Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 195 / Friday, October 7, 2011 / Notices 62415 

13,296. (For policy questions regarding 

this collection contact Letticia Ramsey 

at 410–786–5262. For all other issues 

call 410–786–1326.) 

3. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Revision of a currently 

approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Application for 

Prescription Drug Plans (PDP); 

Application for Medicare Advantage 

Prescription Drug (MA–PD); 

Application for Cost Plans to Offer 

Qualified Prescription Drug Coverage; 

Application for Employer Group Waiver 

Plans to Offer Prescription Drug 

Coverage; Service Area Expansion 

Application for Prescription Drug 

Coverage; Use: The Medicare 

Prescription Drug Benefit program was 

established by section 101 of the 

Medicare Prescription Drug, 

Improvement, and Modernization Act of 

2003 (MMA) and is codified in section 

1860D of the Social Security Act (the 

Act). Section 101 of the MMA amended 

Title XVIII of the Social Security Act by 

redesignating Part D as Part E and 

inserting a new Part D, which 

establishes the voluntary Prescription 

Drug Benefit Program (‘‘Part D’’). The 

MMA was amended on July 15, 2008 by 

the enactment of the Medicare 

Improvements for Patients and 

Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA), on 

March 23, 2010 by the enactment of the 

Patient Protection and Affordable Care 

Act and on March 30, 2010 by the 

enactment the Health Care and 

Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 

(collectively the Affordable Care Act). 

Coverage for the prescription drug 

benefit is provided through contracted 

prescription drug plans (PDPs) or 

through Medicare Advantage (MA) 

plans that offer integrated prescription 

drug and health care coverage (MA–PD 

plans). Cost Plans that are regulated 

under Section 1876 of the Social 

Security Act, and Employer Group 

Waiver Plans (EGWP) may also provide 

a Part D benefit. Organizations wishing 

to provide services under the 

Prescription Drug Benefit Program must 

complete an application, negotiate rates, 

and receive final approval from CMS. 

Existing Part D Sponsors may also 

expand their contracted service area by 

completing the Service Area Expansion 

(SAE) application. 

Effective January 1, 2006, the Part D 

program established an optional 

prescription drug benefit for individuals 

who are entitled to Medicare Part A or 

enrolled in Part B. In general, coverage 

for the prescription drug benefit is 

provided through PDPs that offer drugonly coverage, or through MA 

organizations that offer integrated 

prescription drug and health care 

coverage (MA–PD plans). PDPs must 

offer a basic drug benefit. Medicare 

Advantage Coordinated Care Plans 

(MA–CCPs) must offer either a basic 

benefit or may offer broader coverage for 

no additional cost. Medicare Advantage 

Private Fee for Service Plans (MA– 

PFFS) may choose to offer a Part D 

benefit. Cost Plans that are regulated 

under Section 1876 of the Social 

Security Act, and Employer Group Plans 

may also provide a Part D benefit. If any 

of the contracting organizations meet 

basic requirements, they may also offer 

supplemental benefits through 

enhanced alternative coverage for an 

additional premium. 

Applicants may offer either a PDP or 

MA–PD plan with a service area 

covering the nation (i.e., offering a plan 

in every region) or covering a limited 

number of regions. MA–PD and Cost 

Plan applicants may offer local plans. 

There are 34 PDP regions and 26 MA 

regions in which PDPs or regional MA– 

PDs may be offered respectively. The 

MMA requires that each region have at 

least two Medicare prescription drug 

plans from which to choose, and at least 

one of those must be a PDP. 

Requirements for contracting with Part 

D Sponsors are defined in part 423 of 42 

CFR. 

This clearance request is for the 

information collected to ensure 

applicant compliance with CMS 

requirements and to gather data used to 

support determination of contract 

awards.; Form Number: CMS–10137 

(OMB # 0938–0936); Frequency: 

Occasionally; Affected Public: State, 

Local, or Tribal Governments; Number 

of Respondents: 178; Total Annual 

Responses: 178; Total Annual Hours: 

2,322. (For policy questions regarding 

this collection contact Linda Anders at 

410–786–0459. For all other issues call 

410–786–1326.) 

4. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Revision of a currently 

approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Independent 

Renal Dialysis Facility Cost Report; Use: 

Form CMS–265–94 has not been revised 

and will be used for cost reporting 

periods ending on or before December 

31, 2010. Form CMS–265–11 is a new 

form that incorporates portions of CMS– 

265–94 and CMS–339. It is effective for 

cost reporting that begins or overlaps 

January 1, 2011. Providers of services 

participating in the Medicare program 

are required under sections 1815(a), 

1833(e), 1861(v)(1)(A) and 1881(b)(2)(B) 

of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

1395g) to submit annual information to 

achieve settlement of costs for health 

care services rendered to Medicare 

beneficiaries. The Form CMS–265–11 

cost report is needed to determine the 

amount of reasonable cost due to the 

providers for furnishing medical 

services to Medicare beneficiaries; Form 

Numbers: CMS–265–11 and CMS–265– 

94 (OMB#: 0938–0236); Frequency: 

Yearly; Affected Public: Business or 

other for-profits and Not-for-profit 

institutions; Number of Respondents: 

5,654 Total Annual Responses: 5,654; 

Total Annual Hours: 367,510 (For 

policy questions regarding this 

collection contact Gail Duncan at 410– 

786–7278. 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 November 7, 2011. 

OMB, Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, 

Attention: CMS Desk Officer. 

Fax Number: (202) 395–6974. 

E-mail: 

OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov. 

Dated: October 4, 2011. 

Martique Jones, 

Director, Regulations Development Group, 

Division B, Office of Strategic Operations and 

Regulatory Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2011–26026 Filed 10–6–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–8049–N] 

Medicare Program; Establishment of 

the Medicare Economic Index 

Technical Advisory Panel and Request 

for Nominations for Members 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

establishment of the Medicare Economic 

Index Technical Advisory Panel and 

discusses the group’s purpose and 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
62416 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 195 / Friday, October 7, 2011 / Notices 

charter. It also requests nominations for 

individuals to serve on the panel. 

DATES: Nominations will be considered 

if we receive them at the appropriate 

address, provided in the ADDRESSES

section of this notice, no later than 5 

p.m., eastern day light time on 

November 7, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Send nominations to: 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, 

Baltimore Maryland 21244–1850, Office 

of the Actuary, Mail stop N3–02–02, 

Attention: John Poisal. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Poisal, (410) 786–6397. Press inquiries 

are handled through the CMS Press 

Office at (202) 690–6145. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

In the calendar year (CY) 2011 

Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed 

and final rules (75 FR 40095 and 75 FR 

73274), we solicited and responded to 

comments regarding the convening of a 

technical advisory panel to review all 

aspects of the Medicare Economic Index 

(MEI), including the inputs, input 

weights, price-measurement proxies, 

and productivity adjustment. We noted 

that we would ask the panel to assess 

the relevance and accuracy of these 

inputs to current physician practices. 

The panel’s analysis and 

recommendations will be considered for 

future rulemaking to ensure that the 

MEI accurately and appropriately meets 

its intended statutory purpose. We also 

solicited comments from the physician 

community and other interested 

members of the public on any other 

specific issues that should be 

considered by the technical panel. 

The Secretary of the Department of 

Health and Human Services (the 

Secretary) is establishing a Medicare 

Economic Index Technical Advisory 

Panel under Public Law 92–463, Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, to conduct a 

technical review of the MEI. 

