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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 155 (Friday, August 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 47847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19470]

[[Page 47847]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Meeting of the National Advisory Council on Healthcare Research 
and Quality Subcommittee on Quality Measures for Children's Healthcare

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, this notice announces a meeting of the 
National Advisory Council on Healthcare Research and Quality 
Subcommittee on Quality Measures for Children's Healthcare.

DATES: The open meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, 
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Bethesda Marriott Hotel, 5151 Pooks Hill Road, Bethesda, 
Maryland 20814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Preyanka Makadia, Office of Extramural 
Research, Education, and Priority Populations (OEREP), Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality, 540 Gaither Rd., Rockville, MD 20850, 
Email: PREYANKA.MAKADIA@AHRQ.hhs.gov, Phone: (301) 427-1538.
    If sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodation 
for a disability is needed, please contact Preyanka Makadia, no later 
than August 15, 2012.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Purpose

    The National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality 
(NAC) was established in accordance with Section 9341 of the Public 
Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 299c. In accordance with its statutory 
mandate, the Council is to advise the Secretary of the Department of 
Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Director, Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), on matters related to AHRQ's 
conduct of its mission including providing guidance on (A) priorities 
for healthcare research, (B) the field of health care research 
including training needs and information dissemination on healthcare 
quality and (C) the role of the Agency in light of private sector 
activity and opportunities for public private partnerships. The Council 
is composed of members of the public, appointed by the Secretary, and 
Federal ex-officio members specified in the authorizing legislation.

2. Background

    AHRQ's NAC has established a Subcommittee on Quality Measures for 
Children's Healthcare (SNAC). Section 401(a) of the Children's Health 
Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA), Public Law 111-
3, amended the Social Security Act to enact section 1139A (42 U.S.C. 
1320b-9a). Section 1139A(b) charged the Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) with improving pediatric health care quality measures. 
The Secretary of DHHS posted the initial core set of children's health 
care quality measures for public comment on December 29, 2009, in 
Volume 74, No. 248 of the Federal Register (http://OIG.hhs.gov/authorities/docs/2010/fr notice 12302009.pdf). The Subcommittee was 
created to provide advice to the NAC as AHRQ undertakes 
responsibilities to improve the initial core quality measure set and 
develop and test a portfolio of evidence-based, consensus pediatric 
quality measures for potential use by public and private programs. AHRQ 
is working closely with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 
(CMS) in implementing these provisions, including public posting of 
improvements to the initial core quality measure set and other CHIPRA 
purposes (i.e., for use by public and private programs other than, or 
in addition to, Medicaid and CHIP). For more information about AHRQ's 
role in carrying out the quality provisions of CHIPRA, see http://www.AHRQ.gov/CHIPRA. A roster of the Subcommittee members is available 
at http://www.AHRQ.gov/CHIPRA/QMSNACLIST12.htm. The September 12, 2012 
meeting will be held as a part of this effort.
    The Secretary will post an improved and enhanced core set of health 
care quality measures for voluntary use by Medicaid and CHIP by Jan 1, 
2013, and annually thereafter. On February 24, 2012, AHRQ solicited 
public nomination of children's health care quality measures for 
inclusion in the CHIPRA 2013 Improved Core Set of Health Care Quality 
Measures.
    On September 12, 2012, the SNAC will assess measures submitted by 
the public in response to a solicitation posted on February 24, 2012 
(CHIPRA Federal Register notice number 2012-4267) (http://www.GPO.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-02-24/pdf/2012-4267.pdf), as well as measures 
submitted by AHRQ-CMS Pediatric Quality Measures Program Centers of 
Excellence (see http://www.AHRQ.gov/CHIPRA/PQMPFACT.htm for details). 
AHRQ will solicit measures again in 2013 and 2014 and the SNAC will 
meet in September of 2013 and 2014 to review these measures.
    The agenda for the September 12, 2012 meeting will be available on 
the AHRQ Web site at http://www.AHRQ.gov/CHIPRA no later than September 
5, 2012.

    Dated: August 2, 2012.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-19470 Filed 8-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M
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