55848 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 188 / Friday, September 26, 2008 / Notices 

grants a Part D enrollee, who is 

dissatisfied with the Independent 

Review Entity (IRE) reconsideration 

determination, a right to an ALJ hearing 

if the amount remaining in controversy 

after the IRE reconsideration meets the 

threshold amount established annually 

by the Secretary. Section 423.630(a) 

allows a Part D enrollee to request 

judicial review of an ALJ’s decision if 

the AIC meets the threshold amount 

established annually by the Secretary. 

II. Annual AIC Adjustments 

A. AIC Adjustment Formula and AIC 

Adjustments 

As previously noted, section 940 of 

the MMA requires that the AIC 

threshold amounts be adjusted 

annually, beginning in January of 2005, 

by the percentage increase in the 

medical care component of the 

consumer price index (CPI) for all urban 

consumers (U.S. city average) for July 

2003 to the July of the preceding year 

involved and rounded to the nearest 

multiple of $10. 

B. Calendar Year 2009 

The AIC threshold amount for ALJ 

hearing requests will be $120 and the 

AIC threshold amount for judicial 

review will be $1,220 for the 2009 

calendar year. These new amounts are 

based on the 22.3 percent increase in 

the medical care component of the CPI 

from July of 2003 to July of 2008. The 

CPI level was at 297.6 in July of 2003 

and rose to 363.96 in July of 2008. This 

change accounted for the 22.3 percent 

increase. The AIC threshold amount for 

ALJ hearing requests changes to $122.30 

based on the 22.3 percent increase. In 

accordance with section 940 of the 

MMA, this amount is rounded to the 

nearest multiple of $10. Therefore, the 

2009 AIC threshold amount for ALJ 

hearings is $120. The AIC threshold 

amount for judicial review changes to 

$1,223.00 based on the 22.3 percent 

increase. This amount was rounded to 

the nearest multiple of $10, resulting in 

a 2009 AIC threshold amount of $1,220. 

C. Summary Table of Adjustments in 

the AIC Threshold Amounts 

In Table 1 below, we list the Calendar 

Year 2005 through 2009 threshold 

amounts. 

TABLE 1—AMOUNT-IN-CONTROVERSY THRESHOLD AMOUNTS

CY 2005 CY 2006 CY 2007 CY 2008 CY 2009 

ALJ Hearing ......................................................................... $100 $110 $110 $120 $120 

Judicial Review .................................................................... 1050 1090 1130 1180 1,220 

Key: CY = Calendar Year. 

III. Collection of Information 

Requirements (If Applicable) 

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. 93.778, Medical Assistance 

Program; No. 93.773 Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance Program; and No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: September 12, 2008. 

Kerry Weems, 

Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. E8–22589 Filed 9–25–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3203–N] 

Medicare Program; Meeting of the 

Medicare Evidence Development and 

Coverage Advisory Committee— 

November 19, 2008 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces that a 

public meeting of the Medicare 

Evidence Development & Coverage 

Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) 

(‘‘Committee’’) will be held on 

Wednesday, November 19, 2008. The 

Committee generally provides advice 

and recommendations concerning the 

adequacy of scientific evidence needed 

to determine whether certain medical 

items and services can be covered under 

the Medicare statute. This meeting will 

focus on the use of computed 

tomography colonography (CTC), also 

referred to as virtual colonoscopy, as a 

cancer screening test for average risk 

individuals (See section 1861(pp) of the 

Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. section 

1395x(pp))). The meeting will discuss 

the various kinds of evidence that are 

useful to support requests for Medicare 

coverage in this field. This meeting is 

open to the public in accordance with 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 

U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)). 

DATES: Meeting date: The public 

meeting will be held on Wednesday, 

November 19, 2008 from 7:30 a.m. until 

4:30 p.m., e.s.t. 

Deadline for Submission of Written 

Comments: Written comments must be 

received at the address specified in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice by 5 

p.m., e.s.t on October 20, 2008. Once 

submitted comments are final. 

Deadlines for Speaker Registration 

and Presentation Materials: The 

deadline to register to be a speaker and 

to submit powerpoint presentation 

materials and writings that will be used 

in support of an oral presentation, is 5 

p.m., d.s.t. on Monday, October 20, 

2008. Speakers may register by phone or 

via e-mail by contacting the person 

listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section of this notice. 

Presentation materials must be received 

at the address specified in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. 

Deadline for All Other Attendees 

Registration: Individuals may register by 

phone or via e-mail by contacting the 

person listed in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 

notice by 5 p.m., e.s.t. on Wednesday, 

November 12, 2008. 

Deadline for Submitting a Request for 

Special Accommodations: Persons 

attending the meeting who are hearing 

or visually impaired, or have a 

condition that requires special 

assistance or accommodations, are 

asked to contact the Executive Secretary 

as specified in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 

notice no later than 5 p.m., e.s.t. Friday, 

November 7, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The 

meeting will be held in the main 

auditorium of the Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services, 7500 Security 

Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244. 

Submission of Presentations and 

Comments: Presentation materials and 

written comments that will be presented 

at the meeting must be submitted via eVerDate Aug<31>2005 18:07 Sep 25, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM 26SEN1

jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 188 / Friday, September 26, 2008 / Notices 55849 

mail to 

MedCACpresentations@cms.hhs.gov or 

by regular mail to the contact listed in 

the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section of this notice by the date 

specified in the DATES section of this 

notice. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Maria Ellis, Executive Secretary for 

MEDCAC, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, Office of Clinical 

Standards and Quality, Coverage and 

Analysis Group, C1–09–06, 7500 

Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 

21244 or contact Ms. Ellis by phone 

(410–786–0309) or via e-mail at 

Maria.Ellis@cms.hhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

MEDCAC, formerly known as the 

Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee 

(MCAC), provides advice and 

recommendations to CMS regarding 

clinical issues. (For more information 

on MCAC, see the December 14, 1998 

Federal Register (63 FR 68780.)) This 

notice announces the November 19, 

2008, public meeting of the Committee. 

During this meeting, the Committee will 

discuss the available evidence on 

computed tomography colonography 

(CTC) as a screening test for colorectal 

cancer, including test characteristics, 

screening frequency, cost effectiveness, 

safety and training requirements (See 

section 1861(pp) of the Social Security 

Act (42 U.S.C. section 1395x(pp))). 

Background information about this 

topic, including panel materials, are 

available at http://ww.cms.hhs.gov/ 

coverage. We encourage the 

participation of appropriate 

organizations with expertise in 

colorectal cancer and screening for this 

disease. 

II. Meeting Format 

This meeting is open to the public. 

The Committee will hear oral 

presentations from the public for 

approximately 30 minutes. The 

Committee may limit the number and 

duration of oral presentations to the 

time available. Your comments should 

focus on issues specific to the list of 

topics that we have proposed to the 

Committee. The list of research topics to 

be discussed at the meeting will be 

available on the following Web site 

prior to the meeting: http:// 

www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/ 

index_list.asp?list_type=mcac. We 

require that you declare at the meeting 

whether you have any financial 

involvement with manufacturers (or 

their competitors) of any items or 

services being discussed. 

The Committee will deliberate openly 

on the topics under consideration. 

Interested persons may observe the 

deliberations, but the Committee will 

not hear further comments during this 

time except at the request of the 

chairperson. The Committee will also 

allow a 15-minute unscheduled open 

public session for any attendee to 

address issues specific to the topics 

under consideration. At the conclusion 

of the day, the members will vote and 

the Committee will make its 

recommendation(s) to CMS. 

III. Registration Instructions 

CMS’ Coverage and Analysis Group is 

coordinating meeting registration. While 

there is no registration fee, individuals 

must register to attend. You may register 

by contacting the person listed in the 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section of this notice by the deadline 

listed in the DATES section of this notice. 

Please provide your full name (as it 

appears on your state-issued driver’s 

license), address, organization, 

telephone, fax number(s), and e-mail 

address. You will receive a registration 

confirmation with instructions for your 

arrival at the CMS complex or you will 

be notified the seating capacity has been 

reached. 

IV. Security, Building, and Parking 

Guidelines 

This meeting will be held in a Federal 

government building; therefore, Federal 

security measures are applicable. We 

recommend that confirmed registrants 

arrive reasonably early, but no earlier 

than 45 minutes prior to the start of the 

meeting, to allow additional time to 

clear security. Security measures 

include the following: 

• Presentation of government-issued 

photographic identification to the 

Federal Protective Service or Guard 

Service personnel. 

• Inspection of vehicle’s interior and 

exterior (this includes engine and trunk 

inspection) at the entrance to the 

grounds. Parking permits and 

instructions will be issued after the 

vehicle inspection. 

• Inspection, via metal detector or 

other applicable means of all persons 

brought entering the building. We note 

that all items brought into CMS, 

whether personal or for the purpose of 

presentation or to support a 

presentation, are subject to inspection. 

We cannot assume responsibility for 

coordinating the receipt, transfer, 

transport, storage, set-up, safety, or 

timely arrival of any personal 

belongings or items used for 

presentation or to support a 

presentation. 

Note: Individuals who are not registered in 

advance will not be permitted to enter the 

building and will be unable to attend the 

meeting. The public may not enter the 

building earlier than 30 to 45 minutes prior 

to the convening of the meeting. 

All visitors must be escorted in areas 

other than the lower and first floor 

levels in the Central Building. 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a). 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.773, Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program) 

Dated: September 15, 2008. 

Barry M. Straube, 

Chief Medical Officer and Director, Office 

of Clinical Standards and Quality, Centers 

for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. E8–22591 Filed 9–25–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–7010–N] 

Medicare Program; Announcement of 

Meeting of the Advisory Panel on 

Medicare Education, October 22, 2008 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, this 

notice announces a meeting of Advisory 

Panel on Medicare Education (the 

Panel). The Panel advises and makes 

recommendations to the Secretary of 

Health and Human Services and the 

Administrator of the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services on the 

effectiveness of consumer education 

strategies concerning the Medicare 

program. This meeting is open to the 

public. 

DATES: Meeting Date: October 22, 2008 

from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., e.d.t. 

Deadline for Meeting Registration, 

Presentations and Comments: October 

15, 2008, 12 noon, e.d.t. 

Deadline for Requesting Special 

Accommodations: October 8, 2008, 12 

noon, e.d.t. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: Fairmont 

Washington Hotel, 2401 M Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20037, (202) 429–2400. 

Meeting Registration, Presentations, and 

Written Comments: Lynne Johnson, 

Designated Federal Official, Division of 

Forum and Conference Development, 

Office of External Affairs, Centers for 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES