Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 121 / Friday, June 22, 2012 / Notices 37681 

standards for accreditation that meet or 

exceed Medicare requirements, a 

provider entity accredited by the 

national accrediting body’s approved 

program would be deemed to have met 

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 

accrediting organizations to reapply for 

continued approval of their 

accreditation programs every 6 years or 

as determined by CMS. 

The Accreditation Association for 

Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) 

current term of approval for their ASC 

accreditation program expires on 

December 20, 2012. 

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 also 

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 AAAHC’s 

request for continued approval of its 

ASC accreditation program. This notice 

also solicits public comment on whether 

AAAHC’s requirements meet or exceed 

the Medicare conditions for coverage. 

III. Evaluation of Deeming Authority 

Request 

AAAHC submitted all the necessary 

materials to enable us to make a 

determination concerning its request for 

continued approval of its ASC 

accreditation program. This application 

was determined to be complete on April 

27, 2012. Under section 1865(a)(2) of the 

Act and our regulations at § 488.8 

(Federal review of accrediting 

organizations), our review and 

evaluation of AAAHC would be 

conducted in accordance with, but not 

necessarily limited to, the following 

factors: 

• The equivalency of AAAHC’s 

standards for an ASC as compared with 

CMS’ ASC conditions for coverage. 

• AAAHC’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 AAAHC’s 

processes to those of state agencies, 

including survey frequency, and the 

ability to investigate and respond 

appropriately to complaints against 

accredited facilities. 

• AAAHC’s processes and procedures 

for monitoring an ASC found out of 

compliance with AAAHC’s program 

requirements. These monitoring 

procedures are used only when AAAHC 

identifies noncompliance. If 

noncompliance is identified through 

validation reviews or complaint 

surveys, the State survey agency 

monitors corrections as specified at 

§ 488.7(d). 

• AAAHC’s capacity to report 

deficiencies to the surveyed facilities 

and respond to the facility’s plan of 

correction in a timely manner. 

• AAAHC’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 AAAHC’s staff and 

other resources, and its financial 

viability. 

• AAAHC’s capacity to adequately 

fund required surveys. 

• AAAHC’s policies with respect to 

whether surveys are announced or 

unannounced, to assure that surveys are 

unannounced. 

• AAAHC’s agreement to provide 

CMS with a copy of the most current 

accreditation survey, together with any 

other information related to the survey 

as we 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: June 14, 2012. 

Marilyn Tavenner, 

Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2012–15309 Filed 6–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–7025–N] 

Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s 

Health Insurance Programs; Meeting of 

the Advisory Panel on Outreach and 

Education (APOE), August 2, 2012 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

meeting of the Advisory Panel on 

Outreach and Education (APOE) (the 

Panel) in accordance with the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act. The Panel 

advises and makes recommendations to 

the Secretary of Health and Human 

Services and the Administrator of the 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services on opportunities to enhance 

the effectiveness of consumer education 

strategies concerning Medicare, 

Medicaid, and the Children’s Health 

Insurance Program (CHIP). This meeting 

is open to the public. 


wreier-aviles on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
37682 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 121 / Friday, June 22, 2012 / Notices 

DATES: Meeting Date: Thursday, August 

2, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 

Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). 

Deadline for Meeting Registration, 

Presentations and Comments: Thursday, 

July 19, 2012, 5:00 p.m., EDT. 

Deadline for Requesting Special 

Accommodations: Thursday, July 19, 

2012, 5:00 p.m., EDT. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The 

Embassy Row Hotel, 2015 

Massachusetts Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20036. 

Meeting Registration, Presentations, 

and Written Comments: Jennifer 

Kordonski, Designated Federal Official 

(DFO), Division of Forum and 

Conference Development, Office of 

Communications, Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Mailstop S1–13–05, 

Baltimore, MD 21244–1850 or contact 

Ms. Kordonski via email at 

mailto:Jennifer.Kordonski@cms.hhs.gov. 

Registration: The meeting is open to 

the public, but attendance is limited to 

the space available. Persons wishing to 

attend this meeting must register by 

contacting the DFO at the address listed 

in the ADDRESSES section of this notice 

or by telephone at number listed in the 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section of this notice, by the date listed 

in the DATES section of this notice. 

