Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 56 / Friday, March 23, 2007 / Notices 13795 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–1305–N2] 

Medicare Program; Request for 

Nominations to the Advisory Panel on 

Ambulatory Payment Classification 

Groups 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), Department 

of Health and Human Services (DHHS). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice invites 

nominations of members to the 

Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment 

Classification (APC) Groups (the Panel). 

There will be two vacancies on the 

Panel as of October 1, 2007. 

Consequently, this solicitation is for two 

new members. 

The purpose of the Panel is to review 

the APC groups and their associated 

weights and to advise the Secretary, 

DHHS, (the Secretary) and the 

Administrator, CMS, (the 

Administrator) concerning the clinical 

integrity of the APC groups and their 

associated weights. We consider the 

Panel’s advice as CMS prepares its 

annual updates of the hospital 

Outpatient Prospective Payment System 

(OPPS). 

The Secretary rechartered the Panel in 

2006 for a 2-year period effective 

through November 21, 2008. 

Nominations: We will consider 

nominations if they are received no later 

than 5 p.m. on May 30, 2007. Please 

mail or hand deliver nominations to the 

following address: CMS; Attn: Shirl 

Ackerman-Ross, Designated Federal 

Official (DFO), Advisory Panel on APC 

Groups; Center for Medicare 

Management, Hospital & Ambulatory 

Policy Group, Division of Outpatient 

Care; 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail 

Stop C4–05–17; Baltimore, MD 21244–

1850. 

Web site: For additional information 

on the APC Panel and updates to the 

Panel’s activities, search our Web site at 

the following: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ 

FACA/05_AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatory 

PaymentClassificationGroups

.asp#TopOfPage. 

E-Mail Address: The E-mail address 

for the Panel is as follows: 

CMS_APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov. News 

media representatives must contact our 

Public Affairs Office at (202) 690–6145. 

Advisory Committees’ Information 

Lines: The CMS Advisory Committees’

Information Line is 1–877–449–5659 

(toll free) and (410) 786–9379 (local). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The Secretary is required by section 

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

(the Act), [as amended by section 201(h) 

of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP 

Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 

1999 (BBRA) (Pub. L. 106–113), and 

redesignated by section 202(a)(2) of the 

BBRA] to consult with an expert outside 

advisory panel regarding the clinical 

integrity of the APC groups and weights 

that are components of the hospital 

OPPS. 

The Charter requires that the Panel 

meet up to three times annually. We 

consider the technical advice provided 

by the Panel as we prepare the proposed 

and final rules to update the OPPS for 

the next calendar year. 

The Panel shall consist of a chair and 

up to 15 members who are full-time 

employees of hospitals, hospital 

systems, or other Medicare providers 

that are subject to the OPPS. (For 

purposes of the Panel, consultants or 

independent contractors are not 

considered to be full-time employees in 

these organizations.) 

The Secretary or Administrator selects 

the Panel membership based upon 

either self-nominations or nominations 

submitted by providers or interested 

organizations. 

The current Panel members are as 

follows: (The asterisk [*] indicates Panel 

members whose terms begin on March 

1, 2007, and the double asterisks [**] 

indicate Panel members whose terms 

begin on April 1, 2007. Panel members 

with three asterisks [***] are those 

members whose terms expire on or 

before September 30, 2007.) 

• E.L. Hambrick, M.D., J.D., Chair, a 

CMS Medical Officer. 

• Gloryanne Bryant, B.S., RHIA, 

RHIT, CCS. 

• Hazel Kimmel, R.N., CCS, CPC. 

• Sandra J. Metzler, M.B.A., 

RHIA.*** 

• Thomas M. Munger, M.D. 

• Beverly Khnie Philip, M.D.** 

• Louis Potters, M.D. 

• Russ Ranallo, M.S., B.S.* 

• James V. Rawson, M.D. 

• Michael A. Ross, M.D.** 

• Lou Ann Schraffenberger, M.B.A., 

RHIA. 

• Judie S. Snipes, R.N., M.B.A., CHE. 

• Patricia Spencer-Cisek, M.S., 

APRN–BC, AOCN.* 

• Timothy Gene Tyler, Pharm.D.*** 

• Kim Allen Williams, M.D. 

• Robert M. Zwolak, M.D. 

Panel members serve without 

compensation, according to an advance 

written agreement; however, CMS 

reimburses travel, meals, lodging, and 

related expenses for the meeting in 

accordance with standard Government 

travel regulations. 

CMS has a special interest in 

attempting to ensure—while taking into 

account the nominee pool—that the 

Panel is diverse in all respects to the 

following: geography; rural or urban 

practice; race, ethnicity, sex, and 

disability; medical or technical 

specialty; and type of hospital, hospital 

health system, or other Medicare 

provider. 

The Secretary, or his designee, 

appoints new members to the Panel 

from among those candidates 

determined to have the required 

expertise. New appointments are made 

in a manner that ensures a balanced 

membership. 

II. Criteria for Nominees 

All members must have technical 

expertise to enable them to participate 

fully in the work of the Panel. This 

expertise encompasses hospital 

payment systems; hospital medical-care 

delivery systems; provider billing 

systems; APC groups; Physicians’

Current Procedural Terminology and 

alpha-numeric Healthcare Common 

Procedure Coding System codes; and 

the use and payment of drugs and 

medical devices in the outpatient 

setting, as well as other forms of 

relevant expertise. 

It is not necessary for a nominee to 

possess expertise in all of the areas 

listed, but each must have a minimum 

of 5 years experience and currently have 

full-time employment in his or her area 

of expertise. Members of the Panel serve 

terms up to 4 years, based on the needs 

of the Panel and contingent upon the 

rechartering of the Panel. 

Any interested person or organization 

may nominate one or more qualified 

individuals. Self-nominations will also 

be accepted. Each nomination must 

include the following: 

• Letter of Nomination, 

• Curriculum Vita of the nominee, 

and 

• Written statement from the nominee 

that the nominee is willing to serve on 

the Panel under the conditions 

described in this notice and further 

specified in the Charter. 

III. Copies of the Charter 

To obtain a copy of the Panel’s 

Charter, submit a written request to the 

DFO at the address provided or by email at CMS_APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov, or 

call her at 410–786–4474. Copies of the 

Charter are also available on the Internet 

at the following: http:// 

www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/ 

05_AdvisoryPanelon


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
13796 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 56 / Friday, March 23, 2007 / Notices 

AmbulatoryPayment

ClassificationGroups.asp#TopOfPage. 

Authority: Section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Act 

(42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(9)(A)). The Panel is 

governed by the provisions of Pub. L. 92–463, 

as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2). 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.773, Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: March 8, 2007. 

Leslie V. Norwalk, 

Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. E7–5305 Filed 3–22–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–7004–N] 

Medicare Program; Announcement of 

Rechartering and Meeting of the 

Advisory Panel on Medicare 

Education, April 17, 2007 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

renewal of the charter of the Advisory 

Panel on Medicare Education (the 

Panel). The Panel advises and makes 

recommendations to the Secretary of 

Health and Human Services and the 

Administrator of the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services on 

opportunities to enhance the 

effectiveness of consumer education 

strategies concerning the Medicare 

program. In addition, this notice 

announces a meeting of the Panel on 

April 17, 2007. This meeting is open to 

the public. 

DATES: Meeting Date: April 17, 2007 

from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., e.d.t. 

Deadline for Meeting Registration, 

Presentations and Comments: April 10, 

2007, 12 noon, e.d.t. 

Deadline for Requesting Special 

Accommodations: April 2, 2007, 12 

noon, e.d.t. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: Hotel 

Palomar, 2121 P Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20037, (202) 448–1800. 

Meeting Registration, Presentations, 

and Written Comments: Lynne Johnson, 

Health Insurance Specialist, Division of 

Forum and Conference Development, 

Office of External Affairs, Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 

Security Boulevard, Mail stop S1–05–

06, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850 or 

contact Ms. Johnson via e-mail at 

Lynne.Johnson@cms.hhs.gov. 

Meeting Registration: The meeting is 

open to the public, but attendance is 

limited to the space available. Persons 

wishing to attend this meeting must 

register by contacting Lynne Johnson at 

the address listed in the ADDRESSES

section of this notice or by telephone at 

(410) 786–0090, by 12 noon, e.d.t., on 

April 10, 2007. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lynne Johnson, (410) 786–0090. Please 

refer to the CMS Advisory Committees’

Information Line (1–877–449–5659 toll 

free)/(410–786–9379 local) or the 

Internet (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ 

FACA/04_APME.asp) for additional 

information and updates on committee 

activities. Press inquiries are handled 

through the CMS Press Office at (202) 

690–6145. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 

U.S.C. 217a), as amended, grants to the 

Secretary the authority to establish an 

advisory panel if the Secretary finds the 

panel necessary and in the public 

interest. The Secretary signed the 

charter establishing this Panel on 

January 21, 1999 as announced in the 

Federal Register (64 FR 7899) and this 

notice announces the renewal of the 

charter on November 14, 2006. The 

charter will terminate on January 21, 

2009, unless renewed by the Secretary. 

The Panel advises and makes 

recommendations to the Secretary and 

the Administrator of the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on 

opportunities to enhance the 

effectiveness of consumer education 

strategies concerning the Medicare 

program. The goals of the Panel are as 

follows: 

• To develop and implement a 

national Medicare education program 

that describes the options for selecting 

a health plan under Medicare. 

• To enhance the Federal 

government’s effectiveness in informing 

the Medicare consumer, including the 

appropriate use of public-private 

partnerships. 

• To expand outreach to vulnerable 

and underserved communities, 

including racial and ethnic minorities, 

in the context of a national Medicare 

education program. 

• To assemble an information base of 

best practices for helping consumers 

evaluate health plan options and build 

a community infrastructure for 

information, counseling, and assistance. 

The current members of the Panel are: 

Anita B. Boles, Independent Consultant, 

Health Communications; Gwendolyn T. 

Bronson, SHINE/SHIP Counselor, 

Massachusetts SHINE Program; Dr. 

Yanira Cruz, President and Chief 

Executive Officer, National Hispanic 

Council on Aging; Clayton Fong, 

President and Chief Executive Officer, 

National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; 

Nan Kirsten-Forte, Executive Vice 

President, Consumer Services, WebMD; 

Dr. Jessie C. Gruman, President and 

Chief Executive Officer, Center for the 

Advancement of Health; Betty L. 

Kennard, Vice President, Government 

Programs and Compliance, Health First 

Health Plans; Dr. David Lansky, 

Director, Health Program, Markle 

Foundation; Dr. Daniel Lyons, Senior 

Vice President, Government Programs, 

Independence Blue Cross; Dr. Frank B. 

McArdle, Manager, Hewitt Research 

Office, Hewitt Associates; Traci 

McClellan, J.D., Executive Director, 

National Indian Council on Aging; Dr. 

Keith Mueller, Professor and Section 

Head, Health Services Research and 

Rural Health Policy, University of 

Nebraska; Lee Partridge, Senior Health 

Policy Advisor, National Partnership for 

Women and Families; Myisha M. 

Patterson, National Health Coordinator, 

National Association for the 

Advancement of Colored People; 

Rebecca Snead, Executive Vice 

President/Chief Executive Officer, 

National Alliance of State Pharmacy 

Associations; William A. Steel, 

President, The National Grange; Marvin 

Tuttle, Jr., CAE, Executive Director and 

Chief Executive Officer, Financial 

Planning Association; Catherine Valenti, 

Chairperson and Chief Executive 

Officer, Caring Voice Coalition; and 

Grant Wedner, Web Education, Daily 

Strength, Inc. 

In accordance with the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. 

Appendix 2, section 10(a) (Pub. L. 92–

463), this notice announces a meeting of 

the Panel on April 17, 2007. The agenda 

for the April 17, 2007 meeting will 

include the following: 

• Recap of the previous (January 24, 

2007) meeting. 

• Report on Subcommittee Meetings 

and Activities. 

• Partnering Activities Update. 

• Public Comment. 

• Listening Session with CMS 

Leadership. 

• Next Steps. 

Individuals or organizations that wish 

to make a 5-minute oral presentation on 

an agenda topic should submit a written 

copy of the oral presentation to Lynne 

Johnson at the address listed in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice by the 

date listed in the DATES section of this 

notice. The number of oral presentations 

may be limited by the time available. 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES