Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 54 / Monday, March 21, 2022 / Notices 16003 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Lead Exposure and Prevention 

Advisory Committee (LEPAC) 

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC), Department of Health 

and Human Services (HHS). 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 

CDC announces the following meeting 

for the Lead Exposure and Prevention 

Advisory Committee (LEPAC). This is a 

virtual meeting and is open to the 

public. Advance registration by April 

28, 2022, is needed to receive the 

information to join the meeting. The 

registration link is provided in the 

ADDRESSES section below. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on May 

12, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

EDT. 

ADDRESSES: Register in advance at 

https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/ 

register/WN_

JpapSgFXRKmeHVU9hW4jVQ to 

receive information to join the meeting. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Alexis Pullia, M.P.H., C.P.H., Committee 

Management Specialist, National Center 

for Environmental Health, CDC, 4770 

Buford Highway, Atlanta, Georgia 

30341, Telephone: 770–488–3300; 

Email: LEPAC@cdc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background: The Lead Exposure and 

Prevention Advisory Committee was 

established under Section 2203 of 

Public Law 114–322, the Water 

Infrastructure Improvements for the 

Nation Act; 42 U.S.C. 300j-21, Registry 

for Lead Exposure and Prevention 

Advisory Committee. 

Purpose: The LEPAC is charged with 

providing advice and guidance to the 

Secretary, Department of Health and 

Human Services (HHS), and the 

Director, CDC and Administrator, 

ATSDR, on (1) reviewing Federal 

programs and services available to 

individual communities exposed to 

lead; (2) reviewing current research on 

lead exposure to identify additional 

research needs; (3) reviewing and 

identifying best practices, or the need 

for best practices regarding lead 

screening and the prevention of lead 

poisoning; (4) identifying effective 

services, including services relating to 

healthcare, education, and nutrition for 

individuals and communities affected 

by lead exposure and lead poisoning, 

including in consultation with, as 

appropriate, the lead exposure registry 

as established in Section 2203(b) of 

Public Law 114–322; and 5) undertaking 

any other review or activities that the 

Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

Matters To Be Considered: The agenda 

will include updates on the Flint Lead 

Registry and lead-related activities from 

LEPAC Members; information on lead 

exposure in Clarksburg, West Virginia; 

and discussions on the following: 

Infrastructure initiatives related to lead; 

lead in air, soil, and blood; navigating 

multiple funding streams at the local 

level; and policy approaches to improve 

childhood blood lead testing rates. 

Agenda items are subject to change as 

priorities dictate. 

Public Participation 

Oral Public Comment: The public 

comment period is scheduled on May 

12, 2022, from 12:00 p.m. until 12:15 

p.m., EDT. Individuals wishing to make 

a comment during the public comment 

period, please email your name, 

organization, and phone number by 

April 28, 2022, to LEPAC@cdc.gov. 

The Director, Strategic Business 

Initiatives Unit, Office of the Chief 

Operating Officer, Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, 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 the Agency for Toxic 

Substances and Disease Registry. 

Kalwant Smagh, 

Director, Strategic Business Initiatives Unit, 

Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2022–05801 Filed 3–18–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3416–FN] 

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; 

Continued Approval of the American 

Association for Accreditation of 

Ambulatory Surgery Facilities’ Rural 

Health Clinic Accreditation Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS). 

ACTION: Final notice. 

SUMMARY: This final notice announces 

our decision to approve the American 

Association for Accreditation of 

Ambulatory Surgery Facilities 

(AAAASF) for continued recognition as 

a national accrediting organization for 

Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) that wish to 

participate in the Medicare or Medicaid 

programs. 

DATES: The decision in this final notice 

is effective March 23, 2022, through 

March 23, 2026. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lillian Williams, (410) 786–8636, or 

Shonte Carter, (410) 786–3532. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

A healthcare provider may enter into 

an agreement with Medicare to 

participate in the program as a Rural 

Health Clinic (RHC) provided certain 

requirements are met. Section 

1861(aa)(2) and 1905(l)(1)of the Social 

Security Act (the Act), establish distinct 

criteria for facilities seeking designation 

as RHCs for Medicare and Medicaid, 

respectively. Regulations concerning 

Medicare provider agreements are at 42 

CFR part 489 and those pertaining to the 

survey and certification for Medicare 

participation of certain providers and 

suppliers are at 42 CFR part 488. The 

regulations at 42 CFR part 491 specify 

the conditions that a facility must meet 

to participate in the Medicare program 

as an RHC. 

Generally, to enter into a Medicare 

provider agreement, an RHC must first 

be certified by a State survey agency as 

complying with the conditions set forth 

in part 491 of our Medicare regulations. 

Thereafter, the RHC is subject to 

periodic surveys by a State survey 

agency to determine whether it 

continues to meet these conditions. 

However, there is an alternative to 

certification surveys by State agencies. 

Accreditation by an approved, 

nationally recognized Medicare 

accreditation program may substitute for 

both initial and ongoing review. 

Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides 

that, if the Secretary of the Department 

of Health and Human Services finds that 

accreditation of a provider entity by an 

approved national accreditation 

organization demonstrates that all 

applicable Medicare conditions or 

requirements are met or exceeded, we 

will deem those provider entities as 

having met such requirements. 

Accreditation by an accrediting 

organization is voluntary and is not 

required for Medicare participation. 

Subpart A of part 488 requires in part 

that a national accrediting organization 

applying for approval of its Medicare 

accreditation program provide us with 

reasonable assurance that the 

accrediting organization requires its 


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