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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 93608-93609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-27740]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-3471-N]

Medicare Program; Public Meeting for Air Ambulance Quality & 
Patient Safety Advisory Committee--December 12, 2024, February 18, 
2025, and May 8, 2025

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces virtual public meetings of the Air 
Ambulance Quality and Patient Safety (AAQPS) Advisory Committee. The 
AAQPS Advisory Committee will review options to establish quality, 
patient safety, and clinical capability standards for each clinical 
capability level of air ambulances.

DATES: Virtual Meeting Dates: The AAQPS Advisory Committee will hold 
virtual meetings on December 12, 2024, February 18, 2025, and May 8, 
2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time (E.T.).
    Deadline for Submitting Requests for Special Accommodations: 
Requests for special accommodations must be received at least 2 weeks 
before each meeting.
    Registration Link: The virtual meetings will be open to the public 
and held via the Zoom webinar platform. Virtual attendance information 
will be provided upon registration. To register for the virtual 
meeting, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-air-ambulance-quality-and-patient-safety. Attendance is open to the public subject to any 
technical or capacity limitations.
    Deadline for Registration: All individuals who plan to attend the 
virtual public meeting must register to attend. Request to provide oral 
comments are due at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the 
meeting date. Interested parties are encouraged to register as far in 
advance of the meeting as possible.
    A detailed agenda and materials will be available prior to the 
meeting on the AAQPS Advisory Committee website at: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-air-ambulance-quality-and-patient-safety.
    A recording and a summary of the meeting will be made available on 
the AAQPS Advisory Committee website approximately 45 calendar days 
after the meeting.

ADDRESSES: Virtual Meeting Location: All meetings are open to the 
public and instructions to view will be posted on the AAQPS Advisory 
Committee website, and upon registration. If you wish to provide oral 
comments during the meetings you must complete a registration form on 
the AAQPS Advisory Committee website at: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-air-ambulance-quality-and-patient-safety, and submit a written copy of your 
remarks to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ashley Spence, CMS, at (410) 786-2000 
or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 
and the Secretary of Transportation established the Air Ambulance 
Quality and Patient Safety (AAQPS) Advisory Committee on August 22, 
2023, in response to section 106 of the No Surprises Act, enacted as 
part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, div. BB, tit. I, 
Public Law 116-260 (December 27, 2020). The AAQPS Advisory Committee 
will be tasked with reviewing options to establish quality, patient 
safety, and clinical capability standards for each clinical capability 
level of air ambulances.
    The AAQPS Advisory Committee is governed by the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92-463 (Oct. 6, 
1972), as amended by 5 U.S.C. app. 2.

II. Advisory Committee Membership Roster

    On June 2, 2023, HHS published an Invitation for Member Nominations 
in the Federal Register for the AAQPS Advisory Committee (88 FR 37253). 
This notice also announces the members of the AAQPS Advisory Committee.
     Jeff Richey--HHS Secretary's Designee/Representative.
     Robert Reckert--DoT Secretary's Designee/Representative.
     Ben Clayton--DoT Representative.
     Colonel Steven L. Coffee--Patient Advocate.
     Dr. Jordan Pritzker--Group Health Plans and Health 
Insurance Issuers.
     Dr. Mark Gamber--HHS Representative.
     Dr. William Hinckley--Healthcare Provider.
     Eileen Frazer--Accrediting bodies.
     Grace Arnold--State Insurance Regulator.
     Jason Clark--HHS Representative.
     Jason Quisling--DoT Representative.
     Jeff Houser--DoT Representative.
     Paul Julander--DoT Representative.
     Thomas Judge--DoT Representative.

III. Summary of the Agenda

    During the December 12, 2024, February 18, 2025, and May 8, 2025 
meetings, the AAQPS Advisory Committee will review options to establish 
quality, patient safety, and clinical capability standards for each 
clinical capability level of air ambulances. A more detailed agenda and 
meeting materials will be made available 3 days before the meetings on 
the AAQPS Advisory Committee website at https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-air-ambulance-quality-and-patient-safety.

IV. Public Participation

    The meetings will be open to the public for virtual attendance on a 
first-come, first-served basis, as there may be capacity or technical 
limitations. Please see the ADDRESSES section to view the meeting link.
    The Department is committed to providing equal access to this 
meeting for all participants. If you need alternative formats or 
services because of a disability, such as sign language interpreter, 
please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section no later than 2 weeks before each meeting.
    The Department will accept oral comments, which must be limited to 
the objectives of the committee and limited to three (3) minutes per 
person. Individual members of the public who wish to present oral 
comments must register and provide a written copy of prepared remarks 
for inclusion in the meeting records and for circulation to

[[Page 93609]]

AAQPS Advisory Committee members. All prepared remarks submitted on 
time will be considered as part of the meeting's record.

V. Submitting Written Comments

    Members of the public may submit written comments for consideration 
by the Committee at any time via email to [email protected]. 
Additionally, members of the public will have the opportunity to submit 
comments during the December 12, 2024, February 18, 2025, and May 8, 
2025, virtual meetings through the chat feature of the Zoom webinar 
platform. Members of the public are encouraged to submit lengthy 
written comments (more than three sentences) to the email address 
above. Advance submissions that become part of the committee 
deliberations will become part of the official record of the meeting.
    The Administrator of CMS, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, having reviewed 
and approved this document, authorizes Vanessa Garcia, who is the 
Federal Register Liaison, to electronically sign this document for 
purposes of publication in the Federal Register.

Vanessa Garcia,
Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-27740 Filed 11-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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