Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 111 / Friday, June 8, 2012 / Notices 34047 

regarding this collection contact Darlene 

Anderson at 410–786–9828. For all 

other issues call 410–786–1326.) 

To obtain copies of the supporting 

statement for the proposed paperwork 

collections referenced above, access 

CMS’ Web site address at http://www.

cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof

1995, or Email your request, including 

your address, phone number, OMB 

number, and CMS document identifier, 

to Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov, or call the 

Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786– 

1326. 

In commenting on the proposed 

information collections please reference 

the document identifier or OMB control 

number. To be assured consideration, 

comments and recommendations must 

be submitted in one of the following 

ways by August 7, 2012: 

1. Electronically. You may submit 

your comments electronically to http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for ‘‘Comment or 

Submission’’ or ‘‘More Search Options’’ 

to find the information collection 

document(s) accepting comments. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments to the following 

address: CMS, Office of Strategic 

Operations and Regulatory Affairs, 

Division of Regulations Development, 

Attention: Document Identifier CMS– 

10434, Room C4–26–05, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244– 

1850. 

Dated: June 4, 2012. 

Martique Jones, 

Director, Regulations Development Group, 

Division B Office of Strategic Operations and 

Regulatory Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–13869 Filed 6–7–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3269–N] 

Medicare Program; Proposal 

Evaluation Criteria and Standards for 

End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) 

Network Organizations 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice describes the 

standards, criteria, and procedures we 

will use to evaluate an End-Stage Renal 

Disease (ESRD) Network Organization’s 

capabilities to perform, and actual 

performance of, the duties and functions 

under the ESRD Network Statement of 

Work (SOW). 

DATES: Effective Date: June 8, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Teresa Casey, 410–786–7215. Renee 

Dupee, 410–786–6747. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Section 1881(c) of the Social Security 

Act (the Act) authorized the 

establishment of, among other things, 

ESRD network areas and Network 

Organizations under the Medicare 

program to ensure the effective 

administration of the ESRD program 

benefits. We currently have contracts 

with ESRD Network Organizations to 

serve the 18 ESRD Network areas. 

The existing 18 ESRD Network 

contracts have been operating under the 

same Statement of Work (SOW) since 

2003 and have been renewed to 

continue to provide service to the ESRD 

population. Recent major policy and 

legislative changes have modernized 

Medicare payments for ESRD care. In 

particular, the Medicare Improvements 

for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) 

required the Secretary of the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (the Secretary) to implement an 

ESRD bundled payment system under 

which a single payment is made to a 

provider of services or a renal dialysis 

facility for renal dialysis services in lieu 

of any other payment. MIPPA also 

required the Secretary to establish an 

ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP). 

Additionally, a heightened focus on 

quality improvement, public reporting 

and value-based purchasing in 

healthcare has fueled a growing need for 

facility-level data collection; analysis; 

monitoring; trending; evaluating and 

intervening, where necessary, to 

improve patient care. We have also 

emphasized spreading and replicating 

the best practices of high performing 

providers. Therefore, a redesigned ESRD 

Network SOW was drafted to 

incorporate these priorities in 

healthcare and changes in legislation. 

The SOW will charge the ESRD Network 

Organizations with establishing 

relationships with patients, families and 

facilities within their Network areas to 

reach the objective of optimal patientcentered care. 

Section 1881(c)(1)(A)(ii)(I) of the Act 

provides that in order to determine 

whether the Secretary should enter into, 

continue, or terminate an agreement 

with an ESRD Network Organization, 

the Secretary shall develop and publish 

in the Federal Register standards, 

criteria, and procedures used to evaluate 

an ESRD Network Organization’s 

capabilities to perform, and actual 

performance of, the network functions 

required by section 1881(c)(2) of the 

Act. These functions are to: 

• Encourage participation in 

vocational rehabilitation programs, and 

develop criteria and standards relating 

to this participation. 

• Evaluate the procedures used by 

facilities and providers in the network 

to assess patients for placement in 

appropriate treatment modalities. 

• Implement a procedure for 

evaluating and resolving patient 

grievances. 

• Conduct onsite reviews of facilities 

and providers as necessary (as 

determined by a medical review board 

or the Secretary) using standards of care 

established by the ESRD Network 

Organization. 

• Collect, validate, and analyze data 

necessary to prepare the required 

annual report to the Secretary and to 

ensure the maintenance of a national 

ESRD registry. 

• Identify facilities and providers that 

are not cooperatively working toward 

meeting network goals, and assist those 

facilities and providers in developing 

plans for correction, as well as report to 

the Secretary on those facilities and 

providers that are not providing 

appropriate care. 

• Submit an annual report to the 

Secretary on July 1 of each year. 

Shortly after the publication of this 

Federal Register notice, we will post a 

Request for Proposals (RFP) to perform 

the work of the redesigned ESRD 

Network SOW on the Fed Biz Opps Web 

site (www.fbo.gov). The RFP will 

competitively award a portion of the 18 

ESRD Network contracts using a best 

value process in accordance with 

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 

Part 15. The remaining ESRD Network 

contracts will be renewed and competed 

at a later date. The period of 

performance for these ESRD Network 

contracts will be one 12-month base 

year which begins on January 1, 2013 

and ends on December 31, 2013, with 

two 12-month option periods. We may 

exercise an option in accordance with 

the FAR Part 17.2, and it may terminate 

a contract for convenience or for default, 

in accordance with FAR Part 49. This 

notice describes the capabilities that an 

applicant must demonstrate to be 

awarded an ESRD Network contract and 

the general criteria that will be used to 

evaluate the ESRD Network 

Organizations performing under the 

SOW. 

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34048 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 111 / Friday, June 8, 2012 / Notices 

II. Description of the Tasks Under the 

Revised ESRD Network Organization 

SOW 

ESRD Network Organizations are 

responsible, in addition to other duties 

and functions that the Secretary 

prescribes, for performing the tasks 

outlined in section 1881(c)(2) of the Act. 

Under the revised ESRD Network 

Organization SOW, ESRD Network 

Organizations will complete the 

requirements of the three Aims outlined 

in the SOW which support the functions 

required by section 1881(c)(2) of the 

Act. The three Aims are as follows: 

• Aim 1, is the ‘‘Better Care for the 

Individual through Beneficiary and 

Family Centered Care’’ Aim. This Aim 

envisions ESRD Networks, facilities and 

beneficiaries working together to 

promote appropriateness of patient care 

and processes for evaluating and 

resolving patient grievances. 

• Aim 2, is the ‘‘Better Health for the 

ESRD Population’’ Aim. This Aim 

considers the preparation and education 

of beneficiaries for transplantation and 

self-care settings or home dialysis. 

• Aim 3, is the ‘‘Reduce Costs of 

ESRD Care by Improving Care’’ Aim. 

This Aim has Network Organizations 

assisting dialysis facilities in meeting 

the requirements of the ESRD Quality 

Incentive Program (QIP), supporting 

dialysis facilities in their submission of 

data to designated data collection 

systems and using data to provide 

necessary reports to CMS and the 

Secretary. 

More detailed information for each Aim, 

Domain, and sub-domain can be found 

in sections C.2 through C.4. of the ESRD 

Network SOW posted at the 

www.fbo.gov Web site. Each Aim is also 

described further below. 

1. Aim 1: Better Care for the Individual 

Through Beneficiary and Family 

Centered Care (See Section C.4.1 of the 

ESRD Network SOW) 

The ‘‘Better Care for the Individual 

through Beneficiary and Family 

Centered Care’’ Aim strives to promote 

health care that is respectful of and 

responsive to individual patient 

preferences, needs, and values. The 

Network patient-centered domains will 

achieve Aim 1. Network patientcentered domains are Patient and 

Family Engagement; Patient Experience 

of Care; Patient-Appropriate Access to 

In-Center Dialysis Care; Vascular Access 

Management; and Patient Safety: 

Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAIs). 

The ESRD Network Organizations’ 

activities within this Aim will be 

enhanced by the patient’s voice. The 

ESRD Network Organization will take a 

two-tiered approach to incorporating the 

patient’s voice in the activities of the 

Network and the renal community as a 

whole. The two tiers are: (1) 

Engagement at the dialysis facility level 

to foster patient and family 

involvement; and (2) development and 

implementation of a beneficiary and 

family centered care focused Learning 

and Action Network (LAN) to promote 

patient and family involvement at the 

Network level. Both tiers are essential 

and work together to promote 

beneficiary and family engagement to 

improve quality of care. 

2. Aim 2: Better Health for the ESRD 

Population (See Section C.4.2 of the 

ESRD Network Statement of Work) 

The ‘‘Better Health for the ESRD 

Population’’ Aim focuses on improving 

the quality of and access to ESRD care 

through a Population Health Innovation 

Pilot Project in one of the following 

areas: 

• Increase HBV, Influenza, and 

Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates; 

• Improve Dialysis Care Coordination 

With a Focus on Reducing Hospital 

Utilization; 

• Improve Transplant Coordination; 

• Promote Appropriate Home Dialysis 

in Qualified Beneficiaries; or 

• Support Improvement in Quality of 

Life. 

Under the SOW, each ESRD Network 

Organization will work with low 

performing dialysis facilities in their 

Network to conduct one Population 

Health Innovation Pilot Project and 

achieve the specified outcome or 

outcomes for the measures related to the 

project area. The SOW describes the 

outcomes the ESRD Network 

Organization should achieve for each 

Project; however, the ESRD Network 

Organizations will develop and 

implement interventions to increase 

performance within the participating 

dialysis facilities. Additionally, ESRD 

Network Organizations must 

demonstrate a reduction in one of the 

disparity areas outlined in the SOW. 

3. Aim 3: Reduce Costs of ESRD Care by 

Improving Care (See section C.4.3 of the 

ESRD Network Statement of Work) 

The ‘‘Reducing Costs of ESRD Care by 

Improving Care’’ Aim focuses on 

supporting the ESRD QIP, facility 

performance improvement on QIP 

measures, and facility data submission 

for CROWNWeb, the National 

Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), 

and/or other CMS-designated data 

collection system(s). 

III. Evaluation of ESRD Network 

Organizations’ Capabilities To Perform, 

and Evaluation of the Performance of, 

the Responsibilities Under the SOW 

A. Evaluation of Capabilities To Perform 

the Responsibilities Under the SOW 

In order to receive an ESRD Network 

Contract award, an applicant must 

demonstrate, through the submission of 

a technical proposal, the capability to 

perform the duties listed in the ESRD 

Network SOW. Technical proposal 

submissions must detail the applicant’s 

approach to accomplish each of the 

Aims of the SOW and describe how the 

applicant will maximize the outcome of 

the specific tasks within each Aim. 

Additionally, successful applicants 

must offer sound quality improvement 

approaches for the intervention 

strategies they are proposing to meet the 

tasks identified in the SOW. The 

proposed interventions are expected to 

be evidence-based, efficient and 

effective. The proposed interventions 

should also be feasible in the context of 

the applicant’s ESRD Network service 

area, considering geography and other 

relevant location-specific factors. 

Applicants will be expected to offer 

proposed solutions to anticipated 

challenges with a reasonable likelihood 

of success. 

Other factors used to determine 

capability to receive an ESRD Network 

Contract award include an evaluation of 

the applicant’s relevant past 

performance, the management structure 

that the applicant proposes to 

successfully perform the work of the 

contract as well as the qualified and 

experienced staff proposed to 

administer the tasks of the ESRD 

Network SOW. 

We note that the solicitation posted 

on Fed Biz Opps is the official notice of 

the ESRD Network Contract Request for 

Proposals, and in the event that any 

terms within this Federal Register 

notice conflict with those of the 

solicitation and the SOW, the language 

within the solicitation and the SOW 

controls. 