Individuals requiring sign language 

interpretation or other special 

accommodations should contact the 

DFO at the address listed in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice by the 

date listed in the DATES section of this 

notice. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jennifer Kordonski, (410) 786–1840, or 

on the Internet at http://www.cms.gov/ 

FACA/04_APOE.asp for additional 

information. Press inquiries are handled 

through the CMS Press Office at (202) 

690–6145. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with section 10(a) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(FACA), this notice announces a 

meeting of the Advisory Panel on 

Outreach and Education (APOE) (the 

Panel). Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act authorizes the 

Secretary of Health and Human Services 

(the Secretary) to establish an advisory 

panel if the Secretary determines that 

the panel is ‘‘in the public interest in 

connection with the performance of 

duties imposed * * * by law.’’ Such 

duties are imposed by section 1804 of 

the Social Security Act (the Act), 

requiring the Secretary to provide 

informational materials to Medicare 

beneficiaries about the Medicare 

program, and section 1851(d) of the Act, 

requiring the Secretary to provide for 

‘‘activities * * * to broadly disseminate 

information to [M]edicare beneficiaries 

* * * on the coverage options provided 

under [Medicare Advantage] in order to 

promote an active, informed selection 

among such options.’’ 

The Panel is also authorized by 

section 1114(f) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 

1314(f)) and section 222 of the Public 

Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 217a). The 

Secretary signed the charter establishing 

this Panel on January 21, 1999 (64 FR 

7899, February 17, 1999) and approved 

the renewal of the charter on January 21, 

2011 (76 FR 11782, March 3, 2011). 

Pursuant to the amended charter, the 

Panel advises and makes 

recommendations to the Secretary of 

Health and Human Services and the 

Administrator of the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 

concerning optimal strategies for the 

following: 

• Developing and implementing 

education and outreach programs for 

individuals enrolled in, or eligible for, 

Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s 

Health Insurance Program (CHIP). 

• Enhancing the Federal 

government’s effectiveness in informing 

Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP 

consumers, providers and stakeholders 

pursuant to education and outreach 

programs of issues regarding these and 

other health coverage programs, 

including the appropriate use of publicprivate partnerships to leverage the 

resources of the private sector in 

educating beneficiaries, providers and 

stakeholders. 

• Expanding outreach to vulnerable 

and underserved communities, 

including racial and ethnic minorities, 

in the context of Medicare, Medicaid 

and CHIP education programs. 

• Assembling and sharing an 

information base of ‘‘best practices’’ for 

helping consumers evaluate health plan 

options. 

• Building and leveraging existing 

community infrastructures for 

information, counseling and assistance. 

• Drawing the program link between 

outreach and education, promoting 

consumer understanding of health care 

coverage choices and facilitating 

consumer selection/enrollment, which 

in turn support the overarching goal of 

improved access to quality care, 

including prevention services, 

envisioned under health care reform. 

The current members of the Panel are: 

Samantha Artiga, Principal Policy 

Analyst, Kaiser Family Foundation; 

Joseph Baker, President, Medicare 

Rights Center; Philip Bergquist, 

Manager, Health Center Operations, 

CHIPRA Outreach & Enrollment Project 

and Director, Michigan Primary Care 

Association, Marjorie Cadogan, 

Executive Deputy Commissioner, 

Department of Social Services; Jonathan 

Dauphine, Senior Vice President, AARP; 

Barbara Ferrer, Executive Director, 

Boston Public Health Commission; 

Shelby Gonzales, Senior Health 

Outreach Associate, Center on Budget & 

Policy Priorities; Jan Henning, Benefits 

Counseling & Special Projects 

Coordinator, North Central Texas 

Council of Governments’ Area Agency 

on Aging; Warren Jones, Executive 

Director, Mississippi Institute for 

Improvement of Geographic Minority 

Health; Cathy Kaufmann, Administrator, 

Oregon Health Authority; Sandy 

Markwood, Chief Executive Officer, 

National Association of Area Agencies 

on Aging; Miriam Mobley-Smith, Dean, 

Chicago State University, College of 

Pharmacy; Ana Natale-Pereira, 

Associate Professor of Medicine, 

University of Medicine & Dentistry of 

New Jersey; Megan Padden, Vice 

President, Sentara Health Plans; David 

W. Roberts, Vice-President, Healthcare 

Information and Management System 

Society; Julie Bode ̈n Schmidt, Associate 

Vice President, National Association of 

Community Health Centers; Alan 

Spielman, President & Chief Executive 

Officer, URAC; Winston Wong, Medical 

Director, Community Benefit Director, 

Kaiser Permanente and Darlene YeeMelichar, Professor & Coordinator, San 

Francisco State University. 

The agenda for the August 2, 2012 

meeting will include the following: 

• Welcome and Listening Session 

with CMS Leadership 

• Recap of the Previous (May 2, 2012) 

Meeting 

• Affordable Care Act Initiatives 

• An opportunity for public comment 

• Meeting Summary, Review of 

Recommendations, and Next Steps 

Individuals or organizations that wish 

to make a 5-minute oral presentation on 

an agenda topic should submit a written 

copy of the oral presentation to the DFO 

at the address listed in the ADDRESSES

section of this notice by the date listed 

in the DATES section of this notice. The 

number of oral presentations may be 

limited by the time available. 

Individuals not wishing to make a 

presentation may submit written 

comments to the DFO at the address 

listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 

notice by the date listed in the DATES

section of this notice. 

Authority: Sec. 222 of the Public Health 

Service Act (42 U.S.C. 217a) and sec. 10(a) 

of Pub. L. 92–463 (5 U.S.C. App. 2, sec. 10(a) 

and 41 CFR 102–3). 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.733, Medicare—Hospital 


wreier-aviles on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 121 / Friday, June 22, 2012 / Notices 37683 

Insurance Program; and Program No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: June 14, 2012. 

Marilyn Tavenner, 

Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2012–15311 Filed 6–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

Statement of Organization, Functions, 

and Delegations of Authority 

Part F of the Statement of 

Organization, Functions, and 

Delegations of Authority for the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), (Federal 

Register, Vol. 76, No. 64, pp. 18555– 

18556, dated April 4, 2011) is amended 

to reflect updates to the functions of the 

Center for Strategic Planning. 

Part F. is described below: 

• Section FC. 20 (Functions) reads as 

follows: 

Center for Strategic Planning (FCK) 

• Directs and oversees the strategic 

planning process to achieve CMS 

strategic aims and goals, through a 

collaborative process with internal and 

external partners. 

• Obtains understanding and 

concurrence of CMS senior 

management, the Principal Deputy 

Administrator, and the CMS 

Administrator on long term strategic 

plans and goals, and timelines and 

actions steps to be taken to achieve 

strategic aims and goals. 

• Performs environmental scans and 

gap analysis on CMS strategic 

imperatives and enterprise goals. 

• Integrates and aligns CMS strategic 

plans with Department of Health and 

Human Services’ 5-year strategic plan 

and performance goals. 

• Provides senior leadership over the 

strategic planning process and the 

development of CMS strategic goals, 

metrics, and plans. 

• Confers with CMS’ Centers, Offices 

and Regions to facilitate the 

development and update of strategic 

plans and performance goals. 

• Oversees the CMS Challenge 

Competition, working with components 

to plan, organize, implement and report 

on CMS Challenge Competitions. 

• Manages and coordinates internal 

and external inquiries regarding CSP 

activities. 

Dated: June 14, 2012. 

Marilyn Tavenner, 

Acting Administrator and Chief Operating 

Officer, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services. 

[FR Doc. 2012–15306 Filed 6–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS) 

National Institutes of Health 

Proposed Collection; Comment 

Request; NDAR Data Access Request 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

for opportunity for public comment on 

proposed data collection projects, the 

National Institute of Mental Health 

(NIMH), the National Institutes of 

Health (NIH) will publish periodic 

summaries of proposed projects to be 

submitted to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for review and 

approval. 

Proposed Collection 

Title: National Database for Autism 

Research (NDAR) Data Access Request. 

Type of Information Collection 

Request: New. 

Need and Use of Information 

Collection: The NDAR Data Access 

Request form is necessary for 

‘‘Recipient’’ Principal Investigators and 

their organization or corporations with 

approved assurance from the DHHS 

Office of Human Research Protections to 

access data or images from the NDAR 

Central Repository for research 

purposes. The primary use of this 

information is to document, track, 

monitor, and evaluate the use of the 

NDAR datasets, as well as to notify 

interested recipients of updates, 

corrections, or other changes to the 

database. 

Frequency of Response: Once per 

request. 

Affected Public: Individuals. 

Type of Respondents: Researchers 

interested in obtaining access to study 

data and images from the NDAR Central 

Repository for research purposes. 

The annual reporting burden is as 

follows: 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

approximately 40. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: Once per request. 

Average Burden Hours per Response: 

1.35. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours Requested: 63. 

There are two scenarios for 

completing the form. The first where the 

Principal Investigator (PI) completes the 

entire NDAR Data Access Request form, 

and the second where the PI has the 

Research Assistant begin filling out the 

form and PI provides the final reviews 

and signs it. The estimated annual 

burden hours to complete the data 

request form is listed below. 

ESTIMATES ANNUAL BURDEN HOURS

Form Number of 

respondents 

Frequency of 

response 

Average time 

per response 

(in hours) 

Annual hour 

burden 

NDAR Data Access Request ........................................................................... 40 1 95/60 63 

Total .......................................................................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ 63 

Request For Comments: Written 

comments and/or suggestions from the 

public and affected agencies are invited 

on one or more of the following points: 

(1) Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the function of the 

agency, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) The accuracy of the agency’s 

estimate of the burden of the proposed 

collection of information, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used; (3) Ways to enhance 

the quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (4) 

Ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, including the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 


wreier-aviles on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES