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[Federal Register: August 4, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 149)]
[Notices]               
[Page 46948-46949]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04au10-61]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1578-N]

 
Medicare Program; Listening Session Regarding Confidential 
Feedback Reports and the Implementation of a Value-Based Payment 
Modifier for Physicians, September 24, 2010

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a listening session being conducted as 
part of the transition to a value-based purchasing program for services 
of physicians and certain other professionals, as well as other related 
provisions under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (known 
as the Affordable Care Act (ACA)). This public law contains provisions 
that continue and expand the Physician Feedback Program and also 
require implementation of a value-based payment modifier to the fee-
for-service physician fee schedule. The purpose of the listening 
session is to solicit comments on approaches being considered as we 
implement these provisions. Physicians, physician associations, and all 
others interested in the use of confidential feedback reports as one 
means of enhancing quality and efficiency are invited to participate, 
in person or by calling in to the teleconference. The meeting is open 
to the public, but attendance is limited to space and teleconference 
lines available. Background information, including the relevant 
preamble language from calendar year (CY) 2011 Physician Fee Schedule 
proposed rule will be posted on the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/physician.asp approximately 1 week prior to the 
session.

DATES: Meeting Date: The listening session will be held on Friday, 
September 24th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (e.d.t.)
    Deadline for Meeting Registration and Request for Special 
Accommodations: Registration opens on July 30, 2010. Registration must 
be completed by 5 p.m. e.d.t. on September 22, 2010. Requests for 
special accommodations must be received by 5 p.m. e.d.t. on September 
22, 2010.
    Deadline for Submission of Written Comments or Statements: Written 
comments or statements 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.d.t. on Monday, September 20, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The listening session will be held in the 
main auditorium of the Central Building of the Centers for Medicare & 
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 via the CMS Web site at http://www.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/092410. Individuals who require special 
accommodations should send an e-mail request to 
pamela.cheetham@cms.hhs.gov or via regular mail to Pamela Cheetham at 
the address specified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this notice.
    Written Comments or Statements: Written comments or statements may 
be sent via e-mail to PhysicianVBP@cms.hhs.gov, faxed to 410-786-8005; 
or sent via regular mail to: Attn: Physician VBP Comments, Mail Stop 
C5-15-12, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    All persons planning to make a statement in person at the listening 
session are urged to submit statements in writing at the listening 
session and should subsequently submit the information electronically 
by the timeframe specified in the DATES section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the 
September 24, 2010 listening session contact Pamela Cheetham at (410) 
786-2259. You may also send inquiries about this listening session via 
e-mail to pamela.cheetham@cms.hhs.gov or via regular mail at Centers 
for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mail Stop C5-15-12, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

I. Background

    Section 131(c) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and 
Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) established the Physician Feedback 
Program that requires the Secretary to provide confidential feedback 
reports to physicians on resource use. Section 131(d) of MIPPA requires 
the Secretary to develop a plan for the transition to a value-based 
purchasing program for covered professional services.
    The Affordable Care Act contains several provisions related to 
implementation of physician value-based purchasing (PVBP). Value-based 
purchasing is expected to create financial incentives for increasing 
quality of care and decreasing overall costs by transitioning to 
payment that will link levels of reimbursement to higher achievement of 
clinical quality and efficiency. Section 3003 of ACA continues and 
expands the Physician Feedback Program and requires the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services (the Secretary), beginning in 2012, to 
provide reports that compare patterns of resource use of individual 
physicians to other physicians. In addition, section 3007 of the ACA 
requires the Secretary to apply a budget-neutral payment modifier to 
the fee-for-service physician fee schedule beginning in 2015. During 
the listening session, we will discuss Phase I and Phase II of the 
Physician Feedback Program and outline the relevant sections of the 
ACA. Stakeholder input will be sought on a number of topics including 
but not limited to: report design and dissemination, cost and quality 
measures to assess performance, risk adjustment, attribution of 
Medicare beneficiaries to providers, benchmarking and peer groups, and 
composite measures of cost and quality.
    Background information, including the relevant preamble language 
from CY 2011 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule (75 FR 40113 through 
40116) will be posted on the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/physician.asp approximately 1 week prior to the session. The 
complete CY 2011 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule appeared in the 
July 13, 2010, Federal Register (75 FR 40040) and is available at 
http://edocket.access. gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-15900.pdf. The

[[Page 46949]]

public comment period for this proposed rule ends August 24, 2010. 
Please note that in order to ensure the consideration of public 
comments for purposes of the CY 2011 Physician Fee Schedule final rule, 
comments must be submitted as directed in the proposed rule (see 75 FR 
40040). The issues identified and discussed during this listening 
session, along with other comments we receive, will assist CMS in 
developing the future phases of the Physician Feedback Program as well 
as implementation of the value-based payment modifier.

II. Listening Session Format

    The listening session will be held on September 24, 2010. The 
session will begin at 10 a.m. e.d.t. with an overview of the objectives 
for the session and a brief summary of the relevant value-based 
purchasing provisions of ACA. The agenda will provide opportunities for 
brief 2-minute comments from on-site session attendees. As time allows, 
telephone participants will also have the opportunity to provide 
comments that do not exceed 2-minutes. We will break for lunch from 
approximately 12:30 p.m. e.d.t. to 1:15 p.m. e.d.t. The meeting will 
conclude by 4 p.m. e.d.t. with brief comments on next steps.

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 or participating by 
teleconference must register by completing the on-line registration via 
the designated Web site at http://www.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/092410. 
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. Registration is required as the number of call-in lines 
will be limited. The call-in number will be provided upon confirmation 
of registration.
    An audio download and transcript of the listening session will be 
available within two weeks after completion of the listening session 
through the CMS Web site Physician Center Spotlights at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/physician.asp.

IV. Security, Building, and Parking Guidelines

    This meeting will be held in a Federal government building; 
therefore, Federal security measures are applicable. In planning your 
arrival time, we recommend allowing additional time to clear security. 
The on-site check-in for visitors will begin at 9:15 a.m. e.d.t. Please 
allow sufficient time to complete security checkpoints.
    Security measures include the following:
     Presentation of government-issued photographic 
identification to the Federal Protective Service or Guard Service 
personnel.
     Interior and exterior inspection of vehicles (this 
includes engine and trunk inspection) at the entrance to the grounds. 
Parking permits and instructions will be issued after the vehicle 
inspection.
     Passing through a metal detector and inspection of items 
brought into the building. We note that all items brought to CMS, 
whether personal or for the purpose of demonstration or to support a 
demonstration, are subject to 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 demonstration or to support a 
demonstration.

    Note: 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 45 
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. Seating capacity is limited to the first 250 
registrants.

    Authority: Sections 3001 and 3007 of the Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act.

    Dated: July 29, 2010.
Donald M. Berwick,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-19128 Filed 8-3-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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