II. Charter, General Responsibilities, 

and Composition of the Medicare 

Economic Index Technical Advisory 

Panel 

A. Charter Information and General 

Responsibilities 

On September 28, 2011, the Secretary 

signed the charter establishing the 

Medicare Economic Index Technical 

Advisory Panel (the Panel). The Panel 

will conduct a technical review of the 

MEI, including the inputs, input 

weights, price-measurement proxies, 

and productivity adjustment. The Panel 

will be asked to assess the relevance and 

accuracy of these inputs to current 

physician practices. Following the 

technical review meeting(s), the Panel 

shall issue a report that summarizes its 

recommendations for the MEI. 

Meetings will be open to the public 

except when closure is specifically 

required by statute, and after all 

statutory and regulatory requirements 

for doing so have been met. The 

Secretary or other official to whom the 

authority has been delegated will make 

such determinations. Notice of all 

meetings will be given to the public via 

a Federal Register notice. 

The Secretary will request that the 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services (CMS) consider the Panel’s 

recommendations for future rulemaking 

to ensure that the MEI accurately and 

appropriately meets its intended 

statutory purpose. The Panel will not 

consider issues such as replacing the 

price index with a cost index, or other 

issues that lie outside the limits of CMS’ 

statutory authority, such as replacing 

the sustainable growth rate (SGR) 

formula with the MEI. 

The Panel, as chartered under the 

legal authority of section 222 of the 

Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 

217a), is also governed by the provisions 

of the Public Law 92–463, as amended 

(5 U.S.C. appendix 2), which sets forth 

standards for the formation and use of 

advisory committees, and the provisions 

of the Government in the Sunshine Act, 

5 U.S.C. 552b(b). 

The Panel will terminate 30 days after 

the date of submission of the final report 

to the Secretary, but no later than 

September 28, 2012. 

You may view and obtain a copy of 

the Secretary’s charter for the Panel at 

https://www.cms.gov/FACA/. 

B. Composition of the Panel 

The Panel will consist of not more 

than seven members, including the 

chair(s). The Panel may be composed of, 

but is not necessarily limited to, 

representatives of other government 

agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics and the Bureau of Economic 

Analysis), members of the Medicare 

Payment Advisory Commission, 

researchers, and other independent 

experts. 

III. Submission of Nominations 

We are requesting nominations for 

individuals to serve as members on the 

Panel. We will consider qualified 

individuals who are self-nominated or 

are nominated by agency officials, 

members of Congress, the general 

public, professional societies, trade 

associations, or other organizations. 

Non-federal employee members of the 

Panel will be appointed as Special 

Government Employees and will be 

required to go through an ethics review. 

The Secretary or the Secretary’s 

designee will appoint members to serve 

on the Panel from amongst the 

candidates that we determine have the 

technical expertise to meet specific 

agency needs in a manner to ensure an 

appropriate balance of membership. 

Any interested person may nominate 

one or more qualified individuals. Each 

nomination must include the name and 

contact information for both the 

nominator and nominee (if not the 

same). 

To ensure that a nomination is 

considered, we must receive the 

nomination information by the date 

specified in the DATES section of this 

notice. Nominations should be mailed 

to the address specified in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. 

Authority: 42 U.S.C 217a, section 222 of 

the Public Health Service Act. 

Dated: September 29, 2011. 

Donald M. Berwick, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2011–26040 Filed 10–6–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Administration for Children and 

Families 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

Title: State Court Improvement 

Program. 

OMB No.: 0970–0307. 

Description 

The Court Improvement Program 

(CIP) is composed of three grants, the 

basic, data, and training grants, 

governed by two separate Program 

Instructions (PIs). The training and data 

grants are governed by the ‘‘new grant’’ 

PI and the basic grant is governed by the 

‘‘basic grant’’ PI. Current PIs require 

separate applications and program 

assessment reports for each grant. Every 

State applies for at least two of the 

grants annually and most States apply 

for all three. As many of the application 

requirements are the same for all three 

grants, this results in duplicative work 

and high degrees of repetition for State 

courts applying for more than one CIP 

grant. 

The purpose of this Program 

Instruction is to streamline and simplify 

the application and reporting processes 

by consolidating the PIs into one single 

PI and requiring one single, 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES