Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices 17677 

improve the quality of health care. This 

strategy has established six priorities 

that support the three-part aim. The 

three-part aim focuses on better care, 

better health, and lower costs through 

improvement. The six priorities include: 

Making care safer by reducing harm 

caused by the delivery of care; ensuring 

that each person and family are engaged 

as partners in their care; promoting 

effective communication and 

coordination of care; promoting the 

most effective prevention and treatment 

practices for the leading causes of 

mortality, starting with cardiovascular 

disease; working with communities to 

promote wide use of best practices to 

enable healthy living; and making 

quality care more affordable for 

individuals, families, employers, and 

governments by developing and 

spreading new health care delivery 

models. The CAHPS Survey for 

Physician Quality Reporting focuses on 

patient experience. Implementation of 

the survey supports the six national 

priorities for improving care, 

particularly engaging patients and 

families in care and promoting effective 

communication and coordination. 

This survey supports the 

administration of the Quality 

Improvement Organizations Program 

(QIO). The Social Security Act, as set 

forth in Part B of Title XI—Section 

1862(g), established the Utilization and 

Quality Control Peer Review 

Organization Program, now known as 

the QIO Program. The statutory mission 

of the QIO Program is to improve the 

effectiveness, efficiency, economy, and 

quality of services delivered to Medicare 

beneficiaries. This survey will provide 

patient experience of care data that is an 

essential component of assessing the 

quality of services delivered to Medicare 

beneficiaries. It also would permit 

beneficiaries to have this information to 

help them choose health care providers 

that provide services that meet their 

needs and preferences, thus encouraging 

providers to improve quality of care that 

Medicare beneficiaries receive. Form 

Number: CMS–10450 (OCN: 0938– 

New); Frequency: Annual; Affected 

Public: Individuals and Households; 

Number of Respondents: 234,600 Total 

Annual Responses: 117,300; Total 

Annual Hours: 39,530. (For policy 

questions regarding this collection 

contact Regina Chell at 410–786–6551. 

For all other issues call 410–786–1326.) 

2. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Reinstatement of a previously 

approved collection; Title: Program for 

Matching Grants to States for the 

Operation of High Risk Pools; Use: The 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 

Services (CMS) is requiring the 

information in this information 

collection request as a condition of 

eligibility for grants that were 

authorized in the Trade Act of 2002, the 

Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and the 

State High Risk Pool Funding Extension 

Act of 2006. The information is 

necessary to determine if a State 

applicant meets the necessary eligibility 

criteria for a grant as required by law. 

The respondents will be States that have 

a high risk pool as defined in sections 

2741, 2744, or 2745 of the Public Health 

Service Act. The grants will provide 

funds to States that incur losses in the 

operation of high risk pools. High risk 

pools are set up by States to provide 

health insurance to individuals that 

cannot obtain health insurance in the 

private market because of a history of 

illness; Form Number: CMS–10078 

(OCN: 0938–0887); Frequency: 

Occasionally; Affected Public: State, 

Local and Tribal Governments; Number 

of Respondents: 31; Total Annual 

Responses: 31; Total Annual Hours: 

1,240. (For policy questions regarding 

this collection contact Paul Scholz at 

(410) 786–6178. For all other issues call 

(410) 786–1326.) 

To obtain copies of the supporting 

statement and any related forms for the 

proposed paperwork collections 

referenced above, access CMS Web Site 

address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ 

PaperworkReductionActof1995, 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. 

To be assured consideration, 

comments and recommendations for the 

proposed information collections must 

be received by the OMB desk officer at 

the address below, no later than 5 p.m. 

on April 22, 2013. 

OMB, Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS 

Desk Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395– 

6974, Email: 

OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov. 

Dated: March 19, 2013. 

Martique Jones, 

Deputy Director, Regulations Development 

Group, Office of Strategic Operations and 

Regulatory Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2013–06632 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3281–PN] 

Medicare and Medicaid Programs: 

Application From the American 

Osteopathic Association/Healthcare 

Facilities Accreditation Program for 

Continued CMS-Approval of Its 

Hospital Accreditation Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services, HHS. 

ACTION: Proposed notice. 

SUMMARY: This proposed notice with 

comment period acknowledges the 

receipt of an application from the 

American Osteopathic Association/ 

Healthcare Facilities Accreditation 

Program (AOA/HFAP) for continued 

recognition as a national accrediting 

organization for hospitals that wish to 

participate in the Medicare or Medicaid 

programs. 

DATES: To be assured consideration, 

comments must be received at one of 

the addresses provided below, no later 

than 5 p.m. on April 22, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer 

to file code CMS–3281–PN. Because of 

staff and resource limitations, we cannot 

accept comments by facsimile (FAX) 

transmission. 

You may submit comments in one of 

four ways: 

1. Electronically. You may submit 

electronic comments on specific issues 

in this regulation to http:// 

www.regulations.gov . Follow the 

‘‘submit a comment’’ instructions. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments (one original and two 

copies) to the following address ONLY: 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, Attention: CMS– 

3281–PN, P.O. Box 8016, Baltimore, 

MD 21244–8010. 

Please allow sufficient time for mailed 

comments to be received before the 

close of the comment period. 

3. By express or overnight mail. You 

may send written comments to the 

following address ONLY: 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, Attention: CMS– 

3281–PN, Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 

Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 

21244–1850. 

4. By hand or courier. Alternatively, 

you may deliver (by hand or courier) 

your written comments to the following 

addresses: 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
17678 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices 

a. For delivery in Washington, DC— 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, Room 445–G, Hubert 

H. Humphrey Building, 200 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20201. 

(Because access to the interior of the 

Hubert H. Humphrey Building is not 

readily available to persons without 

Federal government identification, 

commenters are encouraged to leave 

their comments in the CMS drop slots 

located in the main lobby of the 

building. A stamp-in clock is available 

for persons wishing to retain a proof of 

filing by stamping in and retaining an 

extra copy of the comments being filed.) 

Comments mailed to the addresses 

indicated as appropriate for hand or 

courier delivery may be delayed and 

received after the comment period. 

b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD— 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244– 

1850. 

If you intend to deliver your 

comments to the Baltimore address, call 

telephone number (410) 786–9994 in 

advance to schedule your arrival with 

one of our staff members. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cindy Melanson, (410) 786–0310. 

Patricia Chmielewski, (410) 786–6899. 

Valarie Lazerowich, (410) 786–4750. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Inspection of Public Comments: All 

comments received before the close of 

the comment period are available for 

viewing by the public, including any 

personally identifiable or confidential 

business information that is included in 

a comment. We post all comments 

received before the close of the 

comment period on the following Web 

site as soon as possible after they have 

been received: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the search 

instructions on that Web site to view 

public comments. 

Comments received timely will also 

be available for public inspection as 

they are received, generally beginning 

approximately 3 weeks after publication 

of a document, at the headquarters of 

the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, 

Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday 

through Friday of each week from 8:30 

a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an 

appointment to view public comments, 

phone 1–800–743–3951. 

I. Background 

Under the Medicare program, eligible 

beneficiaries may receive covered 

services in a hospital provided certain 

requirements are met by the hospital. 

Section 1861(e) of the Social Security 

Act (the Act), establishes distinct 

criteria for facilities seeking designation 

as a hospital. Regulations concerning 

provider agreements are located at 42 

CFR part 489 and those pertaining to 

activities relating to the survey and 

certification of facilities are located at 

42 CFR part 488. The regulations at 42 

CFR part 482, specify the conditions 

that a hospital must meet to participate 

in the Medicare program, the scope of 

covered services, and the conditions for 

Medicare payment for hospitals. 

Generally, to enter into an agreement, 

a hospital must first be certified by a 

State survey agency as complying with 

the conditions or requirements set forth 

in part 482 of our regulations. 

Thereafter, the hospital is subject to 

regular surveys by a State survey agency 

to determine whether it continues to 

meet these requirements. 

Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides 

that, if a provider entity demonstrates 

through accreditation by an approved 

national accrediting organization that all 

applicable Medicare conditions are met 

or exceeded, we will deem those 

provider entities as having met the 

requirements. Accreditation by an 

accrediting organization is voluntary 

and is not required for Medicare 

participation. 

If an accrediting organization is 

recognized by the Secretary as having 

standards for accreditation that meet or 

exceed Medicare requirements, any 

provider entity accredited by the 

national accrediting body’s approved 

program would be deemed to meet the 

Medicare conditions. A national 

accrediting organization applying for 

approval of its accreditation program 

under part 488, subpart A, must provide 

us with reasonable assurance that the 

accrediting organization requires the 

accredited provider entities to meet 

requirements that are at least as 

stringent as the Medicare conditions. 

Our regulations concerning the approval 

of accrediting organizations are set forth 

at § 488.4 and § 488.8(d)(3). The 

regulations at § 488.8(d)(3) require an 

accrediting organization to reapply for 

continued approval of its accreditation 

program every 6 years or as determined 

by CMS. The American Osteopathic 

Association/Healthcare Facilities 

Accreditation Program (AOA/HFAP’s) 

current term of approval for its hospital 

accreditation program expires 

September 25, 2013. 

II. Approval of Deeming Organizations 

Section 1865(a)(2) of the Act and our 

regulations at § 488.8(a) require that our 

findings concerning review and 

approval of a national accrediting 

organization’s requirements consider, 

among other factors, the applying 

accrediting organization’s requirements 

for accreditation; survey procedures; 

resources for conducting required 

surveys; capacity to furnish information 

for use in enforcement activities; 

monitoring procedures for provider 

entities found not in compliance with 

the conditions or requirements; and 

ability to provide CMS with the 

necessary data for validation. 

Section 1865(a)(3)(A) of the Act 

further requires that we publish, within 

60 days of receipt of an organization’s 

complete application, a notice 

identifying the national accrediting 

body making the request, describing the 

nature of the request, and providing at 

least a 30-day public comment period. 

We have 210 days from the receipt of a 

complete application to publish notice 

of approval or denial of the application. 

The purpose of this proposed notice 

is to inform the public of AOA/HFAP’s 

request for continued CMS-approval of 

its hospital accreditation program. This 

notice also solicits public comment on 

whether AOA/HFAP’s requirements 

meet or exceed the Medicare conditions 

of participation for hospitals. 

III. Evaluation of Deeming Authority 

Request 

AOA/HFAP submitted all the 

necessary materials to enable us to make 

a determination concerning its request 

for continued approval of its hospital 

accreditation program. This application 

was determined to be complete on 

January 25, 2013. Under section 

1865(a)(2) of the Act and our regulations 

at § 488.8 (Federal review of accrediting 

organizations), our review and 

evaluation of AOA/HFAP will be 

conducted in accordance with, but not 

necessarily limited to, the following 

factors: 

• The equivalency of AOA/HFAP’s 

standards for hospitals as compared 

with CMS’ hospital conditions of 

participation. 

• AOA/HFAP’s survey process to 

determine the following: 

++ The composition of the survey 

team, surveyor qualifications, and the 

ability of the organization to provide 

continuing surveyor training. 

++ The comparability of AOA/ 

HFAP’s processes to those of state 

agencies, including survey frequency, 

and the ability to investigate and 

respond appropriately to complaints 

against accredited facilities. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices 17679 

++ AOA/HFAP’s processes and 

procedures for monitoring a hospital 

that is out of compliance with AOA/ 

HFAP’s program requirements. These 

monitoring procedures are used only 

when AOA/HFAP identifies 

noncompliance. If noncompliance is 

identified through validation reviews or 

complaint surveys, the state survey 

agency monitors corrections as specified 

at § 488.7(d). 

++ AOA/HFAP’s capacity to report 

deficiencies to the surveyed facilities 

and respond to the facility’s plan of 

correction in a timely manner. 

++ AOA/HFAP’s capacity to provide 

CMS with electronic data and reports 

necessary for effective validation and 

assessment of the organization’s survey 

process. 

++ The adequacy of AOA/HFAP’s 

staff and other resources, and its 

financial viability. 

++ AOA/HFAP’s capacity to 

adequately fund required surveys. 

++ AOA/HFAP’s policies with 

respect to whether surveys are 

announced or unannounced. 

++ AOA/HFAP’s agreement to 

provide CMS with a copy of the most 

current accreditation survey together 

with any other information related to 

the survey as CMS may require 

(including corrective action plans). 

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 (44 

U.S.C. 35). 

V. Response to Public Comments 

Because of the large number of public 

comments we normally receive on 

Federal Register documents, we are not 

able to acknowledge or respond to them 

individually. We will consider all 

comments we receive by the date and 

time specified in the DATES section of 

this preamble, and, when we proceed 

with a subsequent document, we will 

respond to the comments in the 

preamble to that document. 

Upon completion of our evaluation, 

including evaluation of comments 

received as a result of this notice, we 

will publish a final notice in the Federal 

Register announcing the result of our 

evaluation. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.778, Medical Assistance 

Program; No. 93.773 Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance Program; and No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: March 5, 2013. 

Marilyn Tavenner, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2013–06640 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

National Institutes of Health 

Implementation of the Updated 

American Veterinary Medical 

Association Guidelines for the 

Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition 

SUMMARY: The National Institutes of 

Health (NIH) is providing guidance to 

Public Health Service (PHS) awardee 

institutions on implementation of the 

American Veterinary Medical 

Association (AVMA) Guidelines for the 

Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition 

(Guidelines). The NIH is seeking input 

from the public on any concerns they 

may have regarding the updated 

Guidelines. 

DATES: Public concerns regarding the 

updated AVMA Guidelines for the 

Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition 

must be submitted electronically at 

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/

2013avmaguidelines_comments/

add.cfm?ID=32 by May 31, 2013, in 

order to be considered. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, 

Office of Extramural Research, NIH, 

RKL1, Suite 360, 6705 Rockledge Drive, 

Bethesda, MD 20892–7982; phone 301– 

496–7163; email olaw@od.nih.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The NIH Office of Laboratory Animal 

Welfare (OLAW) oversees PHS-funded 

animal activities by the authority of the 

Health Research Extension Act of 1985 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/

references/hrea1985.htm) and the PHS 

Policy on Humane Care and Use of 

Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy; 

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/

references/phspol.htm). The PHS Policy 

IV.C.1.G. (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/

olaw/references/phspol.htm#

ReviewofPHS-ConductedorSupported

ResearchProjects) requires that 

Institutional Animal Care and Use 

Committees (IACUCs) reviewing PHSconducted or -supported research 

projects, determine if methods of 

euthanasia used in projects will be 

consistent with the recommendations of 

the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia, unless 

a deviation is justified for scientific 

reasons in writing by the investigator. 

PHS-Assured institutions are 

encouraged to begin using the 2013 

Guidelines as soon as possible when 

reviewing research projects, and full 

implementation is expected after 

September 1, 2013. Previously approved 

projects undergoing continuing review 

according to PHS Policy IV.C.5. 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/

references/phspol.htm#ReviewofPHSConductedorSupportedResearch

Projects), which requires a complete de 

novo review at least once every 3 years, 

must be reviewed using the 2013 

Guidelines after September 1, 2013. 

II. Electronic Access 

The AVMA has issued and posted an 

update to the 2007 Guidelines on 

Euthanasia with a new title, AVMA 

Guidelines for the Euthanasia of 

Animals: 2013 Edition, available at 

https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/ 

Documents/euthanasia.pdf (PDF). 

Dated: March 14, 2013. 

Francis S. Collins, 

Director, National Institutes of Health. 

[FR Doc. 2013–06661 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4140–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

National Institutes of Health 

National Institute of Arthritis and 

Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; 

Closed Meeting 

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 

amended (5 U.S.C. App.), notice is 

hereby given of the following meeting. 

The meeting will be closed to the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions set forth in sections 

552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., 

as amended. The grant applications and 

the discussions could disclose 

confidential trade secrets or commercial 

property such as patentable material, 

and personal information concerning 

individuals associated with the grant 

applications, the disclosure of which 

would constitute a clearly unwarranted 

invasion of personal privacy. 

Name of Committee: National Institute of 

Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin 

Diseases Special Emphasis Panel; NIAMS 

Clinical Trial Outcome Development. 

Date: March 29, 2013. 

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant 

applications. 

Place: Hilton Washington/Rockville, 1750 

Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES