78246 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 15, 2010 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Disease, Disability, and Injury 

Prevention and Control Special 

Emphasis Panel (SEP): Pre-Travel 

Health: Improving and Expanding the 

Implementation of Counseling and 

Surveillance of International Travelers, 

Funding Opportunity Announcement 

(FOA) CK11–004, initial review. 

In accordance with Section 10(a)(2) of 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(Pub. L. 92–463), the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC) 

announces the aforementioned meeting: 

Time and Date: 12 p.m.–2 p.m., February 

10, 2011 (Closed). 

Place: Teleconference. 

Status: The meeting will be closed to the 

public in accordance with provisions set 

forth in Section 552b(c) (4) and (6), Title 5 

U.S.C., and the Determination of the Director, 

Management Analysis and Services Office, 

CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92–463. 

Matters to be Discussed: The meeting will 

include the initial review, discussion, and 

evaluation of applications received in 

response to ‘‘Pre-Travel Health: Improving 

and Expanding the Implementation of 

Counseling and Surveillance of International 

Travelers, Funding Opportunity 

Announcement FOA CK11–004.’’ 

Contact Person for More Information: Amy 

Yang, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, CDC, 

1600 Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop E60, 

Atlanta, Gerogia 30333, Telephone: (404) 

498–2733. 

The Director, Management Analysis and 

Services Office, has been delegated the 

authority to sign Federal Register notices 

pertaining to announcements of meetings and 

other committee management activities, for 

both the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention and the Agency for Toxic 

Substances and Disease Registry. 

Dated: December 6, 2010. 

Elaine L. Baker, 

Director, Management Analysis and Services 

Office, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2010–31427 Filed 12–14–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–1574–N] 

Medicare Program; Re-Chartering of 

the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory 

Payment Classification (APC) Groups 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the rechartering of the Advisory Panel on 

Ambulatory Payment Classification 

(APC) Groups (the Panel). The Secretary 

of the Department of Health and Human 

Services (the Secretary) re-chartered the 

Panel on November 21, 2010, for 2 years 

with the new Charter effective through 

November 21, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shirl Ackerman-Ross, (410) 786–4474. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

A. Purpose 

The Secretary of the Department of 

Health and Human Services (DHHS) 

(the Secretary) is required by section 

1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social Security Act 

(the Act), to consult with an expert, 

outside advisory panel on the clinical 

integrity of the groups referred to as 

Ambulatory Payment Classification 

(APC) groups and their associated 

weights established under the Medicare 

hospital Outpatient Prospective 

Payment System (OPPS). 

B. Statutory Authority 

Section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Act (42 

U.S.C. 1395l(t)(9)(A)). The Advisory 

Panel on APC Groups is governed by the 

provisions of Public Law 92–463, the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(FACA) (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which 

sets forth standards for the formation 

and use of advisory panels. 

The Panel was established by statute 

and has functions that are of a 

continuing nature. The Panel is rechartered in accordance with section 

14(b)(2) of FACA. 

C. Panel Functions 

The Panel must advise the Secretary 

and the CMS Administrator (the 

Administrator) about the clinical 

integrity of the APC groups and their 

associated weights, which are major 

elements of the Medicare hospital 

OPPS. The Panel is technical in nature, 

and it must deal with the following 

issues: 

• 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 Procedure 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 

some items and services, including 

drugs and devices, into procedures and 

services, including the methodology for 

packaging and the impact of packaging 

on APC group structure and payment. 

• Removing procedures from the 

inpatient list for payment under the 

OPPS. 

• Using claims and cost report data 

for CMS’ determination of APC group 

costs. 

• Addressing other technical issues 

concerning APC group structure. 

The subject matter before the Panel 

must be limited to these and related 

topics. Unrelated topics are not subjects 

for discussion. Unrelated topics include, 

but are not limited to, the conversion 

factor, charge compression, revisions to 

the cost report, pass-through payments, 

correct code usage, and provider 

payment adjustments. 

The Panel may use data collected or 

developed by entities and organizations 

other than the DHHS and CMS in 

conducting its review. The Secretary 

and the Administrator is advised of all 

matters pertaining to the Panel (that is, 

membership, recommendations, 

subcommittees, and meetings). 

D. Structure of the Panel 

The Panel must be fairly balanced in 

its membership in terms of the points of 

view represented and the functions to 

be performed. The Panel consists of up 

to 15 members who are representatives 

of providers. Members are selected by 

the Secretary or Administrator among 

the fields of hospital payment systems; 

hospital medical care delivery systems; 

provider billing and accounting 

systems; APC groups; Current 

Procedural Terminology codes; HCPCS 

codes; the use of, and payment for, 

drugs, medical devices, and other 

services in the outpatient setting; and 

other forms of relevant expertise. All 

members must have a minimum of 5 

years experience in their area(s) of 

expertise, but it is not necessary that 

any member be an expert in all of the 

areas listed above. Panel members are 

full-time employees of hospitals, 

hospital systems, or other Medicare 

providers subject to payment under the 

OPPS. 

For purposes of this Panel, 

consultants or independent contractors 

are not considered to be representatives 

of providers. All members must serve on 

a voluntary basis, without 

compensation, pursuant to advance 

written agreement. Members of the 

Panel must be entitled to receive 

reimbursement for travel expenses and 

per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 

accordance with Standard Government 

Travel Regulations. Panel members may 

serve for up to 4-year terms. A member 

may serve after the expiration of his or 


hsrobinson on DSK69SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 15, 2010 / Notices 78247 

her term until a successor has been 

sworn in. 

A Federal official, designated by the 

Secretary or the Administrator, must 

serve as the Chair and facilitate the 

Panel meetings. The Chair’s term must 

usually be for a period of 4 years, but 

it may be extended at the discretion of 

the Administrator or his or her duly 

appointed designee. 

In order to conduct the business of the 

Panel, a quorum is required. A quorum 

exists when a majority of currently 

appointed members is present at full 

Panel or subcommittee meetings or is 

participating in conference calls. 

With the approval of the Secretary or 

designee, subcommittees consisting of 

two or more Panel members may be 

established to perform functions within 

the Panel’s jurisdiction. One of the 

members will be designated by his or 

her peers as chair of the subcommittee. 

The Department Committee 

Management Officer will be notified 

upon establishment of each 

subcommittee and will be provided 

information on its name, membership, 

function, and estimated frequency of 

meetings. The advice or 

recommendations of a subcommittee or 

working group must be deliberated by 

the Panel. A subcommittee may not 

report directly to a Federal official, but 

rather it must report to the parent Panel. 

The FACA provides that a Designated 

Federal Officer (DFO) must be 

appointed to a Federal advisory 

committee to attend each Panel meeting 

and to ensure that all procedures adhere 

to applicable statutory, regulatory, and 

DHHS General Administration Manual 

directives. The DFO approves and 

prepares all meeting agendas; calls all 

Panel or subcommittee meetings; 

adjourns any meeting when he or she 

determines adjournment to be in the 

public interest; and chairs meetings 

when directed to do so by the Secretary 

or the Administrator. The DFO or his or 

her designee must be present at all full 

Panel and subcommittee meetings. The 

CMS must also provide management 

and support services to the Panel. 

E. APC Panel Meetings 

Meetings must be held up to three 

times a year at the call of the DFO. The 

agenda, which sets the boundaries for 

discussion, is developed by CMS and 

approved by the DFO. Meetings are 

open to the public, except as 

determined otherwise by the Secretary 

or other official to whom the authority 

has been delegated in accordance with 

the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 

U.S.C. 552b(c)) and FACA. The Panel 

Chair must facilitate all Panel meetings. 

Adequate advance notice of all 

meetings must be published in the 

Federal Register, as required by 

applicable laws and departmental 

regulations, stating reasonably 

accessible and convenient locations and 

times. Meetings must be conducted, and 

records of the proceedings kept, as 

required by applicable laws and 

departmental regulations. The records of 

the Panel and established 

subcommittees must be managed in 

accordance with General Records 

Schedule 26, Item 2, or other approved 

Agency records disposition schedule. 

These records must be available for 

public inspection and copying, subject 

to the Freedom of Information Act (5 

U.S.C. 552). 

F. Compensation 

All members must serve on a 

voluntary basis, without compensation, 

pursuant to advance written agreement. 

Members of the Panel must be entitled 

to receive reimbursement for travel 

expenses and per diem in lieu of 

subsistence, in accordance with 

Standard Government Travel 

Regulations. 

G. Annual Cost Estimate 

Estimated fiscal year (FY) 2011 

annual cost for operating the Panel, 

including travel expenses for members 

but excluding staff support, is $77,000. 

The estimated annual person-years of 

staff support required for the APC Panel 

is 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) at an 

estimated annual cost of $105,575. 

Estimated FY 2012 annual cost for 

operating the Panel, including travel 

expenses for members but excluding 

staff support, is $80,000. The estimated 

annual person-years of staff support 

required for the APC Panel is 1.0 FTE 

at an estimated annual cost of $107,650. 

H. Termination Date 

Unless renewed by appropriate action 

prior to its expiration, the APC Panel 

must terminate 2 years from the date the 

charter is filed. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.773, Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance Program; and No. 93.774, 

Medicare-Supplementary Medical Insurance 

Program) 

Dated: December 2, 2010. 

Donald M. Berwick, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2010–31372 Filed 12–14–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3236–N] 

Medicare Program; Town Hall Meeting 

on Physician Quality Reporting System 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

Town Hall Meeting to discuss the 

Physician Quality Reporting System 

(previously known as the Physician 

Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI)). The 

purpose of the Town Hall Meeting is to 

solicit input from participating 

stakeholders on the individual quality 

measures and measures groups being 

considered for possible inclusion in the 

proposed set of quality measures for use 

in the 2012 Physician Quality Reporting 

System and key components of the 

design of the Physician Quality 

Reporting System. Measure developers, 

eligible professionals, professionals 

associations, such as medical specialty 

societies, and other interested 

stakeholders are invited to participate, 

in person or by teleconference. The 

meeting is open to the public, but 

attendance is limited to space and 

teleconference lines available. 

DATES: Meeting Date: The Town Hall 

Meeting will be held on February 9, 

2011, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. eastern 

standard time (e.s.t). 

Deadline for Registration of Presenters 

of the Town Hall Meeting: All presenters 

for the Town Hall meeting must register 

and submit their discussion item(s) by 

5 p.m. e.s.t. on January 18, 2011. 

Deadline for Registration of All Other 

Participants for the Town Hall Meeting 

and Request for Special 

Accommodations: Registration opens on 

December 20, 2010. All other 

participants must register no later than 

5 p.m. e.s.t. on January 28, 2011. 

Requests for special accommodations 

must be received by 5 p.m. e.s.t. on 

January 28, 2010. 

Deadline for Submission of Comments 

on Key Issues for the Town Hall 

Meeting: Written comments on key 

issues for discussion at the Town Hall 

Meeting must be received by 5 p.m. 

e.s.t. on January 21, 2011. 

Deadline for Submission of Other 

Written Comments or Statements: 

Written comments or statements on 

issues that were discussed at this Town 

Hall Meeting or other comments, may be 

sent via regular mail, fax, or 

electronically to the address specified in 


hsrobinson on DSK69SOYB1PROD with NOTICES