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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 14, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3223-3224]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00391]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-3472-N]

Medicare Program; Request for Nominations for Members for the 
Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the request for nominations for 
membership on the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory 
Committee (MEDCAC). Among other duties, the MEDCAC provides advice and 
guidance to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human 
Services (the Secretary) and the Administrator of the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning the adequacy of 
scientific evidence available to CMS in making coverage determinations 
under the Medicare program.
    The MEDCAC's fundamental purpose is to support the principles of an 
evidence-based determination process for Medicare's coverage policies. 
MEDCAC panels provide advice to CMS on the strength of the evidence 
available for specific medical treatments and technologies through a 
public, participatory, and accountable process.

DATES: Nominations must be received by Monday, February 17, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may send in nominations for membership via email to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leah Cromwell, 410-786-2243, MEDCAC 
Coordinator, via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Secretary signed the initial charter for the Medicare Coverage 
Advisory Committee (MCAC) on November 24, 1998. A notice in the Federal 
Register (63 FR 68780) announcing establishment of the MCAC was 
published on December 14, 1998. The MCAC name was updated to more 
accurately reflect the purpose of the committee and on January 26, 
2007, the Secretary published a notice in the Federal Register (72 FR 
3853), announcing that the Committee's name changed to the Medicare 
Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC). The 
current Secretary's Charter for the MEDCAC is available on the CMS 
website at: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/Downloads/medcaccharter.pdf or you may obtain a copy of the charter by 
submitting a request to the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION section of this notice.
    The MEDCAC is governed by provisions of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, Pub. L. 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), which sets 
forth standards for the formulation and use of advisory committees, and 
is authorized by section 222 of the Public Health Service Act as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 217A).
    We are requesting nominations for candidates to serve on the 
MEDCAC. Nominees are selected based upon their individual 
qualifications and not solely as representatives of professional 
associations or societies. We wish to ensure adequate representation of 
those enrolled in the Medicare program including but not limited to, 
racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and from 
across the gender spectrum. Therefore, we encourage nominations of 
qualified candidates who can represent these lived experiences.
    The MEDCAC consists of a pool of 100 appointed members including: 
90 at-large standing members (20 of whom are patient advocates), and 10 
representatives of industry interests. Members generally are recognized 
authorities in clinical medicine including subspecialties, 
administrative medicine, public health, biological and physical 
sciences, epidemiology and biostatistics, clinical trial design, health 
care data management and analysis, patient advocacy, health care 
economics, health disparities, medical ethics, geriatrics those with an 
understanding of sociodemographic bias and resulting limitations of 
scientific evidence, or other relevant professions.
    The MEDCAC works from an agenda provided by the Designated Federal 
Official. The MEDCAC reviews and evaluates medical literature and 
technology assessments, and hears public testimony on the evidence 
available to address the impact of medical items and services on health 
outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries. The MEDCAC may also advise the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of Medicare's 
``coverage with evidence development'' initiative.

II. Provisions of the Notice

    As of December 2025, there will be a total of 20 membership terms 
expiring. Of the 20 memberships expiring, 2 are industry 
representatives, 10 are patient advocates and the remaining 8 
membership openings are for the at-large standing MEDCAC membership.
    All nominations must be accompanied by curricula vitae. Nomination 
packages should be addressed to Leah Cromwell and sent to the email 
address listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Nominees are 
selected based upon their individual qualifications.
    Nominees for membership must have expertise and experience in one 
or more of the following fields:

 Clinical medicine including subspecialties
 Administrative medicine
 Public health
 Health disparities
 Biological and physical sciences
 Epidemiology and biostatistics
 Clinical trial design
 Health care data management and analysis
 Patient advocacy
 Health care economics
 Medical ethics
 Geriatrics
 Other relevant professions

    We are looking particularly for experts in a number of fields. 
These include health disparities, cancer screening, genetic testing, 
clinical epidemiology, psychopharmacology, screening and diagnostic 
testing analysis, and vascular surgery. We also need experts in 
biostatistics in clinical settings, dementia treatment, observational 
research design, stroke epidemiology, geriatrics, and women's health.
    The nomination letter must include a statement that the nominee is 
willing to serve as a member of the MEDCAC and

[[Page 3224]]

appears to have no conflict of interest that would preclude membership.
    We are requesting that all curricula vitae include the following:

 List of areas of expertise
 Title and current position
 Professional affiliation
 Home and business address
 Telephone numbers (Please specify if the number is for: home, 
office, or cell phone)
 Email address (Please specify if the email address is for 
work/personal)

    In the nomination letter, we are requesting that nominees specify 
whether they are applying for a patient advocate position, an at-large 
standing position, or as an industry representative. Potential 
candidates will be asked to provide detailed information concerning 
such matters as financial holdings, consultancies, and research grants 
or contracts in order to permit evaluation of possible sources of 
financial conflict of interest. Department policy prohibits multiple 
committee memberships. A federal advisory committee member may not 
serve on more than one committee within an agency at the same time.
    Members may be invited to serve for overlapping 2-year terms. A 
member may continue to serve after the expiration of the member's term 
until a successor is named. Any interested person may nominate one or 
more qualified persons. Self-nominations are also accepted. Individuals 
interested in the representative positions are encouraged to include a 
letter of support from the organization or interest group they would 
represent.

III. Collection of Information

    This document does not impose information collection requirements, 
that is, reporting, recordkeeping or third-party disclosure 
requirements. Consequently, there is no need for review by the Office 
of Management and Budget under the authority of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
    The Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Center for Clinical 
Standards and Quality for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
(CMS), Dora Hughes, having reviewed and approved this document, 
authorizes Chyana Woodyard, who is the Federal Register Liaison, to 
electronically sign this document for purposes of publication in the 
Federal Register.

Chyana Woodyard,
Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2025-00391 Filed 1-13-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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