Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 161 / Friday, August 20, 2010 / Notices 51465 

AAAASF’s ASC accreditation program 

to determine compliance with the 

Medicare requirements for ASCs at 42 

CFR part 416. 

IV. Provisions of the Final Notice 

A. Differences Between AAAASF’s 

Standards and Requirements for 

Accreditation and Medicare’s 

Conditions and Survey Requirements 

During the 180 day probationary 

period, we conducted a comparison of 

AAAASF’s accreditation requirements 

for ASCs to our current Medicare 

conditions for coverage (CfCs) as 

outlined in the State Operations Manual 

(SOM). We also conducted a corporate 

onsite visit and survey observation to 

validate proper application of the 

requirements. Our review and 

evaluations of AAAASF’s deeming 

application yielded the following: 

• AAAASF’s survey files were 

complete, accurate, and consistent with 

the requirements at § 488.6(a). 

• AAAASF’s data submissions are 

accurate, complete and timely in 

accordance with the requirements at 

§ 488.4(b). 

• AAAASF revised it accreditation 

decision letters to ensure they are 

accurate and contain all of the elements 

necessary for the Regional Office to 

render a decision regarding the deemed 

status of an accredited ASC. 

• AAAASF revised its policies to 

require its surveyors to use the surveyor 

tools thus ensuring accurate and 

complete survey files. 

• AAAASF developed surveyors tools 

to include a medical record review 

sheet, personnel review sheet, and 

policy review to assist surveyors with 

accurate, and complete documentation. 

• To meet the Medicare requirements 

related to unannounced surveys at 

2700A of the SOM, AAAASF modified 

its policies related to the survey 

window in which organizations could 

receive an accreditation survey for 

deemed status. 

• To meet the survey process 

requirements in Appendix L of the 

SOM, AAAASF developed a policy 

outlining the minimum number of 

medical records that must be reviewed 

during a certification survey. 

• To meet the requirements at SOM 

2200F, AAAASF revised its policies and 

procedures to ensure documentation of 

deficiencies contains a regulatory 

reference, a clear and detailed 

description of the deficient practice, and 

relevant finding. 

• To meet the requirements at 2728 of 

the SOM, AAAASF modified its policies 

regarding timeframes for sending and 

receiving a plan of correction (PoC) for 

life safety code surveys. 

• To ensure its surveyors were 

adequately trained, AAAASF developed 

a website where surveyors could access 

a resource library of training webinars, 

interpretative guidelines, principles of 

documentation, standards, surveyor 

handbook, survey forms and other 

materials to assist surveyors in the field. 

B. Term of Approval 

Based on the review and observations, 

we have determined that AAAASF’s 

accreditation program for ASCs meets or 

exceeds our requirements. Therefore, we 

approve, without condition, AAAASF 

as a national accreditation organization 

for ASCs that request participation in 

the Medicare program, effective 

November 27, 2009 through November 

27, 2012. Under § 488.4(f)(4), notice was 

given to AAAASF on November 27, 

2009 (74 FR 62330) and this final notice, 

although not required by our 

regulations, is being published as a 

public service for informational 

purposes. 

V. Collection of Information 

Requirements 

This document does not impose 

information collection and 

recordkeeping requirements. 

Consequently, it need not be reviewed 

by the Office of Management and 

Budget under the authority of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 35). 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.778, Medical Assistance 

Program) (Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Program No. 93.773, Medicare— 

Hospital Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program). 

Dated: August 5, 2010. 

Donald M. Berwick, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2010–19888 Filed 8–19–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–1572–N] 

Medicare Program; Announcement of 

Five New Members to the Advisory 

Panel on Ambulatory Payment 

Classification Groups 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces five 

new members selected to serve on the 

Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment 

Classification (APC) Groups (the Panel). 

The purpose of the Panel is to review 

the APC groups and their associated 

weights and to advise the Secretary of 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (the Secretary) and the 

Administrator of Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services concerning the 

clinical integrity of the APC groups and 

their associated weights. We will 

consider the Panel’s advice as we 

prepare the annual updates of the 

hospital outpatient prospective payment 

system (OPPS). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

inquiries about the Panel, contact the 

Designated Federal Official (DFO): Shirl 

Ackerman-Ross, (410) 786–4474. 

APC Panel E–Mail Address: The Email address for the Panel is as follows: 

CMS APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov (Note: 

There is no underscore in this e-mail 

address; there is a space between CMS 

and APCPanel.) 

News Media Contact: News media 

representatives must contact our Public 

Affairs Office at (202) 690–6145. 

CMS Advisory Committees Hotlines: 

The CMS Federal Advisory Committee 

Hotline is 1–877–449–5659 (toll free) 

and (410) 786–9379 (local) for 

additional Panel information. 

Web Sites: For additional information 

regarding the APC Panel membership, 

meetings, agendas, and updates to the 

Panel’s activities, search our Web site at 

the following Uniform Resource Locator 

(URL): http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/ 

05_AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatory

PaymentClassificationGroups.asp#

TopOfPage. (Note: There is an 

underscore after FACA/05 (like this_); 

there is no space.) 

The public may also access the 

following URL for the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act Web site to obtain APC 

Panel information: https:// 

www.fido.gov/facadatabase/public.asp. 

A copy of the Panel’s Charter and other 

pertinent information are on both Web 

sites mentioned above. You may also email the Panel DFO at the above e-mail 

address for a copy of the Charter. 

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) 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 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
51466 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 161 / Friday, August 20, 2010 / Notices 

components of the Medicare hospital 

outpatient prospective payment system 

(OPPS). 

The APC Panel meets up to three 

times annually. The Charter requires 

that the Panel must be fairly balanced in 

its membership in terms of the points of 

view represented and the functions to 

be performed. The Panel consists of up 

to 15 members, who are representatives 

of providers, and a Chair. Each Panel 

member must be employed full-time by 

a hospital, hospital system, or other 

Medicare provider subject to payment 

under the OPPS. The Secretary or the 

Administrator of the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services (the 

Administrator) selects the Panel 

membership based upon either selfnominations or nominations submitted 

by Medicare providers and other 

interested organizations. 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, Current 

Procedural Terminology codes, and 

alpha-numeric Healthcare Common 

Procedure Coding System codes; and 

the use of, and payment for, drugs and 

medical devices in the outpatient 

setting, as well as other forms of 

relevant expertise. 

The Charter requires that all members 

have a minimum of 5 years experience 

in their area(s) of expertise, but it is not 

necessary that any member be an expert 

in all of the areas listed above. For 

purposes of this Panel, consultants and 

independent contractors are not 

considered as representatives of 

providers. A Panel member may serve 

up to a 4-year term. A member may 

serve after the expiration of his or her 

term until a successor has been sworn 

in. All terms are contingent upon the 

renewal of the Panel by appropriate 

action before its termination. The 

Secretary re-chartered the APC Panel 

effective November 21, 2008. 

II. Announcement of New Members 

The Panel may consist of a Chair and 

up to 15 Panel members who serve 

without compensation, according to an 

advance written agreement. Travel, 

meals, lodging, and related expenses for 

the meeting are reimbursed in 

accordance with standard Government 

travel regulations. We have a special 

interest in ensuring that women, 

minorities, representatives from various 

geographical locations, and the 

physically challenged are adequately 

represented on the Panel. 

The Secretary, or her 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. 

The Panel presently consists of the 

following 15 members and a Chair: (The 

asterisk [*] indicates a Panel member 

whose term expires on September 30, 

2010.) 

• Edith Hambrick, M.D., J.D., Chair 

• Ruth L. Bush, M.D., M.P.H. 

• Dawn L. Francis, M.D., M.H.S. 

• Kathleen M. Graham, R.N., 

M.S.H.A., C.P.H.Q. 

• Patrick Grusenmeyer, Sc.D., M.P.A., 

F.A.C.H. 

• David Halsey, M.D. 

• Judith T. Kelly, B.S.H.A., R.H.I.T., 

R.H.I.A., C.C.S. 

• Michael D. Mills, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.* 

• Agatha L. Nolen, D.Ph., M.S., 

F.A.S.H.P. 

• Randall A. Oyer, M.S. 

• Beverly Khnie Philip, M.D.* 

• Daniel Pothen, M.S., R.H.I.A., 

CPHIMS, CCS, CCS–P, CHC 

• Gregory J. Przybylski, M.D. 

• Russ Ranallo, M.S.* 

• Michael A. Ross, M.D., F.A.C.E.P.* 

• Patricia Spencer-Cisek, M.S., 

A.P.R.N.-BC, A.O.C.N.®* 

On March 26, 2010, we published a 

notice in the Federal Register entitled 

‘‘Medicare Program; Request for 

Nominations to the Advisory Panel on 

Ambulatory Payment Classification 

Groups’’ (CMS–1570–N) requesting 

nominations to the Panel replacing 

Panel members whose terms would 

expire on September 30, 2010. As a 

result of that Federal Register notice, 

we are announcing five new members to 

the Panel. All five appointments are for 

4-year terms commencing on October 1, 

2010, as indicated below: 

New panel members Terms 

• Kari S. Cornicelli, C.P.A., FHFMA ........................................................................................................................ 10/1/2010 through 9/30/2014. 

• Brian D. Kavanagh, M.D., M.P.H .......................................................................................................................... 10/1/2010 through 9/30/2014. 

• Scott Manaker, M.D., PhD .................................................................................................................................... 10/1/2010 through 9/30/2014. 

• John Marshall, C.R.A., R.C.C., RT ® .................................................................................................................... 10/1/2010 through 9/30/2014. 

• Neville B. Sarkari, M.D., FACP ............................................................................................................................. 10/1/2010 through 9/30/2014. 

(Note: Dr. Kavanagh replaces Dr. 

Mills; Dr. Manaker replaces Dr. Philip; 

Dr. Sarkari replaces Dr. Ross; Ms. 

Cornicelli replaces Mr. Ranallo; and Mr. 

Marshall replaces Ms. Spencer-Cisek. 

They will all take the Oaths of Office at 

the winter 2011 APC Panel meeting. 

Therefore, the current APC Panel 

members are all invited to attend the 

2010 late summer meeting since the 

new members’ terms do not begin until 

October 1, 2010.) 

III. Collection of Information 

Requirements 

This document does not impose 

information collection and 

recordkeeping requirements. 

Consequently, it need not be reviewed 

by the Office of Management and 

Budget under the authority of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.773, Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: August 11, 2010. 

Donald M. Berwick, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2010–20306 Filed 8–19–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

National Institutes of Health 

Office of the Director, National 

Institutes of Health; Notice of Meeting 

Pursuant to section 10(a) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 

amended (5 U.S.C. App.), notice is 

hereby given of a meeting of the 

Scientific Management Review Board. 

The NIH Reform Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 

109–482) provides organizational 

authorities to HHS and NIH officials to: 

(1) Establish or abolish national research 

institutes; (2) reorganize the offices 

within the Office of the Director, NIH 

including adding, removing, or 

transferring the functions of such offices 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES