### 79192 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 245 / Wednesday, December 21, 2011 / Notices

paper comment to the Commission by courier or overnight service.

Visit the Commission Web site at http://www.ftc.gov to read this Notice and the news release describing it. The FTC Act and other laws that the Commission administers permit the collection of public comments to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. The Commission will consider all timely and responsive public comments that it receives on or before January 20, 2012. You can find more information, including routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, in the Commission’s privacy policy, at http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.shtm.

Comments on the information collection requirements subject to review under the PRA should also be submitted to OMB. If sent by U.S. mail, address comments to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal Trade Commission, New Executive Office Building, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. Comments sent to OMB by U.S. postal mail, however, are subject to delays due to heightened security precautions. Thus, comments instead should be sent by facsimile to (202) 395–5167.

Willard K. Tom,

General Counsel.

[FR Doc. 2011–32574 Filed 12–20–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6750–01–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES** 

**Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality** 

**Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From HSMS**  **Patient Safety Organization**

**AGENCY :**  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.

**ACTION :**  Notice of Delisting.

**SUMMARY :**  AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary relinquishment from the HSMS Patient Safety Organization of its status as a Patient Safety Organization (PSO). The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (Patient Safety Act), Public Law 109–41, 42 U.S.C. 299b–21–b–26, provides for the formation of PSOs, which collect, aggregate, and analyze confidential information regarding the quality and safety of health care delivery. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule (Patient Safety Rule), 42 CFR part 3, authorizes AHRQ, on behalf of the Secretary of HHS, to list as a PSO an entity that attests that it meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for listing. A PSO can be ‘‘delisted’’ by the Secretary if it is found to no longer meet the requirements of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule, including when a PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any reason.

**DATES :**  The directories for both listed and delisted PSOs are ongoing and reviewed weekly by AHRQ. The delisting was effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on December 6, 2011.

**ADDRESSES :**  Both directories can be accessed electronically at the following HHS Web site: http:// www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html

. **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Susan Grinder, Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850; Telephone (toll free): (866) 403–3697; Telephone (local): (301) 427–1111; TTY (toll free): (866) 438–7231; TTY (local): (301) 427–1130; Email: pso@AHRQ.hhs.gov

.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Background

The Patient Safety Act authorizes the listing of PSOs, which are entities or component organizations whose mission and primary activity is to conduct activities to improve patient safety and the quality of health care delivery.

HHS issued the Patient Safety Rule to implement the Patient Safety Act. AHRQ administers the provisions of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule (PDF file, 450 KB. PDF Help) relating to the listing and operation of PSOs. Section 3.108(d) of the Patient Safety Rule requires AHRQ to provide public notice when it removes an organization from the list of federally approved PSOs. AHRQ has accepted a notification from the HSMS Patient Safety Organization, PSO number P0077, which is a component entity of Healthcare Safety Management Systems, Inc., to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO. Accordingly, the HSMS Patient Safety Organization was delisted effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on December 6, 2011.

More information on PSOs can be obtained through AHRQ’s PSO Web site

at http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/ index.html.

Dated: December 14, 2011. Carolyn M. Clancy,

Director.

[FR Doc. 2011–32578 Filed 12–20–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4160–90–M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND**  **HUMAN SERVICES**

**Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality** 

**Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From the**  **Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation**  **Patient Safety Organization (GHA– PSO)** 

**AGENCY :**  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.

**ACTION :**  Notice of delisting.

**SUMMARY :**  AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary relinquishment from The Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA–PSO) of its status as a Patient Safety Organization (PSO). The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (Patient Safety Act), Pub. L. 109–41, 42 U.S.C. 299b–21—b–26, provides for the formation of PSOs, which collect, aggregate, and analyze confidential information regarding the quality and safety of health care delivery. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule (Patient Safety Rule), 42 CFR part 3, authorizes AHRQ, on behalf of the Secretary of HHS, to list as a PSO an entity that attests that it meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for listing. A PSO can be ‘‘delisted’’ by the Secretary if it is found to no longer meet the requirements of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule, including when a PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any reason.

**DATES :**  The directories for both listed and delisted PSOs are ongoing and reviewed weekly by AHRQ. The delisting was effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on December 6, 2011.

**ADDRESSES :**  Both directories can be accessed electronically at the following HHS Web site: http:// www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Susan Grinder, Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850; Telephone (toll free): (866) 403–3697; Telephone (local): (301) 427–1111; TTY (toll free): (866) 438–7231; TTY (local): (301) 427–1130; Email: pso@AHRQ.hhs.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Background

The Patient Safety Act authorizes the listing of PSOs, which are entities or component organizations whose mission and primary activity is to


### 79193 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 245 / Wednesday, December 21, 2011 / Notices

conduct activities to improve patient safety and the quality of health care delivery.