B. Evaluation of Performance of the 

Responsibilities Under the SOW 

With a focus on rapid cycle 

improvement, ESRD Network 

Organizations’ performance of the 

responsibilities under the SOW will be 

monitored and measured for 

improvement on an ongoing basis using 

self-assessment and Contracting Officer 

Representative (COR) review. We will 

monitor the ESRD Network 

Organization’s performance on the Aims 

and Domains against established 

criteria, as specified in sections C.2 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 111 / Friday, June 8, 2012 / Notices 34049 

through C.4., on at least a quarterly 

basis, and may take appropriate contract 

action for low or poor performing ESRD 

Network Organizations. The COR will 

complete assessment and review of 

qualitative and quantitative contract 

evaluation objectives. Throughout the 

contract cycle, monitoring and 

measuring for improvement and general 

performance will be conducted. In 

addition, qualitative and quantitative 

evaluation will be conducted at the 

annual evaluation which generally 

occurs in the tenth month of the one 

year contract period. The annual 

evaluation will be based on the most 

recent data available. The performance 

results of the annual evaluation will be 

used, in addition to ongoing monitoring 

activities, to determine the performance 

on the overall contract 

The qualitative evaluation of the 

ESRD Network Organizations will be 

based on the impact of the interventions 

utilized to accomplish the tasks within 

the SOW. We will evaluate the 

interventions for relationship-building, 

innovation, development of replicable 

best practices, and sustainability. The 

quantitative evaluation of the ESRD 

Network Organizations will be based on 

the achievement of the measureable 

targets for each of the Aims, as stated in 

the ESRD Network SOW (see Section 

C.4). 

The following Tasks will be evaluated 

in accordance with the measures 

provided in the SOW: 

AIM—Domain Sub-domain tasks ESRD SOW 

reference 

1—Patient and Family Engagement ........................................... Patient Learning and Action Network Quality Improvement Activity.C.4.1A 

1—Patient and Family Engagement ........................................... Patient Learning and Action Network Campaigns ...................... C.4.1A 

1—Patient Experience of Care .................................................... Grievance Quality Improvement Activity ..................................... C.4.1.B.1 

1—Patient Experience of Care .................................................... Patient Satisfaction with Network Grievance Process ............... C.4.1.B.1 

1—Patient Experience of Care .................................................... In-center Hemodialysis Consumer Assessment of Healthcare 

Providers and Systems (ICH CAPHS) participation Rate.

C.4.1.B.2 

1—Patient Experience of Care .................................................... ICH CAPHS Quality Improvement Activity ................................. C.4.1.B.2 

1—Patient Appropriate Access to In-Center Dialysis Care ......... Involuntary Discharge/Involuntary Transfer/Failure to Place 

rate and aversion rate.

C.4.1.C.1– 

C.4.1.C.2 

1—Vascular Access Management .............................................. Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF) Monthly Improvement .................... C.4.1.D 

1—Vascular Access Management .............................................. AVF Contract goal of 68% .......................................................... C.4.1.D 

1—Vascular Access Management .............................................. Long-term Catheter (LTC) Contract goal of 2% reduction in 

participating facilities.

C.4.1.D 

1—Vascular Access Management .............................................. Reporting of AVF/LTC data ........................................................ C.4.1.D 

1—Patient Safety: Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAIs) .......... National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) enrollment & reporting contract goal.C.4.1.E 

1—Patient Safety: Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAIs) .......... NHSN Infection Quality Improvement Activity ............................ C.4.1.E 

2—Population Health Innovation Pilot Project ............................ Innovation Pilot Project Disparity reduction and outcomes ........ C.4.2.A. 

3—Reduce Costs of ESRD Care by Improving Care ................. ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP) and Performance Improvement on QIP Measures.C.4.3.A 

3—Reduce Costs of ESRD Care by Improving Care ................. Facility Data Submission to CROWNWeb, NHSN, and/or Other 

CMS–Designated Data Collection Systems(s).

