10162 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 2014 / Notices 

Dated: February 19, 2014. 

Martique Jones, 

Deputy Director, Regulations Development 

Group, Office of Strategic Operations and 

Regulatory Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2014–03874 Filed 2–21–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3287–PN2] 

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; 

Application From The Compliance 

Team for Initial CMS-Approval of Its 

Rural Health Clinic Accreditation 

Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services, HHS. 

ACTION: Proposed notice. 

SUMMARY: This proposed notice 

acknowledges the receipt of an 

application from The Compliance Team 

for initial recognition as a national 

accrediting organization for rural health 

clinics (RHCs) that wish to participate 

in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. 

DATES: To be assured consideration, 

comments must be received at one of 

the addresses provided below, no later 

than 5 p.m. on March 26, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer 

to file code CMS–3287–PN2. Because of 

staff and resource limitations, we cannot 

accept comments by facsimile (FAX) 

transmission. 

You may submit comments in one of 

four ways: 

1. Electronically. You may submit 

electronic comments on specific issues 

in this regulation to http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

‘‘submit a comment’’ instructions. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments (one original and two 

copies) to the following address ONLY: 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, Attention: CMS–3287– 

PN2, P.O. Box 8016, Baltimore, MD 

21244–8010. 

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–3287– 

PN2, 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 comments to the following 

addresses: 

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.) 

Comments erroneously mailed to the 

addresses indicated as appropriate for 

hand or courier delivery may be delayed 

and received after the comment period. 

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. 

For information on viewing public 

comments, see the beginning of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

James Cowher, (410) 786–1948; Valarie 

Lazerowich, (410) 786–4750; Cindy 

Melanson, (410) 786–0310; or Patricia 

Chmielewski, (410) 786–6899. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Submitting Comments: We welcome 

comments from the public on all issues 

set forth in this proposed notice to assist 

us in fully considering issues and 

developing policies. Referencing the file 

code CMS–3287–PN2 and the specific 

‘‘issue identifier’’ that precedes the 

section on which you choose to 

comment will assist us in fully 

considering issues and developing 

policies. 

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 Rural Health Clinic 

(RHC) provided certain requirements are 

met. Section 1861(aa), and 1905(l)(1) of 

the Social Security Act (the Act), 

establishes distinct criteria for facilities 

seeking designation as an RHC. 

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, subpart A. The 

regulations at 42 CFR part 491, subpart 

A specify the minimum conditions that 

an RHC must meet to participate in the 

Medicare program. The conditions for 

Medicare payment for RHCs are set forth 

at 42 CFR 405, subpart X. 

Generally, to enter into an agreement, 

a RHC must first be certified by a state 

survey agency as complying with the 

conditions or requirements set forth in 

part 491 of our regulations. Thereafter, 

the RHC is subject to regular surveys by 

a state survey agency to determine 

whether it continues to meet these 

requirements. However, there is an 

alternative 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 will deem those 

provider entities 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 as having 

standards for accreditation that meet or 

exceed Medicare requirements, any 

provider entity accredited by the 

national accrediting body’s approved 

program would 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 

CMS with reasonable assurance that the 

accrediting organization requires the 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 2014 / Notices 10163 

accredited provider entities to meet 

requirements that are at least as 

stringent as the Medicare conditions. 

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 CMS 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 

Compliance Team’s request for initial 

CMS approval of its RHC accreditation 

program. This notice also solicits public 

comment on whether The Compliance 

Team’s requirements meet or exceed the 

Medicare conditions for certification for 

RHC. We originally published a notice 

on September 20, 2013 (78 FR 57857). 

The application described in the notice 

was withdrawn at the request of the 

applicant. This document notifies the 

public that The Compliance Team 

resubmitted its RHC application for 

review. 

III. Evaluation of Deeming Authority 

Request 

The Compliance Team submitted all 

the necessary materials to enable us to 

make a determination concerning its 

request for initial approval of its RHC 

accreditation program. This application 

was determined to be complete on 

January 2, 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 Compliance Team 

will be conducted in accordance with, 

but not necessarily limited to, the 

following factors: 

• The equivalency of The Compliance 

Team’s standards for RHCs as compared 

with CMS’ RHC conditions for 

certification. 

• The Compliance Team’s survey 

process to determine the following: 

++ The composition of the survey 

team, surveyor qualifications, and the 

ability of the organization to provide 

continuing surveyor training. 

++ The comparability of The 

Compliance Team’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 Compliance Team’s processes 

and procedures for monitoring a RHC 

found out of compliance with The 

Compliance Team’s program 

requirements. These monitoring 

procedures are used only when The 

Compliance Team 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 Compliance Team’s capacity 

to report deficiencies to the surveyed 

facilities and respond to the facility’s 

plan of correction in a timely manner. 

++ The Compliance Team’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 Compliance 

Team’s staff and other resources, and its 

financial viability. 

++ The Compliance Team’s capacity 

to adequately fund required surveys. 

++ The Compliance Team’s policies 

with respect to whether surveys are 

announced or unannounced, to assure 

that surveys are unannounced. 

++ The Compliance Team’s 

agreement to provide CMS with a copy 

of the most current accreditation survey 

together with any other information 

related to the survey as CMS may 

require (including corrective action 

plans). 

IV. 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). 

V. Response to Public 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. 

Upon completion of our evaluation, 

including evaluation of comments 

received as a result of this notice, we 

will publish a final notice in the Federal 

Register announcing the result of our 

evaluation. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.778, Medical Assistance 

Program; No. 93.773 Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance Program; and No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: February 18, 2014. 

Marilyn Tavenner, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2014–03905 Filed 2–21–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–1603–N] 

Medicare Program; Public Meetings in 

Calendar Year 2014 for All New Public 

Requests for Revisions to the 

Healthcare Common Procedure Coding 

System (HCPCS) Coding and Payment 

Determinations 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

dates, time, and location of the 

Healthcare Common Procedure Coding 

System (HCPCS) public meetings to be 

held in calendar year 2014 to discuss 

our preliminary coding and payment 

determinations for all new public 

requests for revisions to the HCPCS. 

These meetings provide a forum for 

interested parties to make oral 

presentations or to submit written 

comments in response to preliminary 

coding and payment determinations. 

The discussion will be focused on 

responses to our specific preliminary 

recommendations and will include all 

items on the public meeting agenda. 

DATES: Meeting Dates: The following are 

the 2014 HCPCS public meeting dates: 

1. Tuesday, May 20, 2014, 9 a.m. to 

5 p.m. eastern daylight time (e.d.t.) 

(Drugs/Biologicals/

Radiopharmaceuticals/Radiologic 

Imaging Agents). 

2. Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m. e.d.t. (Drugs/Biologicals/

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