[Federal Register: August 24, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 164)]
[Notices]
[Page 48652-48654]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24au07-78]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-3184-N]
Medicare Program; Meeting of the Medicare Evidence Development
and Coverage Advisory Committee (MedCAC)--October 22, 2007
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting of the Medicare
Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MedCAC)
[[Page 48653]]
(``Committee'') entitled CMS Evidentiary Priorities for Medicare. The
Committee generally provides advice and recommendations about whether
scientific evidence is adequate to determine if certain medical items
and services are reasonable and necessary under the Medicare statute.
Notice of this meeting 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 Monday, October 22, 2007 from
7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., d.s.t.
Deadline for Presentations and Written Comments: Send written
comments and presentations to the address specified in the ADDRESSES
section by 5 p.m., d.s.t. on September 17, 2007.
Deadline for Meeting Registration: For security reasons,
individuals wishing to attend this meeting must register by 5 p.m.
d.s.t. on October 15, 2007.
Deadline for Submitting Request for Special Accommodations: Persons
attending the meeting who are hearing or visually impaired, or have a
condition that requires special assistance or accommodations, are asked
to notify the Executive Secretary as specified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.
ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The meeting will be held in the main
auditorium of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500
Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244.
Registration: Register by contacting Maria Ellis 410-786-0309, or
Maria.Ellis@cms.hhs.gov; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,
OCSQ-Coverage and Analysis Group,C1-09-06, 7500 Security Blvd.,
Baltimore, MD 21244.
Presentation and Comment Submission: Submit presentations and
comments to Michelle Atkinson, at MedCACpresentations@cms.hhs.gov.
Web Site: You may access up-to-date information on this meeting at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/02_aspTopOfPage.
Submission of Presentations and Comments: Interested persons may
present data, information, or views orally or in writing on issues
pending before the Committee. Please submit written comments and
presentations to the Executive Secretary at the address specified in
the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Presentations once submitted are
final. No further changes to the presentation will be accepted after
submission.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Atkinson, Executive Secretary
for MedCAC, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, OCSQ-Coverage and
Analysis Group, C1-09-06, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244.
410-786-2881; Michelle.Atkinson@cms.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Meeting Topic
On December 14, 1998, we published a notice in the Federal Register
(63 FR 68780) to describe the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee
(MCAC), which provides advice and recommendations to CMS about clinical
issues. The MCAC was subsequently rechartered as the Medicare Evidence
Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MedCAC).
This notice announces the October 22, 2007 public meeting of the
Committee. This meeting is to assist CMS in developing priorities for
evidence development for issues of major importance to the Medicare
program and the Medicare population to provide a framework for the
scientific community advancement of research projects that concern
Medicare beneficiaries. Certain disease processes account for a large
percentage of services provided to our beneficiaries and specific
treatments and healthcare delivery processes have a great impact on
beneficiary outcomes. The end product of the MedCAC is a priority list
of research topics with the most potential impact on Medicare and
Medicare beneficiaries to contribute to the body of medical evidence
specific to the Medicare populations. Background information about this
topic, including panel materials, is available at http://www.cms.gov/coverage
.
II. Meeting Procedures
This meeting is open to the public. The Committee will hear oral
presentations from the public for approximately 30 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
do the following:
Notify the Executive Secretary as specified in FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of the notice.
Submit the following to the address specified in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date specified in the DATES
section of this notice:
A brief statement of the general nature of the evidence or
arguments you wish to present.
The names and addresses of proposed participants.
A written copy of your presentation. Your presentation
should consider the questions we have posed to the Committee and focus
on the issues specific to the topic. The questions will be available on
the following Web site: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/02_aspTopOfPage.
We require that you declare at the meeting whether 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.
III. Registration Instructions
The Coverage and Analysis Group is coordinating meeting
registration. While there is no registration fee, individuals must
register to attend. Register by contacting Maria Ellis as specified in
the ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date as specified in the
DATES section of this notice. Please provide your name (as it appears
on your government-issued identification), address, organization,
telephone, and fax numbers, and e-mail address.
You will receive a registration confirmation with instructions in
preparation for your arrival at the CMS complex. You will be notified
if the seating capacity has been reached.
This meeting is located on Federal property; therefore, for
security reasons, any individuals wishing to attend this meeting must
register by the date specified in the DATES section of this notice.
IV. Security, Building, and Parking Guidelines
This meeting will be held in a Federal government building;
therefore, Federal security measures are applicable. In planning your
arrival time, we recommend allowing additional time to clear security.
Security measures include the following:
Presentation of government-issued photographic
identification to the Federal Protective Service or Guard Service
personnel.
Interior and exterior inspection of vehicles (this
includes engine and trunk inspection) at the entrance to the grounds.
Parking permits and
[[Page 48654]]
instructions will be issued after the vehicle inspection.
Passing through a metal detector and inspection of items
brought into the building. We note that all items brought to CMS,
whether personal or for the purpose of demonstration or to support a
demonstration, are subject to inspection. We cannot assume
responsibility for coordinating the receipt, transfer, transport,
storage, set-up, safety, or timely arrival of any personal belongings
or items used for demonstration or to support a demonstration.
Note: Individuals who are not registered in advance will not be
permitted to enter the building and will be unable to attend the
meeting. The public may not enter the building earlier than 30 to 45
minutes prior to the convening of the meeting.
All visitors must be escorted in areas other than the lower and
first floor levels in the Central Building.
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 20, 2007.
Barry M. Straube,
Chief Medical Officer and Director, Office of Clinical Standards and
Quality, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E7-16825 Filed 8-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P