C.4.3.B 

The contract evaluation will 

determine if the ESRD Network 

Organization has met the performance 

evaluation criteria as specified in C.4 of 

this Statement of Work. We will 

evaluate whether a Network 

Organization has achieved each of the 

Aims and Domains on an individual 

basis. In general, evaluation of each Aim 

will relate only to that area, however in 

the event of failure in multiple Aims, 

we reserve the right to take appropriate 

contract action by, for example, 

providing warning of the need for 

adjustment, instituting a formal 

correction plan, terminating an activity, 

or recommending early termination of a 

contract. 

An ESRD Network Organization will 

pass an Aim or Domain if it meets the 

evaluation criteria specified for that 

Aim or Domain. An ESRD Network 

Organization will fail an Aim or Domain 

if it does not meet the evaluation criteria 

specified for that Aim or Domain. Any 

failure for any Aim or Domain may 

result in that ESRD Network 

Organization receiving an adverse 

performance evaluation. Further, failure 

may impact the ESRD Network 

Organization’s ability to continue 

similar work in, or eligibility for, award 

of the next contract cycle of the ESRD 

Network contract. 

We may revise measures, adjust the 

expected minimum thresholds for 

satisfactory performance, remove 

criteria from an Aim and/or Domain 

evaluation for any of the following 

reasons, including, but not limited to: 

Data gathered on Aim and/or Domain; 

the level of improvement achieved 

during the contract cycle or in pilot 

projects currently in progress; 

information gathered through evaluation 

of the ESRD Network Program overall; 

or any unforeseen or other 

circumstances. Further, in accordance 

with standard contract procedures, we 

reserve the right at any time to 

discontinue an Aim and/or Domain or 

any other part of this contract regardless 

of the Network’s performance on the 

Aim and/or Domain. In accordance with 

section 1881(c)(1)(A)(ii)(I) of the Act, 

when we make changes to the 

standards, criteria, and procedures used 

to evaluate an ESRD Network 

Organization’s capabilities to perform 

and/or actual performance of the duties 

and functions under the ESRD Network 

SOW, we will publish an updated 

notice in the Federal Register. 

If we choose, we may notify the ESRD 

Network Organization of our intention 

not to renew the ESRD Network 

Organization contract. We reserve our 

termination rights under FAR Part 49. 

IV. Collection of Information 

Requirements 

This document does not impose 

information collection and 

recordkeeping requirements. 

Consequently, it need not be reviewed 

by the Office of Management and 

Budget under the authority of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

V. Regulatory Impact Statement 

In accordance with the provisions of 

Executive Order 12866, this regulation 

was not reviewed by the Office of 

Management and Budget. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.778, Medical Assistance 

Program; No. 93.773 Medicare—Hospital 

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34050 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 111 / Friday, June 8, 2012 / Notices 

Insurance Program; and No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: June 5, 2012. 

Marilyn Tavenner, 

Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2012–13998 Filed 6–7–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–8051–N] 

Medicare Program; Meeting of the 

Medicare Economic Index Technical 

Advisory Panel—June 25, 2012 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces that a 

public meeting of the Medicare 

Economic Index Technical Advisory 

Panel (‘‘the Panel’’) will be held on 

Monday, June 25, 2012. The purpose of 

the Panel is to review all aspects of the 

Medicare Economic Index (MEI). This 

second meeting will focus on MEI pricemeasurement proxies and the index’s 

productivity adjustment. This meeting 

is open to the public in accordance with 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 

U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)). 

DATES: Meeting Date: The public 

meeting will be held on Monday, June 

25, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., 

Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). 

Deadline for Submission of Written 

Comments: Written comments must be 

received at the mailing or email address 

specified in the section of this notice 

entitled, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT, by 5 p.m. EDT, Monday, June 

18, 2012. Once submitted, all comments 

are considered to be final. 

Deadlines for Speaker Registration 

and Presentation Materials: The 

deadline to register to be a speaker and 

to submit PowerPoint presentation 

materials and any other written 

materials that will be used in support of 

an oral presentation is 5 p.m. EDT, 

Monday, June 18, 2012. Speakers may 

register by contacting Toya Via, HCD 

International, by phone at (301) 552– 

8803 or via email at MEITAP@hcdi.com. 

Materials that will be used in support of 

an oral presentation must be received at 

the mailing or email address specified 

in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section of this notice, by 5 p.m. 

