### 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:


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

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:


### 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