HHS issued the Patient Safety Rule to implement the Patient Safety Act. AHRQ administers the provisions of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule (PDF file, 450 KB. PDF Help) relating to the listing and operation of PSOs. Section 3.108(d) of the Patient Safety Rule requires AHRQ to provide public notice when it removes an organization from the list of federally approved PSOs. AHRQ has accepted a notification from The Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA–PSO), PSO number P0057, which is a component entity of the Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation, to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO. Accordingly, The Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA–PSO) was delisted effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on December
6, 2011.

More information on PSOs can be obtained through AHRQ’s PSO Web site

at http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/ index.html.

Dated: December 14, 2011. Carolyn M. Clancy,

Director.

[FR Doc. 2011–32579 Filed 12–20–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4160–90–M**

**DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES** 

**Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services** 

**[CMS–5048–N]**

**Medicare Program; Independence at Home Demonstration Program** 

**AGENCY :**  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  This notice creates a new demonstration program for chronically ill Medicare beneficiaries to test a payment incentive and service delivery system that utilizes physician and nurse practitioner directed home-based primary care teams aimed at improving health outcomes and reducing expenditures, beginning December 21,

2011.

**DATES :**  Effective Date: This notice is effective on December 21, 2011.

Application Deadline: February 6, 2012 at 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T.). **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Linda Colantino (410) 786–3343. Jennifer Brown (410) 786–4036.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  I. Background

Section 3024 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (the Affordable Care Act) (Pub. L. 111–148, enacted on March 23, 2010), amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act (the Act) by establishing the Independence at Home (IAH) Demonstration.

The IAH Demonstration will test a service delivery model that utilizes physician and nurse practitioner directed primary care teams to provide services to high cost, chronically ill Medicare beneficiaries in their homes. Participating practices will be accountable for providing comprehensive, coordinated,continuous, and accessible care to highneed populations at home and coordinate health care across all treatment settings. Participating practices may share in savings under the demonstration if specified quality measures and savings targets are achieved.

II. Provisions of the Notice

We are seeking interested practices that can provide home-based primary care to Medicare beneficiaries for purposes of this demonstration. We anticipate that a wide variety of interested practices may be eligible to apply to the IAH Demonstration. The participants in the Demonstration will be multidisciplinary teams composed of various members such as physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, social workers, and other supporting staff. The practices must be led by physicians or nurse practitioners and must have experience providing home-based primary care to patients with multiple chronic illnesses. These practices will also be organized, at least in part, for the purpose of providing physician services. Qualifying practices may share in savings. Providers cannot be participating in section 1899 of the Act, the Medicare Shared Savings Program, or other Medicare shared savings programs at the time of the
Demonstration.

Each participating practice must provide services to at least 200 applicable beneficiaries during each year of the demonstration. A practice’s enrollment may vary over each year but must reach at least an average of 200 applicable beneficiaries during the first year and not drop below that average for the remainder of the demonstration. There are three options available for practices to apply for the Demonstration. Practices may apply as a sole legal entity, consortium, or become a part of a national pool. These three options are for the purpose of establishing expenditure targets and determining incentive payments. Practices must enroll all existing patients meeting beneficiary eligibility
criteria.

Participating practices will make inhome visits tailored to an individual patient’s needs. Each practice must be available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week to carry out plans of care. Practices must use electronic health information systems, remote monitoring, and mobile diagnostic technology.

Applicable beneficiaries are defined as Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) patients, who have at least 2 chronic illnesses, need assistance with 2 or more functional dependencies requiring the assistance of another person, have had a nonelective hospital admission within the last 12 months, and have received acute or subacute rehabilitation services within the last 12 months. Beneficiaries to be included in the Demonstration must be entitled to Medicare part A and enrolled in Medicare part B, not enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, and cannot be enrolled in a practice that is part of the Medicare Shared Savings Program or other program that shares Medicare savings.

We will establish a practice-specific spending target derived from claims, based on expected Medicare FFS utilization for each of the beneficiaries in the practices in the absence of the Demonstration. Annual spending targets will be calculated for each participating practice at the end of each performance year. The spending target will be derived from a base expenditure amount equal to the average payments under Medicare Part A and Part B. Savings will be calculated as the difference between each practice’s spending target and actual costs. Practices will also be required to meet quality performance standards in order to share in any savings. Under this 3-year demonstration, IAH providers will continue to bill and be paid standard Medicare FFS reimbursement.

Applicants must submit completed applications following the format outlined in the Demonstration application instructions in order to be considered for review by CMS. Applications not received in this format will not be considered for review.

For the Project Application and specific details regarding the IAH Demonstration, please refer to the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.gov/