56806 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 2014 / Notices 

Safety and Health on research and prevention 

programs. Specifically, the Board shall 

provide guidance on the Institute’s research 

activities related to developing and 

evaluating hypotheses, systematically 

documenting findings and disseminating 

results. The Board shall evaluate the degree 

to which the activities of the National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: 

(1) Conform to appropriate scientific 

standards, (2) address current, relevant 

needs, and (3) produce intended results. 

Matters for Discussion: NIOSH 

implementation of National Academies’ 

recommendations for the Respiratory Disease 

Research Program, the Construction Research 

Program, and the Traumatic Injuries Research 

Program. 

Agenda items are subject to change as 

priorities dictate. An agenda is also posted on 

the NIOSH Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/

niosh/bsc/). 

Contact Person for More Information: John 

Decker, Executive Secretary, BSC, NIOSH, 

CDC, 1600 Clifton Road NE., MS–E20, 

Atlanta, GA 30329–4018, Telephone: (404) 

498–2500, fax (404) 498–2526. 

The Director, Management Analysis and 

Services Office, has been delegated the 

authority to sign Federal Register notices 

pertaining to announcements of meetings and 

other committee management activities for 

both the CDC and the Agency for Toxic 

Substances and Disease Registry. 

Claudette Grant, 

Acting Director, Management Analysis and 

Services Office, Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention (CDC). 

[FR Doc. 2014–22530 Filed 9–22–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–19–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES (HHS) 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Board of Scientific Counselors, Office 

of Public Health Preparedness and 

Response, (BSC, OPHPR) 

In accordance with section 10 (a)(2) of 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(Pub. L. 92–463), the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC), 

announces the following meeting of the 

aforementioned committee: 

Times and Dates: 

10:00 a.m.–5:15 p.m., E.T., October 27, 2014 

8:00 a.m.–4:15 p.m., E.T., October 28, 2014 

Place: Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC), Global Communications 

Center, Building 19, Auditorium B3, 1600 

Clifton Road NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333. 

Status: Open to the public limited only by 

the space available. The meeting room will 

accommodate up to 90 people. Public 

participants should pre-register for the 

meeting as described in Additional 

Information for Public Participants. Members 

of the public that wish to attend this meeting 

should pre-register by submitting the 

following information by email, facsimile, or 

phone (see Contact Person for More 

Information) no later than 12:00 noon (EDT) 

on Monday, October 20, 2014: 

• Full Name 

• Organizational Affiliation 

• Complete Mailing Address 

• Citizenship 

• Phone Number or Email Address 

Purpose: This Board is charged with 

providing advice and guidance to the 

Secretary, Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS), the Assistant Secretary for 

Health (ASH), the Director, Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and 

the Director, Office of Public Health 

Preparedness and Response (OPHPR), 

concerning strategies and goals for the 

programs and research within OPHPR, 

monitoring the overall strategic direction and 

focus of the OPHPR Divisions and Offices, 

and administration and oversight of peer 

review of OPHPR scientific programs. For 

additional information about the Board, 

please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/

science/counselors.htm. 

Matters To Be Discussed: Day one of the 

meeting will cover briefings and BSC 

deliberation on the following topics: Interval 

updates from OPHPR Divisions and Offices; 

mental and behavioral health and emergency 

preparedness and response; and BSC liaison 

representative updates to the Board 

highlighting organizational activities relevant 

to the OPHPR mission. 

Day two of the meeting will cover briefings 

and BSC deliberation on the following topics: 

Evolving capabilities of the Strategic National 

Stockpile, community resilience research 

updates, select agent regulations, social 

media and communication challenges during 

emergency response; National Health 

Security Preparedness Index Update; and 

OPHPR impact measurement. 

Agenda items are subject to change as 

priorities dictate. 

Contact Person for More Information: 

Marquita Black, Office of Science and Public 

Health Practice, Executive Assistant, Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 

Clifton Road NE., Mailstop D–44, Atlanta, 

Georgia 30333, Telephone: (404) 639–7325; 

Facsimile: (404) 639–7977; Email: 

OPHPR.BSC.Questions@cdc.gov. 

The Director, Management Analysis and 

Services Office, has been delegated the 

authority to sign Federal Register notices 

pertaining to announcements of meetings and 

other committee management activities for 

both the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, and Agency for Toxic Substances 

and Disease Registry. 

Claudette Grant, 

Acting Director, Management Analysis and 

Services Office, Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2014–22531 Filed 9–22–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3304–PN] 

Medicare and Medicaid Program; 

Application From the Joint 

Commission for Continued Approval of 

Its Psychiatric Hospital Accreditation 

Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Proposed notice. 

SUMMARY: This proposed notice 

acknowledges the receipt of an 

application from the Joint Commission 

for continued recognition as a national 

accrediting organization for psychiatric 

hospitals that wish to participate in the 

Medicare or Medicaid programs. The 

statute requires that within 60 days of 

receipt of an organization’s complete 

application, we publish a notice that 

identifies the national accrediting body 

making the request, describes the nature 

of the request, and provides at least a 

30-day public comment period. 

DATES: To be assured consideration, 

comments must be received at one of 

the addresses provided below, no later 

than 5 p.m. on October 23, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: In commenting, refer to file 

code CMS–3304–PN. Because of staff 

and resource limitations, we cannot 

accept comments by facsimile (FAX) 

transmission. 

You may submit comments in one of 

four ways (please choose only one of the 

ways listed): 

1. Electronically. You may submit 

electronic comments on this regulation 

to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 

the ‘‘Submit a comment’’ instructions. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments to the following 

address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, Department of 

Health and Human Services, Attention: 

CMS–3304–PN, P.O. Box 8010, 

Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

Please allow sufficient time for mailed 

comments to be received before the 

close of the comment period. 

3. By express or overnight mail. You 

may send written comments to the 

following address ONLY: Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services, 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, Attention: CMS–3304–PN, 

Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

4. By hand or courier. Alternatively, 

you may deliver (by hand or courier) 

your written ONLY to the following 

addresses: 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 2014 / Notices 56807 

a. For delivery in Washington, DC— 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, Room 445–G, Hubert 

H. Humphrey Building, 200 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20201. 

(Because access to the interior of the 

Hubert H. Humphrey Building is not 

readily available to persons without 

Federal government identification, 

commenters are encouraged to leave 

their comments in the CMS drop slots 

located in the main lobby of the 

building. A stamp-in clock is available 

for persons wishing to retain a proof of 

filing by stamping in and retaining an 

extra copy of the comments being filed.) 

b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD— 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244– 

1850. 

If you intend to deliver your 

comments to the Baltimore address, call 

telephone number (410) 786–9994 in 

advance to schedule your arrival with 

one of our staff members. 

Comments erroneously mailed to the 

addresses indicated as appropriate for 

hand or courier delivery may be delayed 

and received after the comment period. 

For information on viewing public 

comments, see the beginning of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Monda Shaver, (410) 786–3410. 

Cindy Melanson, (410) 786–0310. 

Patricia Chmielewski, (410) 786–6899. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Inspection of Public Comments: All 

comments received before the close of 

the comment period are available for 

viewing by the public, including any 

personally identifiable or confidential 

business information that is included in 

a comment. We post all comments 

received before the close of the 

comment period on the following Web 

site as soon as possible after they have 

been received: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the search 

instructions on that Web site to view 

public comments. 

Comments received timely will also 

be available for public inspection as 

they are received, generally beginning 

approximately 3 weeks after publication 

of a document, at the headquarters of 

the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, 

Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday 

through Friday of each week from 8:30 

a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an 

appointment to view public comments, 

phone 1–800–743–3951. 

I. Background 

Under the Medicare program, eligible 

beneficiaries may receive covered 

services from a psychiatric hospital 

provided certain requirements are met. 

Section 1861(f) of the Social Security 

Act (the Act) establishes distinct criteria 

for facilities seeking designation as a 

psychiatric hospital. Regulations 

concerning provider agreements are at 

42 CFR part 489 and those pertaining to 

activities relating to the survey and 

certification of facilities are at 42 CFR 

part 488. The regulations at 42 CFR part 

482 subpart E, specify the minimum 

conditions that a psychiatric hospital 

must meet to participate in the Medicare 

program, the scope of covered services 

and the conditions for Medicare 

payment for psychiatric hospitals. 

Generally, to enter into an agreement, 

a psychiatric hospital must first be 

certified by a State Survey Agency as 

complying with the conditions or 

requirements set forth in part 482 

subpart E of our regulations. Thereafter, 

the psychiatric hospital is subject to 

regular surveys by a State Survey 

Agency to determine whether it 

continues to meet these requirements. 

