73090 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 228 / Monday, November 29, 2010 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3235–N] 

Medicare Program; Listening Session 

on Development of Additional Imaging 

Efficiency Measures for Use in the 

Hospital Outpatient Quality Data 

Reporting Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

listening session to receive comments 

regarding the development of additional 

imaging efficiency measures for use in 

the Hospital Outpatient Quality Data 

Reporting Program (HOP QDRP), which 

is authorized under section 1833(t)(17) 

of the Social Security Act. The purpose 

of this listening session is to solicit 

input from stakeholders to identify 

additional potential imaging efficiency 

measures that CMS could consider. 

Measure developers, hospitals, medical 

specialty societies, medical 

professionals, and other interested 

stakeholders are invited to participate 

either in person or via teleconference. 

The meeting is open to the public, but 

attendance is limited to space and 

teleconference lines available. 

DATES: Meeting Date: The Listening 

Session announced in this notice will be 

held on Monday, January 31, 2011 from 

1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time 

(E.S.T.). 

Deadline for Meeting Registration and 

Request for Special Accommodations: 

Registration opens on January 7, 2011. 

For security reasons, registration must 

be completed by 5 p.m. E.S.T. on 

January 25, 2011. Requests for special 

accommodations must be received by 5 

p.m. E.S.T. on January 25, 2011. 

Deadline for Submission of Written 

Comments or Statements: Written 

comments or statements on the issues 

that were discussed at the listening 

session may be sent via mail, fax, or 

electronically to the address specified in 

the ADDRESSES section of this notice and 

must be received by 5 p.m. E.S.T. on 

February 10, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The 

Listening Session will be held in the 

main auditorium of the Central Building 

of the Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

Registration and Special 

Accommodations: Persons interested in 

attending the meeting or participating 

by teleconference must register by 

completing the on-line registration. For 

in person attendance registration is 

available via the Web site at http:// 

www.cms.gov/apps/events/ 

event.asp?id=622. Individuals who 

require special accommodations should 

send a request via e-mail to 

imagingmeasures@cms.hhs.gov or by 

regular mail to Imaging Measures/ 

OCSQ/QMHAG at Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services, Mail Stop S3–02– 

01, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, 

MD 21244–1850. For individuals 

interested in participating via 

teleconference, registration is available 

via the Web site at https:// 

www.magnetmail.net/ 

events?cf4db6967a

514fb681832e700ee3e5b0a. Individuals 

are encouraged to register early as there 

are a limited number of spaces available 

for in person attendance, as well as a 

limited number of conference call lines 

for the listening session. 

Written Comments or Statements: 

Any interested party may send written 

comments or statements by mail to 

Imaging Measures/OCSQ/QMHAG, 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Mail Stop S3–02–01, 7500 

Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 

21244–1850; by e-mail to 

imagingmeasures@cms.hhs.gov; or by 

fax to 410–786–8532. 

We will accept written testimony, 

questions, or other statements, not to 

exceed 5 single-spaced, typed pages, 

before the meeting, and up until 5 p.m. 

E.S.T. on February 10, 2011. Submitters 

of suggestions for new measures are 

requested to provide references to the 

evidence base supporting the suggested 

measures. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Susan Arday, (410) 786–3141. 

Eva Fung, (410) 786–7539. 

You may also send inquiries about 

this listening session via e-mail to 

susan.arday@cms.hhs.gov or 

eva.fung@cms.hhs.gov 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Section 1833(t)(17) of the Social 

Security Act (Act) requires that 

hospitals submit outpatient quality 

measures data to CMS in order to 

receive the full annual payment update 

factor applicable to Outpatient 

Prospective Payment System (OPPS) 

services furnished by hospitals in 

outpatient settings. Section 

1833(t)(17)(E) of the Act further 

mandates that CMS make this data 

available to the public. CMS, therefore, 

has established the Hospital Outpatient 

Quality Data Reporting Program (HOP 

QDRP). Beginning with the CY 2010 

OPPS payment update, CMS adopted 

the following four claims-based imaging 

measures—(1) OP–8: MRI Lumbar Spine 

for Low Back Pain; (2) OP–9: 

Mammography Follow-up Rates; (3) 

OP–10: Abdomen CT Use of Contrast 

Material; and (4) OP–11: Thorax CT Use 

of Contrast Material. 

These measures are claims-based and 

are calculated using Medicare claims 

data without imposing upon hospitals 

the burden of having to abstract the data 

from charts. 

In the CY 2011 OPPS/ASC final rule 

published on November 24, 2010 (75 FR 

71800) for the CY 2012 payment 

determination and subsequent payment 

determinations, CMS adopted three 

additional imaging efficiency 

measures—(1) Cardiac Imaging for 

Preoperative Risk Assessment for NonCardiac Low-Risk Surgery; (2) 

Simultaneous Use of Brain Computed 

Tomography (CT) and Sinus Computed 

Tomography (CT); and (3) Use of Brain 

Computed Tomography (CT) in the 

Emergency Department for Atraumatic 

Headache. 

Public reporting of imaging efficiency 

measures are important because of the 

health risks and financial implications 

associated with the use of imaging 

procedures in the Medicare beneficiary 

population. Research shows that a 

significant portion of imaging services 

received by patients may be 

inappropriate; and immoderate use of 

diagnostic imaging also contributes to 

inflated medical technology costs. The 

imaging efficiency measures fill a 

significant gap in the availability of 

imaging efficiency measures at the 

hospital outpatient facility level and are 

a seminal step in the promotion of more 

efficient imaging services provided to 

Medicare beneficiaries. 

This listening session will be hosted 

to solicit input from professionals and 

other interested parties on the 

development of additional imaging 

efficiency measures for the HOP QDRP 

program. Potential topics for 

consideration will include: 

• Other imaging procedures that 

would be appropriate candidates for 

imaging efficiency measures; 

• Data sources appropriate for 

imaging efficiency measures, e.g. claims 

data, chart abstracted data, EHRs, use of 

registries, etc.; 

• Other settings appropriate for 

imaging efficiency measures, in addition 

to outpatient hospitals; and 

• Development of imaging measures 

using a diagnosis or condition based 

approach versus measures developed 

using a procedure specific basis. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 228 / Monday, November 29, 2010 / Notices 73091 

Relevant recommendations should 

include feedback on the integration of 

the imaging efficiency measures into the 

overall HOP QDRP program. 

II. Listening Session Format 

The listening session will be held on 

January 31, 2011. Measure developers, 

hospitals, medical specialty societies, 

medical professionals, and other 

interested stakeholders are invited to 

participate in person or by 

teleconference. The session will begin at 

1 p.m. E.S.T. with an overview of 

objectives for the session. The 

remainder of the meeting will be 

devoted to receiving input on additional 

imaging efficiency measures and their 

integration into the overall HOP QDRP 

program. The meeting will conclude by 

5 p.m. E.S.T. 

Participants will be permitted to 

speak in the order in which they sign 

up. Participants are encouraged to 

provide references to the evidence base 

supporting their suggested measures. 

Comments from individuals not 

registered to speak will be heard after 

scheduled statements only if time 

permits. 

III. Registration Instructions 

For security reasons, any persons 

wishing to attend this meeting must 

register by the date listed in the DATES

section of this notice. Persons interested 

in attending the meeting must register 

by completing the on-line registration 

via the designated Web site http:// 

www.cms.gov/apps/events/ 

event.asp?id=622. 

The on-line registration system will 

generate a confirmation page to indicate 

the completion of your registration. 

Please print this page as your 

registration receipt. 

Individuals may also participate in 

the listening session by teleconference. 

For individuals interested in 

participating via teleconference, 

registration is available via the Web site 

at https://www.magnetmail.net/ 

events?cf4db6967a

514fb681832e700ee3e5b0a. Registration 

is required as the number of call-in lines 

will be limited. 

Background information on the 

listening session will be posted on the 

QualityNet Web site at http:// 

www.qualitynet.org prior to the session. 

The information will be posted under 

the tab for ‘‘Hospitals Outpatient,’’ then 

select ‘‘Imaging Efficiency Measures’’ 

from the drop-down menu. We 

anticipate posting an audio download 

and/or transcript of the listening session 

in the same location on http:// 

www.qualitynet.org after completion of 

the listening session. 

Individuals requiring sign language 

interpretation or other special 

accommodations must contact the staff 

via the contact information specified in 

the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section of this notice by the date listed 

in the DATES section of this notice. 

IV. Security, Building, and Parking 

Guidelines 

This meeting will be held in a Federal 

government building; therefore, Federal 

security measures are applicable. The 

on-site check-in for visitors will begin at 

12 noon E.S.T. 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: 

• Presentation of government-issued 

photographic identification to the 

Federal Protective Service or Guard 

Service personnel. 

• Inspection of vehicle’s interior and 

exterior (this includes engine and trunk 

inspection) at the entrance to the 

grounds. Parking permits and 

instructions will be issued after the 

vehicle inspection. 

• Inspection, via metal detector or 

other applicable means, of all persons 

entering the building. We note that all 

items brought into CMS, whether 

personal or for the purpose of 

presentation or to support a 

presentation, including items such as 

laptops, cell phones, and palm pilots, 

are subject to physical inspection. We 

cannot assume responsibility for 

coordinating the receipt, transfer, 

transport, storage, set-up, safety, or 

timely arrival of any personal 

belongings or items used for a 

presentation. 

We note that individuals who are not 

registered in advance will not be 

permitted to enter the building and will 

be unable to attend the meeting. The 

public may not enter the building earlier 

than 60 minutes prior to the convening 

of the meeting. 

All visitors must be escorted in areas 

other than the lower and first floor 

levels in the Central Building. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.773, Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: November 18, 2010. 

Donald M. Berwick, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2010–29995 Filed 11–26–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–1342–N] 

Medicare Program; Town Hall Meeting 

on the Fiscal Year 2012 Applications 

for Add-on Payments for New Medical 

Services and Technologies Under the 

Hospital Inpatient Prospective 

Payment System and Informational 

Workshop on the Application Process 

and Criteria for Add-on Payments for 

New Medical Services and 

Technologies Under the Inpatient and 

Outpatient Prospective Payment 

Systems 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

Town Hall meeting in accordance with 

section 1886(d)(5)(K)(viii) of the Social 

Security Act (the Act) to discuss fiscal 

year (FY) 2012 applications for add-on 

payments for new medical services and 

technologies under the hospital 

inpatient prospective payment system 

(IPPS). Interested parties are invited to 

this meeting to present their comments, 

recommendations, and data regarding 

whether the FY 2012 new medical 

services and technologies applications 

meet the substantial clinical 

improvement criterion. 

Additionally, we will hold an 

Informational Workshop for all 

interested parties on the application 

process and criteria for add-on 

payments for new medical services and 

technologies under the IPPS and the 

application processes for the outpatient 

prospective payment system (OPPS) 

transitional pass-through payment for 

drugs, biological, and devices and new 

technology ambulatory payment 

classification (APC) group assignments 

for new services. 

DATES: Meeting Date: Both the Town 

Hall Meeting and Informational 

Workshop announced in this notice will 

be held on Wednesday, February 2, 

2011. The Informational Workshop will 

begin at 9 a.m., and check-in will begin 

at 8:30 a.m. eastern standard time 

(e.s.t.). The Town Hall Meeting will 

begin at 1 p.m. e.s.t. and check-in will 

begin at 12:30 p.m. e.s.t. Only one 

check-in is required to enter the 

building. Participants attending the 

Informational Workshop will be able to 

attend the Town Hall meeting without 

an additional check-in unless they exit 

the building. In this case, a participant 

will need to repeat the security 

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