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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 17, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42778-42779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17131]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-5506-N2]

Medicare Program; Comprehensive ESRD Care Initiative; Extension 
of the Submission Deadlines for the Letters of Intent and Applications

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

ACTION: Notice of extension of deadlines.

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SUMMARY: This notice reopens the Letter of Intent submission period for 
the Comprehensive ESRD Care initiative letters of intent. Letters of 
Intent are now due on or before July 19, 2013. All potential applicants 
must submit a Letter of Intent to be eligible to submit

[[Page 42779]]

an application. The submission deadline for the application has been 
extended to August 1, 2013.

DATES: Letter of Intent Submission Deadline: Interested organizations 
must submit a non-binding letter of intent on or before July 19, 2013, 
by an online form at: https://cmsgov.secure.force.com/cec.
    Application Submission Deadline: Interested organizations must 
submit an application on or before August 1, 2013, as described on the 
Innovation Center Web site at: http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/comprehensive-ESRD-care/apply.html. Interested organizations should 
also continue to check the Web site for updates on this initiative.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Cohen, (410) 786-1829 or ESRD-CMMI@cms.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) 
is interested in identifying models designed to improve care for 
beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). To promote seamless 
and integrated care for beneficiaries with ESRD, we are developing a 
comprehensive care delivery model to emphasize coordination of a full-
range of clinical and non-clinical services across providers, 
suppliers, and settings. Through the Comprehensive ESRD Care Model, we 
seek to identify ways to improve the coordination and quality of care 
for this population, while lowering total per-capita expenditures under 
the Medicare program. We anticipate that the Comprehensive ESRD Care 
Model would result in improved health outcomes for beneficiaries with 
ESRD regarding the functional status, quality of life, and overall 
well-being, as well as increased beneficiary and caregiver engagement, 
and lower costs to Medicare through improved care coordination.
    On February 6, 2013, we published a notice in the Federal Register 
announcing a request for applications from organizations to participate 
in the testing of the Comprehensive ESRD Care Model, for a period 
beginning in 2013 and ending in 2016, with a possible extension into 
subsequent years.
    In that notice, we stated that organizations interested in applying 
to participate in the testing of the Comprehensive ESRD Care Model must 
submit a non-binding letter of intent by March 15, 2013, and an 
application by May 1, 2013.

II. Provisions of the Notice

    Since the publication of the February 6, 2013 notice, several 
stakeholders have requested additional time to prepare their 
applications and form partnerships. Therefore, the Innovation Center is 
extending the following deadlines relating to the Comprehensive ESRD 
Care initiative: (1) The letter of intent submission period has been 
reopened. The deadline for submission of the letter of intent has been 
extended to July 19, 2013; and (2) the deadline for submission of the 
application has been extended to August 1, 2013.
    In the DATES section of this notice, we are including the new 
submissions deadlines. For additional information on the Comprehensive 
ESRD Care Model and how to apply, we refer readers to click on the 
Request for Applications located on the Innovation Center Web site at: 
http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/comprehensive-ESRD-care.

    (No. 93.773 Medicare--Hospital Insurance Program; and No. 
93.774, Medicare-Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

    Dated: July 9, 2013.
Marilyn Tavenner,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2013-17131 Filed 7-16-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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