There is an alternative; however, to 

surveys by state agencies. 

Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides 

that, if a provider entity demonstrates 

through accreditation by an approved 

national accrediting organization that all 

applicable Medicare conditions are met 

or exceeded, we may treat the provider 

entity as having met those conditions, 

that is, we may ‘‘deem’’ the provider 

entity as having met the requirements. 

Accreditation by an accrediting 

organization is voluntary and is not 

required for Medicare participation. 

If an accrediting organization is 

recognized by the Secretary of the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (the Secretary) as having 

standards for accreditation that meet or 

exceed Medicare requirements, any 

provider entity accredited by the 

national accrediting body’s approved 

program may be deemed to meet the 

Medicare conditions. A national 

accrediting organization applying for 

approval of its accreditation program 

under part 488, subpart A, must provide 

us with reasonable assurance that the 

accrediting organization requires the 

accredited provider entities to meet 

requirements that are at least as 

stringent as the Medicare conditions. 

Our regulations concerning the approval 

of accrediting organizations are set forth 

at § 488.4 and § 488.8(d)(3). The 

regulations at § 488.8(d)(3) require an 

accrediting organization to reapply for 

continued approval of its accreditation 

program every 6 years or sooner as 

determined by CMS. 

The Joint Commission’s current term 

of approval for its psychiatric hospital 

accreditation program expires February 

25, 2015. 

II. Approval of Deeming Organizations 

Section 1865(a)(2) of the Act and our 

regulations at § 488.8(a) require that our 

findings concerning review and 

approval of a national accrediting 

organization’s requirements consider, 

among other factors, the applying 

accrediting organization’s requirements 

for accreditation; survey procedures; 

resources for conducting required 

surveys; capacity to furnish information 

for use in enforcement activities; 

monitoring procedures for provider 

entities found not in compliance with 

the conditions or requirements; and 

ability to provide us with the necessary 

data for validation. 

Section 1865(a)(3)(A) of the Act 

further requires that we publish, within 

60 days of receipt of an organization’s 

complete application, a notice 

identifying the national accrediting 

body making the request, describing the 

nature of the request, and providing at 

least a 30-day public comment period. 

We have 210 days from the receipt of a 

complete application to publish notice 

of approval or denial of the application. 

The purpose of this proposed notice 

is to inform the public of the Joint 

Commission’s request for continued 

approval of its psychiatric hospital 

accreditation program. This notice also 

solicits public comment on whether the 

Joint Commission’s requirements meet 

or exceed the Medicare conditions of 

participation (CoPs) for psychiatric 

hospitals. 

III. Evaluation of Deeming Authority 

Request 

The Joint Commission submitted all 

the necessary materials to enable us to 

make a determination concerning its 

request for continued approval of its 

psychiatric hospital accreditation 

program. This application was 

determined to be complete on July 30, 

2014. Under Section 1865(a)(2) of the 

Act and our regulations at § 488.8 

(Federal review of accrediting 

organizations), our review and 

evaluation of the Joint Commission will 

be conducted in accordance with, but 

not necessarily limited to, the following 

factors: 

• The equivalency of the Joint 

Commission’s standards for psychiatric 

hospitals as compared with CMS’ 

psychiatric hospital CoPs. 

• The Joint Commission’s survey 

process to determine the following: 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

56808 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 2014 / Notices 

++ The composition of the survey 

team, surveyor qualifications, and the 

ability of the organization to provide 

continuing surveyor training. 

++ The comparability of the Joint 

Commission’s processes to those of 

State Survey Agencies, including survey 

frequency, and the ability to investigate 

and respond appropriately to 

complaints against accredited facilities. 

++ The Joint Commission’s processes 

and procedures for monitoring a 

psychiatric hospital found out of 

compliance with the Joint Commission’s 

program requirements. These 

monitoring procedures are used only 

when the Joint Commission identifies 

noncompliance. If noncompliance is 

identified through validation reviews or 

complaint surveys, the State Survey 

Agency monitors corrections as 

specified at § 488.7(d). 

++ The Joint Commission’s capacity 

to report deficiencies to the surveyed 

facilities and respond to a facility’s plan 

of correction in a timely manner. 

++ The Joint Commission’s capacity 

to provide CMS with electronic data and 

reports necessary for effective validation 

and assessment of the organization’s 

survey process. 

++ The adequacy of the Joint 

Commission’s staff and other resources, 

and its financial viability. 

