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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 156 (Friday, August 12, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50224-50225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20543]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-5502-N2]

Medicare Program; Accountable Care Organization Accelerated 
Development Learning Sessions; Center for Medicare and Medicaid 
Innovation, September 15th and 16th, 2011

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the date and location of the second in a 
series of public educational sessions hosted by the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This two-day training session is 
the second Accelerated Development Learning Session (ADLS) hosted by 
CMS to help Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) deliver better care 
and reduce costs. We invite all new or existing ACO entities to 
register a team of senior executives to attend the in-person ADLS. The 
ADLS will provide executives with the opportunity to learn about core 
functions of an ACO and ways to build their organization's capacity to 
succeed as an ACO.

DATES: Meeting Date: Thursday, September 15, 2011, 8 a.m to 5 pm., 
pacific daylight time (p.d.t): Friday, September 16, 2011, 8 a.m. to 5 
p.m. (p.d.t).
    Deadline for Meeting Registration: Registration for the second ADLS 
will remain open until capacity has been reached for the September 15 
through 16 in-person meeting. Space is limited and participants are 
encouraged to register as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The second ADLS will be held at the Hyatt 
Regency San Francisco Airport at 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, CA 
94010. Participants are responsible for their own travel, parking, 
meals, and overnight stay expenses. More information about the venue 
and accommodations can be found at https://acoregister.rti.org/. 
Potential participants are also strongly

[[Page 50225]]

encouraged to complete the comprehensive planning tool discussed in 
section II of this notice before arriving to the meeting.
    Meeting Registration, Presentations, and Written Comments: 
Registration information and documents can be accessed online at 
https://acoregister.rti.org/.
    Registration: Eligible organizations interested in registering for 
the ADLS should visit https://acoregister.rti.org/ for information 
about registration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information is available on 
the registration Web site at https://acoregister.rti.org/. Click on 
``contact us'' to send questions or comments via e-mail. Press 
inquiries are handled through the CMS Press Office at (202) 690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 1115A of the Social Security Act (the Act), as added by 
section 3021 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 
111-148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation 
Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152) (collectively, the Affordable Care Act), 
established the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation 
Center) for the purpose of examining new ways of delivering health care 
and paying health care providers in ways that can save money for 
Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP while improving the quality of care for our 
beneficiaries. Through Accelerated Development Learning Sessions 
(ADLS), the Innovation Center will test whether intensive shared 
learning activities will expand and improve the capabilities of 
provider organizations to coordinate the care of a population of 
Medicare beneficiaries more effectively than organizations that do not 
participate in the ADLS. Well coordinated care can improve 
beneficiaries' quality outcomes and reduce the growth of Medicare 
expenditures.
    Completion of the ADLS will not be a factor for selection or 
participation in a CMS ACO program. It is intended to provide ACOs with 
the opportunity to learn from their peers about essential ACO functions 
and various ways to build capacity needed to achieve better care for 
individuals, better population health, and lower growth in health care 
expenditures.
    The ACO ADLSs were first announced in the May 19, 2011 Federal 
Register (76 FR 28988).
    Each participating team should consist of two to four senior-level 
leaders (including at least one executive with financial/management 
responsibility and one with clinical responsibility). Participants are 
also asked to attend future Web based seminars and complete a full ACO 
implementation plan as part of the broader ADLS initiative to 
facilitate on-going learning and evaluation.
    Information for all future ADLS will be posted online at https://acoregister.rti.org as it becomes available.

II. Completion of Planning Tool and Session Registration Information

    Registrants need to complete the registration form in order to 
participate in an ACO ADLS. Potential participants are also strongly 
encouraged to complete a comprehensive planning tool, which will allow 
them to take full advantage of the hands-on learning activities during 
the ADLS. The registration form and comprehensive planning tool are 
available on the ACO ADLS Web site at https://acoregister.rti.org.

    Authority:  Section 1115A of the Social Security Act.

    Dated: August 3, 2011.
Donald M. Berwick,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2011-20543 Filed 8-11-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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