EDT, Monday, June 18, 2012. 

Deadline for All Other Attendees 

Registration: Individuals may register 

online at http://www.hcdi.com/mei/ or 

by phone by contacting Toya Via, HCD 

International, at (301) 552–8803 by 5 

p.m. EDT, Monday, June 18, 2012. 

We will be broadcasting the meeting 

live via webinar and conference call (for 

audio purposes). Webinar details will be 

sent to registered attendees. 

Deadline for Submitting a 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 contact the Designated Federal 

Officer as specified in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 

notice, by 5 p.m. EDT, Monday, June 18, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The 

meeting will be held in the Media 

Center of the Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Poisal, Designated Federal Officer, 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Office of the Actuary, Mail 

stop N3–02–02, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244 or 

contact Mr. Poisal by phone at (410) 

786–6397 or via email at 

John.Poisal@cms.hhs.gov. Press 

inquiries are handled through the CMS 

Press Office at (202) 690–6145. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background 

The Medicare Economic Index 

Technical Advisory Panel (‘‘the Panel’’) 

was established by the Secretary to 

conduct a technical review of the 

Medicare Economic Index (MEI). The 

review will include the inputs, input 

weights, price-measurement proxies, 

and productivity adjustment. For more 

information on the Panel, see the 

October 7, 2011 Federal Register (76 FR 

62415). You may view and obtain a 

copy of the Secretary’s charter for the 

Panel at https://www.cms.gov/

Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/

FACA/MEITAP.html. The members of 

the Panel are: Dr. Ernst Berndt, Dr. 

Robert Berenson, Dr. Zachary Dyckman, 

Dr. Kurt Gillis, and Ms. Kathryn Kobe. 

This notice announces the Monday, 

June 25, 2012 public meeting of the 

Panel. This meeting will focus on MEI 

price-measurement proxies and the 

index’s productivity adjustment. 

II. Meeting Format 

This meeting is open to the public. 

There will be up to 45 minutes allotted 

at this meeting for the Panel to hear oral 

presentations from the public. Time 

allotted for each presentation may be 

limited. If the number of registrants 

requesting to speak is greater than can 

be reasonably accommodated during the 

scheduled open public hearing session, 

we will conduct a lottery to determine 

the speakers for the scheduled open 

public hearing session. The contact 

person will notify interested persons 

regarding their request to speak by 5 

p.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. 

Any presentations that are not selected 

based on the lottery will be forwarded 

to the panel for consideration. For this 

meeting, public comments should focus 

on MEI price-measurement proxies and 

the index’s productivity adjustment. We 

require that you declare at the meeting 

whether you have any financial 

involvement with manufacturers (or 

their competitors) of any items or 

services being discussed. 

The Panel will deliberate openly on 

the topics under consideration. 

Interested persons may observe the 

deliberations, but the Panel will not 

hear further comments during this time 

except at the request of the chairperson. 

The Panel will also allow up to 15 

minutes for an unscheduled open public 

session for any attendee to address 

issues specific to the topics under 

consideration. 

III. Registration Instructions 

HCD International is coordinating 

meeting registration. While there is no 

registration fee, individuals must 

register to attend. You may register 

online at http://www.hcdi.com/mei/ or 

by phone by contacting Toya Via, HCD 

International, at (301) 552–8803, by the 

date specified in the DATES section of 

this notice. Please provide your full 

name (as it appears on your 

government-issued photographic 

identification), address, organization, 

telephone, and email address. At the 

time of registration, you will be asked to 

designate if you plan to attend in person 

or via webinar. You will receive a 

registration confirmation with 

instructions for your arrival at the CMS 

complex or you will be notified that the 

seating capacity has been reached. 

IV. Security, Building, and Parking 

Guidelines 

This meeting will be held in a Federal 

Government building; therefore, Federal 

security measures are applicable. We 

recommend that confirmed registrants 

arrive reasonably early, but no earlier 

than 45 minutes prior to the start of the 

meeting, to allow additional time to 

clear security. Security measures 

include the following: 

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