006, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (e.s.t.).
Friday, March 3, 2006, 8 a.m. to 12 noon (e.s.t.).
Deadlines:
Deadline for Hardcopy Comments/Suggested Agenda Topics--
5 p.m. (e.s.t.), Wednesday, February 1, 2006.
Deadline for Hardcopy Presentations--
5 p.m. (e.s.t.), Wednesday, February 1, 2006.
Deadline for Attendance Registration--
5 p.m. (e.s.t.), Wednesday, February 8, 2006.
Deadline for Special Accommodations--
5 p.m. (e.s.t.), Wednesday, February 8, 2006.
Submittal of Materials to the Designated Federal Officer (DFO):
Because of staffing and resource limitations, we cannot accept
written comments and presentations by FAX, nor can we print written
comments and presentations received electronically for dissemination at
the meeting.
Only hardcopy comments and presentations will be accepted for
placement in the meeting booklets. All hardcopy presentations must be
accompanied by Form CMS-20017. The form is now available through the
CMS Forms Web site. The URL for linking to this form is (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/forms/cms20017.pdf.
)
We are also requiring electronic versions of the written comments
and presentations (in addition to the hardcopies), so we can send them
electronically to the Panel members for their review before the
meeting.
Consequently, you must send BOTH electronic and hardcopy versions
of your presentations and written comments by the prescribed deadlines.
(Electronic transmission must be sent to the e-mail address below, and
hardcopies--accompanied by Form CMS-20017--must be mailed to the
Designated Federal Officer [DFO], as specified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT: section of this notice.)
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Multipurpose Room, 1st
Floor, CMS Central Office, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland
21244-1850.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For inquiries regarding the meeting;
meeting registration; and hardcopy submissions of oral presentations,
agenda items, and comments, please contact the 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, presentations, and
registration requests 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 the APC meeting agenda
topics 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://.
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/faca or e-mail the Panel DFO.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Secretary is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the 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
(BBRA) (Pub. L. 106-113), respectively, to establish and consult with
an expert, outside advisory panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification
(APC) groups. The APC Panel (the Panel), which was re-chartered by the
Secretary on November 1, 2004, meets up to three times annually to
review the APC groups and to provide technical advice to the Secretary
and the Administrator concerning the clinical integrity of the groups
and their associated weights. All members must have technical expertise
that shall enable them to participate fully in the
[[Page 76314]]
work of the Panel. Such expertise encompasses hospital payment systems,
hospital medical-care delivery systems, outpatient payment
requirements, APCs, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, and the
use and payment of drugs and medical devices in the outpatient setting,
as well as other forms of relevant expertise. However, it is not
necessary that any one member be an expert in all of the areas listed
above. All members shall have a minimum of 5 years experience in their
areas of expertise, and they must be currently employed full-time in
their areas of expertise. For purposes of this Panel, consultants or
independent contractors are not considered to be full-time employees.
We will consider the technical advice provided by the Panel as we
prepare the proposed changes to the OPPS for the next calendar year.
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.
The Administrator selects the Panel membership based upon either
self-nominations or nominations submitted by providers or interested
organizations. 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.
Gloryanne Bryant, B.S., R.H.I.A., R.H.I.T., C.C.S.
Albert Brooks Einstein, Jr., M.D.
Hazel Kimmel, R.N., C.C.S., C.P.C.
Sandra J. Metzler, M.B.A., R.H.I.A., C.P.H.Q.
Thomas M. Munger, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Frank G. Opelka, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Louis Potters, M.D., F.A.C.R.
James V. Rawson, M.D.
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.
Kim Allan Williams, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.B.C.
Robert Matthew Zwolak, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.
II. Agenda
The agenda for the March 2006 meeting will provide for discussion
and comment on the following topics as designated in the Panel's
Charter:
Reconfiguration of APCs (for example, splitting of APCs,
moving Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes from one
APC to another and moving HCPCS codes from new technology APCs to
clinical APCs).
Evaluation of APC weights.
Packaging devices and drug costs into APCs: methodology,
effect on APCs, and need for reconfiguring APCs based upon device and
drug packaging.
Removal of procedures from the inpatient list for payment
under the OPPS.
Use of single and multiple procedure claims data.
Packaging of HCPCS codes.
Other technical issues concerning APC structure.
The subject matter before the Panel shall be limited to these and
related topics. Unrelated topics are not subjects for discussion.
Unrelated topics include, but are not limited to, the conversion
factor, cost compression, pass-through payments for medical devices and
drugs, and wage adjustments. These subjects will not be addressed by
the Panel.
The Panel may use data collected or developed by entities and
organizations, other than DHHS and CMS, in conducting its review.
III. Written Comments and Suggested Agenda Topics
Hardcopy written comments and suggested agenda topics should be
sent to the DFO. Such items must be received by the date and time
specified in the DATES section of this notice.
Additionally, the written comments and suggested agenda topics must
fall within the subject categories outlined in the Panel's Charter
listed in the Agenda section of this notice.
IV. Oral Presentations
Individuals or organizations wishing to make 5-minute oral
presentations must contact the DFO. The DFO must receive hardcopy
presentations by the date and time specified in the DATES section of
this notice in order to be scheduled.
The number of oral presentations may be limited by the time
available. Oral presentations should not exceed 5 minutes in length.
The Chair may further limit time allowed for presentations due to
the number of oral presentations, if necessary.
V. Presenter and Presentation Criteria
The additional criteria below must be supplied to the DFO by the
date specified in the DATES section of this notice (along with
hardcopies of presentations).
Required personal information regarding presenter(s):
+ Name of presenter(s);
+ Title(s);
+ Organizational affiliation;
+ Address;
+ E-mail address, and
+ Telephone number(s).
All presentations must contain, at a minimum, the
following supporting information and data:
+ Financial relationship(s) of presenter(s), if any, with any
company whose products, services, or procedures that are under
consideration;
+ Physicians' CPTs involved;
+ APC(s) affected;
+ Description of the issue(s);
+ Clinical description of the service under discussion (with
comparison to other services within the APC);
+ Recommendations and rationale for change;
+ Expected outcome of change; and
+ Potential consequences of not making the change(s).
Note: All presenters must also submit Form CMS-20017.
VI. Oral Comments
In addition to formal oral presentations, there will be opportunity
during the meeting for public oral comments, which will be limited to 1
minute for each individual and a total of 5 minutes per organization.
VII. Meeting Attendance
The meeting is open to the public; however, attendance is limited
to space available. Attendance will be determined on a first-come,
first-served basis.
Persons wishing to attend this meeting, which is located on Federal
property, must e-mail the Panel DFO to register by the date and time
specified in the DATES section of this notice. A confirmation will be
sent to the requester(s) via return e-mail.
The following information must be e-mailed or telephoned to the DFO
by the date and time above:
Name(s) of attendee(s),
Title(s),
Organization,
E-mail address(es), and
Telephone number(s).
VIII. Security, Building, and Parking Guidelines
Persons attending the meeting must present photographic
identification to the Federal Protective Service or Guard Service
personnel before they will be allowed to enter the building.
Security measures will include inspection of vehicles, inside and
out, at the entrance to the grounds. In addition, all persons entering
the building must pass through a metal detector. All items brought to
CMS, including personal items such as desktops, cell phones,
[[Page 76315]]
palm pilots, etc., are subject to physical inspection.
Individuals who are not registered in advance will not be permitted
to enter the building and will be unable to attend the meeting. (Note:
Presenters must also be registered for attendance at the meeting.) The
public may enter the building 30-45 minutes before when the meeting
convenes each day. (The meeting convenes at the date and time specified
in the DATES section of this notice.)
All visitors must be escorted in areas other than the lower and
first-floor levels in the Central Building.
Parking permits and instructions are issued upon arrival by the
guards at the main entrance.
IX. Special Accommodations
Individuals requiring sign-language interpretation or other special
accommodations must send a request for these services to the DFO by the
date and time specified in the DATES section of this notice.
Authority: Section 1833(t)(9) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 13951(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: November 10, 2005.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 05-24290 Filed 12-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P