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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 79 (Friday, April 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 23009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09609]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1639-N]

Medicare Program: Renewal of the Advisory Panel on Hospital 
Outpatient Payment

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the renewal of the Advisory Panel (the 
Panel) on Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP) charter. The charter was 
approved on November 6, 2014 for a 2-year period effective through 
November 6, 2016. This notice publicly announces the renewal of the HOP 
Panel for another 2-year period. The purpose of the Panel is to advise 
the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and 
the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 
concerning the clinical integrity of the Ambulatory Payment 
Classification groups and their relative payment weights. The Panel 
also addresses and makes recommendations regarding supervision of 
hospital outpatient services. The advice provided by the Panel will be 
considered as we prepare the annual updates for the hospital outpatient 
prospective payment system.

DATES: April 24, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Web site: For additional information on the Panel meeting 
dates, agenda topics, copy of the charter, and updates to the Panel's 
activities, we refer readers to our Web site at the following address: 
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Designated Federal Official (DFO): 
Carol Schwartz, DFO, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop: C4-04-25, 
Woodlawn, MD 21244-1850. Phone: (410) 786-3985. Email: 
APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the 
Secretary) is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security 
Act (the Act) (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(9)(A)) and is allowed by section 222 
of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) (42 U.S.C. 217(a)) to 
consult with an expert outside advisory panel on the clinical integrity 
of the Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) groups and relative 
payment weights, which are major elements of the Medicare Hospital 
Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), and the appropriate 
supervision level for hospital outpatient services. The Panel is 
governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 
(Pub. L. 92-463), as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets forth 
standards for the formation and use of advisory panels.
    The Panel Charter provides that the Panel shall meet up to 3 times 
annually. We consider the technical advice provided by the Panel as we 
prepare the proposed and final rules to update the OPPS for the 
following calendar year.

II. Renewal of the Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP) Panel

    The Panel was originally chartered on November 21, 2000 and the 
Panel requires a recharter every 2 years. This notice announces the 
renewal of the HOP Panel charter, which was approved on November 6, 
2014 for a 2-year period effective through November 6, 2016. The 
charter will terminate on November 6, 2016, unless renewed by 
appropriate action. CMS intends to recharter the Panel for another 2-
year period prior to the expiration of the current charter.
    Pursuant to the renewed charter, the Panel will advise the 
Secretary and CMS concerning optimal strategies for the following:
     Addressing whether procedures within an APC group are 
similar both clinically and in terms of resource use.
     Reconfiguring APCs (for example, splitting of APCs, moving 
Healthcare Common Procedures Coding System (HCPCS) codes from one APC 
to another, and moving HCPCS codes from new technology APCs to clinical 
APCs).
     Evaluating APC group weights.
     Reviewing packaging the cost of items and services, 
including drugs and devices into procedures and services; including the 
methodology for packaging and the impact of packaging the cost of those 
items and services on APC group structure and payment.
     Removing procedures from the inpatient list for payment 
under the OPPS payment system.
     Using claims and cost report data for CMS' determination 
of APC group costs.
     Addressing other technical issues concerning APC group 
structure.
     Evaluating the required level of supervision for hospital 
outpatient services.

III. Copies of the Charter

    To obtain a copy of the Panel's Charter, we refer readers to the 
CMS Web site at: http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-andGuidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.html. Also, a 
copy of the Panel's Charter can be received by submitting a request to 
the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section of this 
notice.

IV. Collection of Information Requirements

    This document does not impose information collection requirements, 
that is, reporting, recordkeeping or third-party disclosure 
requirements. Consequently, there is no need for review by the Office 
of Management and Budget under the authority of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Dated: April 13, 2015.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-09609 Filed 4-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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