[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35947-35948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14163]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[HCFA-1138-N]


Medicare Program; Town Hall Meeting To Discuss the Documentation 
Guidelines for Evaluation and Management Services--June 22, 2000

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a town hall meeting to discuss the 
current status of our work on revising the documentation guidelines for 
evaluation and management (E/M) services. The documentation guidelines 
provide the health care community with information regarding the proper 
use of E/M Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. This meeting 
will present the results of our efforts to simplify the guidelines, 
reduce the burden on physicians, and foster consistent and fair medical 
review.
    Since receiving recommendations for revising the existing 
guidelines from the American Medical Association (AMA) CPT Editorial 
Panel in June 1999, we have performed a technical assessment of those 
recommendations, reviewed other proposals for revising the guidelines, 
and started to plan a study of proposed revisions to the documentation 
guidelines. The purpose of this meeting is to inform the public about 
the current status of these activities and to reaffirm our commitment 
to work with physicians to improve the service they receive from the 
Medicare program. The meeting is open to the public, but attendance is 
limited to the space available.

DATES: The Meeting: June 22, 2000 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., E.D.T.
    Registration: Persons wishing to attend the meeting must register 
by June 21, 2000.
    Special Accommodations: Persons attending the meeting who are 
hearing impaired and require sign language interpretation, or have a 
condition that requires other special assistance or accommodations, 
should notify Ms. Martha Dixon by June 14, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the auditorium of the Health 
Care Financing Administration, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, 
Maryland 21244.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Bernice Harper, (202) 690-7899, 
for general questions about the meeting. Ms. Martha Dixon, (202) 358-
1420, for questions regarding registration or special accommodations.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Intent of the Meeting

    The intent of this meeting is to provide an update to the public on 
documentation guidelines for evaluation and management services Current 
Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Although there will be a question 
and answer period, there will be no time scheduled for public 
presentations by the attendees.

Agenda Topics

    The following topics will be addressed by members of our staff at 
the meeting:


[[Page 35948]]


<bullet> The history and current status of the documentation 
guidelines.
<bullet> Our technical assessment of the June 1999 proposed AMA 
recommendations.
<bullet> Other proposals for revising the guidelines.
<bullet> The proposed study.
<bullet> The role of organized medicine and practicing physicians in 
commenting on the guidelines and the study.
<bullet> A proposed time line for eventual implementation of new 
documentation guidelines.
<bullet> New efforts to improve responsiveness and service to 
physicians.

Registration

    If you wish to attend the meeting, you must register in advance by 
sending a fax to the attention of Ms. Martha Dixon, Office of 
Professional Relations, at (202) 401-7438 by the date listed in the 
DATES section of this notice. Your fax must include your name, 
organization, address, telephone number, and fax number. Our receipt of 
your fax will constitute confirmation of your registration. If space at 
the meeting is no longer available when your fax is received, you will 
be notified by phone that you are on an attendance waiting list. If 
space should subsequently become available, individuals on the waiting 
list will be notified in turn. Written materials will be provided at 
the time of the meeting.

    Authority: Section 1102 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1302).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.774, 
Medicare--Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

    Dated: June 1, 2000.
Nancy-Ann Min DeParle,
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-14163 Filed 6-5-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-M