Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 228 / Monday, November 29, 2010 / Notices 73085 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Director, Division of Investigative 

Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 

1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 750, 

Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453–8800. 

John Dahlberg, 

Director, Division of Investigative Oversight, 

Office of Research Integrity. 

[FR Doc. 2010–29867 Filed 11–26–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–31–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

National Toxicology Program (NTP): 

Office of Liaison, Policy, and Review; 

Availability of Draft NTP Technical 

Reports; Request for Comments; 

Announcement of a Panel Meeting to 

Peer Review Draft NTP Technical 

Reports 

AGENCY: National Institute of 

Environmental Health Sciences 

(NIEHS); National Institutes of Health 

(NIH). 

ACTION: Availability of Draft Reports; 

Request for Comments; and 

Announcement of a Meeting. 

SUMMARY: The NTP announces the 

availability of draft NTP Technical 

Reports (TRs; available at http:// 

ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051) that will be 

peer-reviewed by an NTP Technical 

Reports Peer Review Panel at a meeting 

on January 26, 2011. The meeting is 

open to the public with time scheduled 

for oral public comment. The NTP also 

invites written comments on the draft 

reports (see ‘‘Request for Comments’’ 

below). Summary minutes from the peer 

review will be posted on the NTP Web 

site following the meeting. 

DATES: The meeting to review the draft 

NTP TRs will be held on January 26, 

2011. The draft NTP TRs will be 

available for public comment by 

December 8, 2010. The deadline to 

submit written comments is January 12, 

2011, and the deadline for preregistration to attend the meeting and/ 

or provide oral comments at the meeting 

is January 19, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Rodbell Auditorium, Rall Building, 

NIEHS, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, 

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. 

Public comments and any other 

correspondence on the draft TRs should 

be sent to Dr. Lori White, NIEHS, P.O. 

Box 12233, MD K2–03, Research 

Triangle Park, NC 27709, FAX: (919) 

541–0295, or whiteld@niehs.nih.gov. 

Courier address: 530 Davis Drive, Room 

2136, Morrisville, NC 27560. Persons 

needing interpreting services in order to 

attend should contact (301) 402–8180 

(voice) or (301) 435–1908 (TTY). 

Requests should be made at least seven 

business days in advance of the 

meeting. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Lori White, NTP Designated Federal 

Officer, (919) 541–9834, 

whiteld@niehs.nih.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Preliminary Agenda Topics and 

Availability of Meeting Materials 

The agenda topic is the peer review of 

the findings and conclusions of draft 

NTP TRs of toxicology and 

carcinogenicity studies. The preliminary 

agenda listing the draft reports and 

electronic files (PDF) of the draft reports 

should be posted on the NTP Web site 

by December 8, 2010. Any additional 

information, when available, will be 

posted on the NTP Web site (http:// 

ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051) or may be 

requested in hardcopy from the 

Designated Federal Officer (see 

ADDRESSES above). Following the 

meeting, summary minutes will be 

prepared and made available on the 

NTP Web site. Information about the 

NTP testing program is found at 

http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/test. 

Attendance and Registration 

The meeting is scheduled for January 

26, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. EST to 

adjournment and is open to the public 

with attendance limited only by the 

space available. Individuals who plan to 

attend are encouraged to register online 

at the NTP Web site (http:// 

ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051) by January 

19, 2011, to facilitate access to the 

NIEHS campus. A photo ID is required 

to access the NIEHS campus. The NTP 

is making plans to videocast the meeting 

through the Internet at http:// 

www.niehs.nih.gov/news/video/live. 

Registered attendees are encouraged to 

access the meeting page to stay abreast 

of the most current information 

regarding the meeting. 

Request for Comments 

The NTP invites written comments on 

the draft reports, which should be 

received by January 12, 2011, to enable 

review by the panel and NTP staff prior 

to the meeting. Persons submitting 

written comments should include their 

name, affiliation, mailing address, 

phone, e-mail, and sponsoring 

organization (if any) with the document. 

Written comments received in response 

to this notice will be posted on the NTP 

Web site, and the submitter will be 

identified by name, affiliation, and/or 

sponsoring organization. 

Public input at this meeting is also 

invited, and time is set aside for the 

presentation of oral comments on the 

draft reports. In addition to in-person 

oral comments at the meeting at the 

NIEHS, public comments can be 

presented by teleconference line. There 

will be 50 lines for this call; availability 

will be on a first-come, first-served 

basis. The available lines will be open 

from 8:00 AM until adjournment on 

January 26, although public comments 

will be received only during the formal 

public comment periods indicated on 

the preliminary agenda. Each 

organization is allowed one time slot 

per draft report. At least 7 minutes will 

be allotted to each speaker, and if time 

permits, may be extended to 10 minutes 

at the discretion of the chair. Persons 

wishing to make an oral presentation are 

asked to notify Dr. Lori White via online 

registration at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ 

go/166, phone, or e-mail (see ADDRESSES

above) by January 19, 2011, and if 

possible, to send a copy of the statement 

or talking points at that time. Written 

statements can supplement and may 

expand the oral presentation. 

Registration for oral comments will also 

be available at the meeting, although 

time allowed for presentation by on-site 

registrants may be less than that for preregistered speakers and will be 

determined by the number of persons 

who register on-site. 

Background Information on NTP Peer 

Review Panels 

NTP panels are technical, scientific 

advisory bodies established on an ‘‘as 

needed’’ basis to provide independent 

scientific peer review and advise the 

NTP on agents of public health concern, 

new/revised toxicological test methods, 

or other issues. Previously, a 

subcommittee of the NTP Board of 

Scientific Counselors provided peer 

review of draft NTP Technical Reports. 

The subcommittee has been 

discontinued and peer review of the 

draft reports will now be conducted by 

peer review panels. These panels help 

ensure transparent, unbiased, and 

scientifically rigorous input to the 

program for its use in making credible 

decisions about human hazard, setting 

research and testing priorities, and 

providing information to regulatory 

agencies about alternative methods for 

toxicity screening. The NTP welcomes 

nominations of scientific experts for 

upcoming panels. Scientists interested 

in serving on an NTP panel should 

provide a current curriculum vita to Dr. 

Lori White (see ADDRESSES). The 

authority for NTP panels is provided by 

42 U.S.C. 217a; section 222 of the Public 

Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended. 

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73086 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 228 / Monday, November 29, 2010 / Notices 

The panel is governed by the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 

U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets forth 

standards for the formation and use of 

advisory committees. 

Dated: November 18, 2010. 

John R. Bucher, 

Associate Director, National Toxicology 

Program. 

[FR Doc. 2010–29945 Filed 11–26–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4140–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–4154–PN] 

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; 

Renewal of Deeming Authority of the 

National Committee for Quality 

Assurance for Medicare Advantage 

Health Maintenance Organizations and 

Local Preferred Provider Organizations 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, HHS. 

ACTION: Proposed notice. 

SUMMARY: This proposed notice 

announces the receipt of an application 

to renew the Medicare Advantage 

Deeming Authority of the National 

Committee for Quality Assurance 

(NCQA) for Health Maintenance 

Organizations and Preferred Provider 

Organizations for a term of 4 years. The 

new term of approval would begin 

October 19, 2010, and would end 

October 18, 2014. In addition, this 

proposed notice announces a 30-day 

public comment period on the renewal 

of the application. 

DATES: To be assured consideration, 

comments must be received at one of 

the addresses provided below, no later 

than 5 p.m. on January 28, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer 

to file code CMS–4154–PN. Because of 

staff and resource limitations, we cannot 

accept comments by facsimile (FAX) 

transmission. 

You may submit comments in one of 

four ways (please choose only one of the 

ways listed): 

1. Electronically. You may submit 

electronic comments on this regulation 

to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 

the ‘‘Submit a comment’’ instructions. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments to the following 

address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, Department of 

Health and Human Services, Attention: 

CMS–4154–PN, P.O. Box 8010, 

Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

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–4154–PN, 

Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

4. By hand or courier. If you prefer, 

you may deliver (by hand or courier) 

your written comments before the close 

of the comment period to either of the 

following addresses: 

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.) 

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, 

please call telephone number (410) 786– 

9994 in advance to schedule your 

arrival with one of our staff members. 

Comments mailed to the addresses 

indicated as appropriate for hand or 

courier delivery may be delayed and 

received after the comment period. 

For information on viewing public 

comments, see the beginning of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Caroline L. Baker (410) 786–0116. 

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 through a Medicare Advantage 

(MA) organization that contracts with 

the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services (CMS). The regulations 

specifying the Medicare requirements 

that must be met in order for an 

Medicare Advantage Organization 

(MAO) to enter into a contract with 

CMS are located at 42 CFR part 422. 

These regulations implement Part C of 

Title XVIII of the Social Security Act 

(the Act), which specifies the services 

that an MAO must provide and the 

requirements that the organization must 

meet to be an MA contractor. Other 

relevant sections of the Act are Parts A 

and B of Title XVIII and Part A of Title 

XI of the Act pertaining to the provision 

of services by Medicare certified 

providers and suppliers. 

Generally, for an entity to be an MA 

organization, the organization must be 

licensed by the State as a risk bearing 

organization as set forth in Part 422 of 

our regulations. 

To assure compliance with certain 

Medicare requirements, an MA 

organization may chose to become 

accredited by a CMS approved 

accrediting organization (AO). By doing 

so, the MA organization may be 

‘‘deemed’’ compliant in one or more of 

6 requirements set forth in section 

1852(e)(4)(B) of the Act. In order for an 

AO to be able to ‘‘deem’’ an MA plan as 

compliant with these MA requirements, 

the AO must prove to CMS that its 

standards are at least as stringent as 

Medicare requirements. MA 

organizations that are licensed as health 

maintenance organizations (HMOs) or 

preferred provider organizations (PPOs) 

and are accredited by an approved 

accrediting organization may receive, at 

their request, deemed status for CMS 

requirements in the following six MA 

survey areas: (1) Quality Improvement, 

(2) Antidiscrimination, Access to 

Services, (3) Confidentiality and 

Accuracy of Enrollee Records, (4) 

Information on Advanced Directives, 

and Provider Participation Rules. (See 

42 CFR 422.156(b).) We note that at this 

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