++ The Joint Commission’s capacity 

to adequately fund required surveys. 

++ The Joint Commission’s policies 

to assure that surveys are unannounced. 

++ The Joint Commission’s 

agreement to provide CMS with a copy 

of a facility’s most current accreditation 

survey together with any survey 

information that CMS may request 

(including corrective action plans). 

IV. Collection of Information 

Requirements 

This document does not impose 

information collection requirements, 

that is, reporting, recordkeeping or 

third-party disclosure requirements. 

Consequently, there is no need for 

review by the Office of Management and 

Budget under the authority of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

V. Response to Comments 

Because of the large number of public 

comments we normally receive on 

Federal Register documents, we are not 

able to acknowledge or respond to them 

individually. We will consider all 

comments we receive by the date and 

time specified in the DATES section of 

this preamble, and, when we proceed 

with a subsequent document, we will 

respond to the comments in the 

preamble to that document. 

Dated: September 11, 2014. 

Marilyn Tavenner, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2014–22632 Filed 9–22–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–1626–N] 

Medicare Program; Solicitation of 

Nominations to the Advisory Panel on 

Hospital Outpatient Payment 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice solicits 

nominations for up to four new 

members to the Advisory Panel on 

Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP, the 

Panel). There are vacancies on the Panel 

effective September 30, 2014. 

The purpose of the Panel is to advise 

the Secretary of the Department of 

Health and Human Services and the 

Administrator of the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services on the 

clinical integrity of the Ambulatory 

Payment Classification (APC) groups 

and their associated weights, and 

supervision of hospital outpatient 

services. 

The Secretary rechartered the Panel in 

2012 for a 2-year period effective 

through November 19, 2014. CMS 

intends to recharter the Panel for 

another 2-year period prior to expiration 

of the current charter. 

DATES: Submission of Nominations: We 

will consider nominations if they are 

received no later than 5 p.m. (e.s.t.) 

November 24, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations 

electronically to the following email 

address: APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov. 

Web site: For additional information 

on the Panel and updates to the Panel’s 

activities, we refer readers to our Web 

site at the following address: http://

www.cms.gov/Regulations-andGuidance/Guidance/FACA/Advisory

PanelonAmbulatoryPayment

ClassificationGroups.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Persons wishing to nominate 

individuals to serve on the Panel or to 

obtain further information may contact 

Carol Schwartz at the following email 

address: APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov or call 

(410) 786–3985. 

News Media: Representatives should 

contact the CMS Press Office at (202) 

690–6145. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The Secretary of the Department of 

Health and Human Services (the 

Secretary) is required by section 

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

(the Act), and section 222 of the Public 

Health Service Act (PHS Act) to consult 

with an expert outside advisory panel 

regarding the clinical integrity of the 

Ambulatory Payment Classification 

(APC) groups and relative payment 

weights that are components of the 

Medicare Hospital Outpatient 

Prospective Payment System (OPPS), 

and the appropriate supervision level 

for hospital outpatient services. The 

Panel is governed by the provisions of 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(FACA) (Pub. L. 92–463), as amended (5 

U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets forth 

standards for the formation and use of 

advisory panels. The panel may 

consider data collected or developed by 

entities and organizations (other than 

the Department of Health and Human 

Services) as part of their deliberations. 

The Charter provides that the Panel 

shall 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 following calendar year. 

The Panel shall consist of a chair and 

up to 19 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 representatives of 

providers.) 

The current Panel members are as 

follows: (Note: The asterisk [*] indicates 

the Panel members whose terms end 

effective September 30, 2014.) 

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

CMS Medical Officer. 

• Karen Borman, M.D. 

• Kari S. Cornicelli, C.P.A., FHFMA.* 

• Brain D. Kavanagh, M.D., M.P.H.* 

• Scott Manaker, M.D., Ph.D.* 

• John Marshall, CRA, RCC, RT.* 

• Jim Nelson 

• Leah Osbahr 

• Jacqueline Phillips 

• Johnathan Pregler, M.D. 

• Traci Rabine 

• Wendy Resnick, FHFMA 

• Michael Rabovsky, M.D. 

• Marianna V. Spanki-Varelas M.D., 

Ph.D., M.B.A. 

• Gale Walker 

• Kris Zimmer 

Panel members serve on a voluntary 

basis, without compensation, according 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES