2015-26569. Medicare Program; Request for Nominations for Members for the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

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 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.

DATES:

Nominations must be received by Monday, December 7, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

You may mail nominations for membership to the following address: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, Attention: Maria Ellis, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop: S3-02-01, Baltimore, MD 21244 or send via email to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Maria Ellis, Executive Secretary for the MEDCAC, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, Coverage and Analysis Group, S3-02-01, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244 or contact Ms. Ellis by phone [phone]) or via email at [e-mail].

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 Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/​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 CONTACT section of this notice.

The MEDCAC is governed by provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 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 the interests of both women and men, members of all ethnic groups, and physically challenged individuals. Therefore, we encourage nominations of qualified candidates who can represent these interests.

The MEDCAC consists of a pool of 100 appointed members including: 94 at-large standing members (6 of whom are patient advocates), and 6 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, medical ethics 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 June 2016, there will be 35 membership terms expiring. Of the 35 memberships expiring, 1 is an industry representative, 4 are patient advocates, and the remaining 30 membership openings are for the at-large standing MEDCAC membership.

All nominations must be accompanied by curricula vitae. Nomination packages should be sent to Maria Ellis at the 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
• Biological and physical sciences
• Epidemiology and biostatistics
• Clinical trial design
• Health care data management and analysis
• Patient advocacy
• Health care economics
• Medical ethics
• Other relevant professions

We are looking particularly for experts in a number of fields. These include 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, minority health, observational research design, stroke epidemiology, 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 appears to have no conflict of interest that would preclude membership. We are requesting that all curricula vitae include the following:

• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Social security number
• Title and current position
• Professional affiliation
• Home and business address
• Telephone and fax numbers
• Email address
• List of areas of expertise

In the nomination letter, we are requesting that nominees specify whether they are applying for a patient advocate position, for 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 are 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 must include a letter of support from the organization or interest group they would represent.

Dated: October 13, 2015.

Patrick Conway,

CMS Chief Medical Officer and Director, Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.