[Federal Register: February 23, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 36)]
[Notices]
[Page 8179-8180]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23fe07-60]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-1383-N2]
Medicare Program; Listening Session on the Draft Plan for
Medicare Hospital Value-Based Purchasing--April 12, 2007
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the second Listening Session being
conducted as part of the development of a plan for Medicare hospital
value-based purchasing, as authorized by section 5001(b) of the Deficit
Reduction Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-171) (DRA). The purpose of the
second Listening Session is to solicit comments on the Draft Plan that
has been developed. Hospitals, hospital associations, and all
interested parties are invited to attend and make comments in person.
The perspectives expressed during this session and in writing will
assist us in making revisions to the Draft Plan to create the final
Medicare Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Plan to be completed by June
2007. The Draft Plan will be posted no later than March 22, 2007 on the
CMS Web site, Hospital Center, under Spotlights at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/hospital.asp
.
DATES:
Meeting Date: The listening session will be held on Thursday, April
12, 2007 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. e.d.t.
Registration and Request for Special Accommodations Deadline:
Registration will open February 26, 2007. For security reasons,
registration must be completed no later than 5 p.m. e.d.t. on Thursday,
April 9, 2007. Requests for special accommodations must be received by
5 p.m. e.d.t. on Thursday, April 9, 2007. See Section III. below for
detailed instructions.
Deadline for Submission of Written Comments or Statements: Written
comments on the Draft Plan may be sent by mail, fax, or electronically
and must be received by 5 p.m. e.d.t. on April 19, 2007.
ADDRESSES:
Meeting Location: The Listening Session will be held in the main
auditorium of the central building of the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
Registration and Special Accommodations: Persons interested in
attending the meeting or listening by teleconference must register by
completing the on-line registration located at http://registration.mshow.com/cms2/.
Individuals who need special
accommodations should contact Robin Phillips at (410) 786-3010, by e-
mail to robin.phillips@cms.hhs.gov, or by regular mail to Mail Stop C4-
13-07 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
Written Comments or Statements: Written comments on the Draft Plan
may be mailed to Mail Stop C4-13-07 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244; e-mail to
cmshospitalVBP@cms.hhs.gov or fax to 410-786-0330.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin Phillips, 410-786-3010 in the
Medicare Feedback Group. You may also send inquires about this meeting
via e-mail to robin.phillips@cms.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 5001(b) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-
171) (DRA) specifies that we develop a plan to implement a Value-Based
Purchasing (VBP) Program for payments under the Medicare program for
subsection (d) hospitals (as defined in section 1886(d)(1)(B) of the
Social Security Act) beginning with FY 2009. The Congress specified
that the ``plan'' include consideration of the following issues:
The ongoing development, selection, and modification
process for measures of quality and efficiency in hospital inpatient
settings.
The reporting, collection, and validation of quality data.
The structure of value-based payment adjustments,
including the determination of thresholds or improvements in quality
that would substantiate a payment adjustment, the size of such
payments, and the sources of funding for the value-based payments.
The disclosure of information on hospital performance.
In developing the plan, we must consult with relevant affected
parties and consider experience with demonstrations that are relevant
to the VBP program. We have created an internal Hospital Pay-for-
Performance Workgroup that is charged with developing the VBP Plan for
Medicare hospital services. This Workgroup is organized into four
subgroups to address each of the required planning
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issues: (1) Measures; (2) data collection and validation; (3) incentive
structure; and (4) public reporting. It is also charged with preparing
a set of design options, narrowing the set of design options to prepare
a draft plan, and preparing a report on the plan for implementing VBP
for Medicare hospital services, which will be provided to the Congress
as required under section 5001(b)(3) of the DRA.
In the November 24, 2006 Federal Register, we announced that we
would have a listening session to consider design questions posed in
the Issues Paper that we posted on our Web site http://www.cms.hhs.gov.
This listening session was held on January 17, 2007.
II. Listening Session Format and Agenda
The second listening session will be held on April 12, 2007 to
consider the Draft Plan. This listening session will begin at 10 a.m.
with an overview of the objectives for the session and a brief summary
of the approach to developing the Draft Plan. Beginning at
approximately 10:30 a.m., the remainder of the meeting will be devoted
to addressing each section of the Plan. The agenda will provide
opportunities for brief 2-minute comments from on-site session
attendees. As time allows, telephone participants will also have the
opportunity to provide brief 2-minute comments. A lunch break will
occur from approximately 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The meeting will
conclude by 5 p.m. with brief comments on ``next steps.''
III. Registration Instructions
Persons interested in attending the meeting or listening by
teleconference must register by completing the on-line registration
located at http://registration.mshow.com/cms2/. The on-line
registration system will generate a confirmation page to indicate the
completion of your registration. Please print this page as your
registration receipt.
Individuals may also participate in the listening session by
teleconference. Registration is required. The call-in number will be
provided upon confirmation of registration.
An audio download of the listening session will be available
through the CMS Hospital Center Web site within 72 hours after
completion of the listening session.
IV. Security, Building, and Parking Guidelines
Because this meeting will be located on Federal property, for
security reasons, any persons wishing to attend this meeting must
register by close of business on April 9, 2007. Individuals who have
not registered in advance will not be allowed to enter the building to
attend the meeting. Seating capacity is limited to the first 550
registrants.
The on-site check-in for visitors will begin at 9:15 a.m. Please
allow sufficient time to go through the security checkpoints at both
the entrance to the grounds and the entrance to the building. It is
suggested that you arrive at central building by 9 a.m. so that you
will have enough time to check-in before the session begins.
Security measures will include inspection of vehicles, inside and
out, at the entrance to the grounds. In addition, all persons entering
the building must check in by name with Security, provide a government-
issued ID, and pass through a metal detector. All items brought to the
building, whether personal or for the purpose of demonstration or to
support a presentation, including items such as laptops, cell phones,
and palm pilots, are subject to physical inspection.
Authority: Section 5001(b) The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of
2005.
Dated: February 15, 2007.
Leslie V. Norwalk,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E7-3048 Filed 2-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P