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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51542-51543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20069]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-1596-N]

Medicare Program; Solicitation of Two Nominations to the Advisory 
Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice solicits nominations for two new members to the 
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP, the Panel). There 
will be two vacancies on the Panel beginning September 30, 2012.
    The purpose of the Panel is to advise the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (the Secretary) and the 
Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 
(the Administrator) on the clinical integrity of the Ambulatory Payment 
Classification (APC) groups and their associated weights, and 
supervision of hospital outpatient services.
    The Secretary rechartered the Panel in 2011 for a 2-year period 
effective through November 15, 2013.

DATES: Submission of Nominations: We will consider nominations if they 
are received no later than 5 p.m. (e.s.t.) October 23, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Please mail or hand deliver nominations to the following 
address: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Attn: Raymond Bulls, 
Advisory Panel on HOP; Center for Medicare, Hospital & Ambulatory 
Policy Group, Division of Outpatient Care; 7500 Security Boulevard, 
Mail Stop C4-05-17; Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    Web site: For additional information on the Panel and updates to 
the Panel's activities, we refer readers to our Web site at the 
following: http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-andGuidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Contact: Persons wishing to nominate individuals to serve on the 
Panel or to obtain further information may also contact Raymond Bulls 
at the following email address: APCPanel@cms.hhs.gov or call 410-786-
7267.
    Advisory Committees' Information Lines: You may also refer to the 
CMS Federal Advisory Committee Hotlines at 1-877-449-5659 (toll-free) 
or 410-786-3985 (local) for additional information.
    News Media: Representatives should contact the CMS Press Office at 
202-690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Secretary is required by section 1833(t)(9)(A) of the Social 
Security Act (the Act), and section 222 of the Public Health Service 
Act (PHS Act) to consult with an expert outside advisory panel 
regarding the clinical integrity of the APC groups and relative payment 
weights that are components of the Medicare Hospital Outpatient 
Prospective Payment System (OPPS), and the appropriate supervision 
level for hospital outpatient services. The panel may use data 
collected or developed by entities and organizations (other than DHHS) 
in conducting the review. The Panel is governed by the provisions of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Public Law 92-463), as 
amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets forth standards for the 
formation and use of advisory panels.
    The Charter requires that the Panel meet up to three times 
annually. CMS considers the technical advice provided by the Panel as 
we prepare the proposed and final rules to update the OPPS for the 
following calendar year.
    The Panel shall consist of a chair and up to 19 members who are 
full-time employees of hospitals, hospital systems, or other Medicare 
providers that are subject to the OPPS. (For purposes of the Panel, 
consultants or independent contractors are not considered to be full-
time employees in these organizations.)
    The current Panel members are as follows: (Note: The asterisk [*] 
indicates the Panel members whose terms end on September 30, 2012.)

 E. L. Hambrick, M.D., J.D., Chair, a CMS Medical Officer
 Karen Borman, M.D.
 Ruth L. Bush, M.D., M.P.H.
 Lanny Copeland, M.D.
 Kari S. Cornicelli, C.P.A., FHFMA
 Dawn L. Francis, M.D., M.H.S.
 David A. Halsey, M.D.
 Brain D. Kavanagh, M.D., M.P.H.
 Judith T. Kelly, B.S.H.A., RHIT, RHIA, CCS*
 Scott Manaker, M.D., Ph.D.
 John Marshall, CRA, RCC, RT
 Jim Nelson

[[Page 51543]]

 Leah Osbahr
 Randall A. Oyer, M.D.*
 Jacqueline Phillips
 Daniel J. Pothen, M.S., RHIA, CHPS, CPHIMS, CCS, CCS-P, CHC
 Gregory J. Przbylski, M.D.
 Traci Rabine
 Marianna V. Spanki-Varelas M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A.
 Gale Walker

    Panel members serve without compensation, according to an advance 
written agreement; however, for the meetings, CMS reimburses travel, 
meals, lodging, and related expenses in accordance with standard 
Government travel regulations. CMS has a special interest in ensuring, 
while taking into account the nominee pool, that the Panel is diverse 
in all respects of the following: geography; rural or urban practice; 
race, ethnicity, sex, and disability; medical or technical specialty; 
and type of hospital, hospital health system, or other Medicare 
provider subject to the OPPS.
    Based upon either self-nominations or nominations submitted by 
providers or interested organizations, 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 under the FACA guidelines.

II. Criteria for Nominees

    The Panel must be fairly balanced in its membership in terms of the 
points of view represented and the functions to be performed. Each 
Panel member must be employed full-time by a hospital, hospital system, 
or other Medicare provider subject to payment under the OPPS. All 
members must have technical expertise to enable them to participate 
fully in the Panel's work. Such expertise encompasses hospital payment 
systems; hospital medical care delivery systems; provider billing 
systems; APC groups; Current Procedural Terminology codes; and alpha-
numeric Health Care Common Procedure Coding System codes; and the use 
of, and payment for, drugs, medical devices, and other services in the 
outpatient setting, as well as other forms of relevant expertise. For 
supervision deliberations, the Panel shall have members that represent 
the interests of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), who advise CMS only 
regarding the level of supervision for hospital outpatient services.
    It is not necessary for a nominee to possess expertise in all of 
the areas listed, but each must have a minimum of 5 years experience 
and currently have full-time employment in his or her area of 
expertise. Generally, members of the Panel serve overlapping terms up 
to 4 years, based on the needs of the Panel and contingent upon the 
rechartering of the Panel. A member may serve after the expiration of 
his or her term until a successor has been sworn in.
    Any interested person or organization may nominate one or more 
qualified individuals. Self-nominations will also be accepted. Each 
nomination must include the following:
     Letter of Nomination stating the reasons why the nominee 
should be considered.
     Curriculum Vitae or resume of the nominee.
     Written and signed statement from the nominee that the 
nominee is willing to serve on the Panel under the conditions described 
in this notice and further specified in the Charter.
     The hospital or hospital system name and address, or CAH 
name and address, as well as all Medicare hospital and or Medicare CAH 
billing numbers of the facility where the nominee is employee.

III. Copies of the Charter

    To obtain a copy of the Panel's Charter, we refer readers to our 
Web site at the following: http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/AdvisoryPanelonAmbulatoryPaymentClassificationGroups.html.

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).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.774, 
Medicare--Supplementary Medical Insurance Program).

    Dated: August 8, 2012.
Marilyn Tavenner,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2012-20069 Filed 8-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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