2704 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 7 / Monday, January 13, 2025 / Notices 

The Director, Office of Strategic 

Business Initiatives, 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, Office of Strategic Business 

Initiatives, Office of the Chief Operating 

Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00492 Filed 1–10–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Notice of Closed Meeting 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 1009(d), notice is 

hereby given of the following meeting. 

The meeting will be closed to the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions set forth in sections 

552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., 

as amended, and the Determination of 

the Director, Office of Strategic Business 

Initiatives, Office of the Chief Operating 

Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, pursuant to Public Law 92– 

463. The grant applications and the 

discussions could disclose confidential 

trade secrets or commercial property 

such as patentable material, and 

personal information concerning 

individuals associated with the grant 

applications, the disclosure of which 

would constitute a clearly unwarranted 

invasion of personal privacy. 

Name of Committee: Disease, 

Disability, and Injury Prevention and 

Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP)— 

DP25–041, Connecting Organizations 

and People to Empower Diabetes 

Prevention and Treatment 

(Connections). 

Date: March 11, 2025. 

Time: 10 a.m.–6 p.m., EDT. 

Place: Teleconference/Web 

Conference. 

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant 

applications. 

For Further Information Contact: 

Catherine Barrett, Ph.D., Scientific 

Review Officer, National Center for 

Chronic Disease Prevention and Health 

Promotion, Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, 

Mailstop S106–3, Atlanta, Georgia 

30341–3717. Telephone: (404) 718– 

7664; Email: CBarrett@cdc.gov. 

The Director, Office of Strategic 

Business Initiatives, 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, Office of Strategic Business 

Initiatives, Office of the Chief Operating 

Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00488 Filed 1–10–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Notice of Closed Meeting 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 1009(d), notice is 

hereby given of the following meeting. 

The meeting will be closed to the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions set forth in sections 

552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., 

as amended, and the Determination of 

the Director, Office of Strategic Business 

Initiatives, Office of the Chief Operating 

Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, pursuant to Public Law 92– 

463. The grant applications and the 

discussions could disclose confidential 

trade secrets or commercial property 

such as patentable material, and 

personal information concerning 

individuals associated with the grant 

applications, the disclosure of which 

would constitute a clearly unwarranted 

invasion of personal privacy. 

Name of Committee: Disease, 

Disability, and Injury Prevention and 

Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP)— 

RFA–OH–24–002, Exploratory/ 

Developmental Grants on Lifestyle 

Medicine Research Related to the World 

Trade Center Health Program (R21); 

RFA–OH–24–003, Exploratory/ 

Developmental Grants Related to the 

World Trade Center Survivors (R21-No 

Applications with Responders 

Accepted); RFA–OH–24–004, World 

Trade Center Health Program Mentored 

Research Scientist Career Development 

Award (K01); and RFA–OH–25–001, 

Exploratory/Developmental Research for 

World Trade Center Health Program 

Evidence-based Strategies to Improve 

Treatment Effectiveness, Diagnostic 

Practices, and Program Evaluation 

(R21). 

Dates and Times: February 25, 2025, 

9 a.m.–5 p.m., EST; and February 26, 

2025, 9 a.m.–12 p.m., EST. 

Place: Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta 

Decatur Downtown/Emory, 130 

Clairemont Avenue, Decatur, Georgia 

30030. 

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant 

applications. 

For Further Information Contact: 

Laurel Garrison, M.P.H., Scientific 

Review Officer, Office of Extramural 

Coordination and Special Projects, 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health, Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, 5555 Ridge 

Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45213. 

Telephone: (513) 533–8324; Email: 

LGarrison@cdc.gov. 

The Director, Office of Strategic 

Business Initiatives, 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, Office of Strategic Business 

Initiatives, Office of the Chief Operating 

Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00487 Filed 1–10–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

[30Day–25–1385] 

Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork 

Reduction Act Review 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

has submitted the information 

collection request titled ‘‘Characteristics 

of Cases of Priority Fungal Diseases’’ to 

the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and approval. CDC 

previously published a ‘‘Proposed Data 

Collection Submitted for Public 

Comment and Recommendations’’ 

notice on October 25, 2024, to obtain 

comments from the public and affected 

agencies. CDC did not receive comments 

related to the previous notice. This 

notice serves to allow an additional 30 

days for public and affected agency 

comments. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 7 / Monday, January 13, 2025 / Notices 2705 

CDC will accept all comments for this 

proposed information collection project. 

The Office of Management and Budget 

is particularly interested in comments 

that: 

(a) Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; 

(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agencies estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; 

(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; 

(d) Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, including, through the 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology, 

e.g., permitting electronic submission of 

responses; and 

(e) Assess information collection 

costs. 

To request additional information on 

the proposed project or to obtain a copy 

of the information collection plan and 

instruments, call (404) 639–7570. 

Comments and recommendations for the 

proposed information collection should 

be sent within 30 days of publication of 

this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/ 

do/PRAMain. Find this particular 

information collection by selecting 

‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open 

for Public Comments’’ or by using the 

search function. Direct written 

comments and/or suggestions regarding 

the items contained in this notice to the 

Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of 

Management and Budget, 725 17th 

Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by 

fax to (202) 395–5806. Provide written 

comments within 30 days of notice 

publication. 

Proposed Project 

Characteristics of Cases of Priority 

Fungal Diseases (OMB Control No. 

0920–1385, Exp. 4/30/2027)— 

Revision—National Center for Emerging 

and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases 

(NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention (CDC). 

Background and Brief Description 

Fungal diseases cause substantial 

illness, ranging from mild infection to 

severe or life-threatening invasive 

disease. They also constitute a 

considerable financial burden on 

patients and healthcare systems. 

Awareness of fungal diseases is low, 

and data collection has historically been 

limited in size, scope, and coordination, 

which has hindered our understanding 

of these diseases. Detailed 

epidemiologic and clinical data are 

critical to inform appropriate public 

health responses. We plan to enhance 

surveillance of high priority fungal 

diseases across the United States to 

better characterize factors such as 

disease burden, geographic scope, 

patient risk factors, health disparities, 

healthcare utilization, outcomes, and 

emerging trends. This project will serve 

as a Revision of the information 

collections project: Characteristics of 

Cases of Priority Fungal Diseases Case 

Report Form (CRF) (OMB Control No. 

0920–1385). The Revision will expand 

the number of fungal diseases for which 

data may be collected. 

In addition to triazole-resistant A. 

fumigatus infections, 

coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, 

blastomycosis, C. auris, and antifungalresistant dermatophytosis, CRFs have 

also been developed for 

chromoblastomycosis, mycetoma, and 

sporotrichosis. We plan to use 

standardized CRFs to collect public 

health surveillance data for cases of 

these diseases regarding demographics 

(e.g., age, sex, race/ethnicity, location of 

residence), underlying medical 

conditions, diagnosis (e.g., clinical 

presentation, laboratory testing), 

treatments, and outcomes (e.g., 

hospitalization, vital status). The 

corresponding CRF would be filled out 

voluntarily by State, local or Tribal 

health departments, Federal agencies, 

and the members of the private sector 

(e.g., academic institutions) and 

contains a section for medical chart 

review and an optional supplemental 

interview (including data on potential 

occupational or environmental 

exposures) of the patient or their 

representative. 

Findings can help identify 

populations at higher risk of these 

diseases, detect emerging epidemiologic 

trends, and guide prevention and 

response efforts. They can also help 

better focus public and healthcare 

provider outreach, inform efforts to 

contain or mitigate spread, and 

influence health policy and research on 

prevention and treatment. 

CDC requests OMB approval for an 

estimated 1,564 annual burden hours. 

There is no cost to respondents other 

than their time to participate. 

ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS

Form name Type of 

respondent 

Number of 

respondents 

Number 

responses per 

respondent 

Avg. burden 

per response 

(in hrs.) 

Triazole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus Case Report Form (Attachment 3a).State and Local Health 

Departments.

15 15 0.5 

Coccidioidomycosis Case Report Form (Attachment 3b) ............ State and Local Health 

Departments.

10 25 1.0 

Private Sectors ................. 3 10 1.0 

Histoplasmosis Case Report Form (Attachment 3c) .................... State and Local Health 

Departments.

10 25 1.0 

Private Sectors ................. 3 10 1.0 

Blastomycosis Case Report Form (Attachment 3d) ..................... State and Local Health 

Departments.

10 25 1.0 

Private Sectors ................. 3 10 1.0 

Candida auris Case Report Form (Attachment 3e) ..................... State and Local Health 

Departments.

15 20 0.75 

Private Sectors ................. 3 10 0.75 

Antifungal-resistant dermatophytosis case report form (Attachment 3f).State and Local Health 

Departments.

10 10 0.5 

Chromoblastomycosis case report form (Attachment 3g) ............ Private Sectors ................. 25 10 0.5 

Mycetoma case report form (Attachment 3h) ............................... Private Sectors ................. 25 5 0.5 

Sporotrichosis case report form (Attachment 3i) .......................... Private Sectors ................. 25 10 0.5 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
2706 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 7 / Monday, January 13, 2025 / Notices 

Jeffrey M. Zirger, 

Lead, Information Collection Review Office, 

Office of Public Health Ethics and 

Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00454 Filed 1–10–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3469–PN] 

Medicare and Medicaid Programs: 

Application From The Joint 

Commission for Continued Approval of 

its Hospice Accreditation Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice with request for 

comment. 

SUMMARY: This proposed notice 

acknowledges the receipt of an 

application from The Joint Commission 

for continued recognition as a national 

accrediting organization for hospices 

that wish to participate in the Medicare 

or Medicaid programs. 

DATES: To be assured consideration, 

comments must be received at one of 

the addresses provided below, no later 

than 5 p.m. on February 12, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: In commenting, refer to file 

code CMS–3469–PN. 

Comments, including mass comment 

submissions, must be submitted in one 

of the following three ways (please 

choose only one of the ways listed): 

1. Electronically. You may submit 

electronic comments on this regulation 

to http://www.regulations.gov . Follow 

the ‘‘Submit a comment’’ instructions. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments to the following 

address ONLY: 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, Attention: CMS–3469– 

PN, P.O. Box 8010, Baltimore, MD 

21244–8010. 

Please allow sufficient time for mailed 

comments to be received before the 

close of the comment period. 

3. By express or overnight mail. You 

may send written comments to the 

following address ONLY: 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, Attention: CMS–3469– 

PN, Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lillian Williams, (410) 786–8636 or 

Melissa Rice, (410) 786–3270. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Inspection of Public Comments: All 

comments received before the close of 

the comment period are available for 

viewing by the public, including any 

personally identifiable or confidential 

business information that is included in 

a comment. We post all comments 

received before the close of the 

comment period on the following 

website as soon as possible after they 

have been received: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the search 

instructions on that website to view 

public comments. CMS will not post on 

Regulations.gov public comments that 

make threats to individuals or 

institutions or suggest that the 

commenter will take actions to harm an 

individual. CMS continues to encourage 

individuals not to submit duplicative 

comments. We will post acceptable 

comments from multiple unique 

commenters even if the content is 

identical or nearly identical to other 

comments. 

I. Background 

Under the Medicare program, eligible 

beneficiaries may receive covered 

services in a hospice, provided that 

certain requirements are met by the 

hospice. Section 1861(dd) of the Social 

Security Act (the Act) establishes 

distinct criteria for facilities seeking 

designation as a hospice. Regulations 

concerning provider agreements are at 

42 CFR part 489 and those pertaining to 

activities relating to the survey and 

certification of facilities are at 42 CFR 

part 488. The regulations at 42 CFR part 

418 specify the conditions that a 

hospice must meet in order to 

participate in the Medicare program, the 

scope of covered services and the 

conditions for Medicare payment for 

hospice services. 

Generally, to enter into an agreement, 

a hospice must first be certified by a 

state survey agency (SA) as complying 

with the conditions or requirements set 

forth in part 418. Thereafter, the hospice 

is subject to regular surveys by a SA to 

determine whether it continues to meet 

these requirements. 

However, section 1865(a)(1) of the Act 

provides that, if a provider entity 

demonstrates through accreditation by a 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services (CMS) approved national 

Accrediting Organization (AO) that all 

applicable Medicare conditions are met 

or exceeded, we will deem those 

provider entities as having met the 

requirements. Accreditation by an AO is 

voluntary and is not required for 

Medicare participation. 

If an AO is recognized by the 

Secretary of the Department of Health 

and Human Services (the Secretary) as 

having standards for accreditation that 

meet or exceed Medicare requirements, 

any provider entity accredited by the 

national accrediting body’s approved 

program would be deemed to meet the 

Medicare conditions. A national AO 

applying for approval of its 

accreditation program under part 488, 

subpart A, must provide CMS with 

reasonable assurance that the AO 

requires the accredited provider entities 

to meet requirements that are at least as 

stringent as the Medicare conditions. 

Our regulations concerning the approval 

of AOs are set forth at §§ 488.4 and 

488.5. The regulations at § 488.5(e)(2)(i) 

require AOs to reapply for continued 

approval of its accreditation program 

every 6 years or sooner as determined 

by CMS. 

The Joint Commission’s (TJC’s) 

current term of approval for their 

hospice accreditation program expires 

June 18, 2025. 

II. Approval of Deeming Organizations 

Section 1865(a)(2) of the Act and our 

regulations at § 488.5 require that our 

findings concerning review and 

approval of a national AO’s 

requirements consider, among other 

factors, the applying AO’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 

further 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 TJC’s request 

for continued approval of its hospice 

accreditation program. This notice also 

solicits public comment on whether 

TJC’s requirements meet or exceed the 

Medicare conditions of participation 

(CoPs) for hospices. 

III. Evaluation of Deeming Authority 

Request 

TJC submitted all the necessary 

materials to enable us to make a 

determination concerning its request for 

continued approval of its hospice 

accreditation program. This application 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1