80 FR 35364 - Medicare Program; Oncology Care Model: Request for Applications; Extension of the Submission Deadline for Applications

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 118 (June 19, 2015)

This notice extends the application submission deadline for organizations to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM) beginning in 2016. The new deadline for receipt of online applications from payers and practices is 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on June 30, 2015. Only those payers and practices that submitted timely, complete Letters of Intent (LOIs) are eligible to apply to participate in OCM, and only the submission of web-based applications will be accepted.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 118 (Friday, June 19, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35364-35365]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15129]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-5514-N2]


Medicare Program; Oncology Care Model: Request for Applications; 
Extension of the Submission Deadline for Applications

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice extends the application submission deadline for 
organizations to participate in the

[[Page 35365]]

Oncology Care Model (OCM) beginning in 2016. The new deadline for 
receipt of online applications from payers and practices is 5:00 p.m. 
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on June 30, 2015. Only those payers and 
practices that submitted timely, complete Letters of Intent (LOIs) are 
eligible to apply to participate in OCM, and only the submission of 
web-based applications will be accepted.

DATES: Application Submission Deadline: Applications for payers and 
practices must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on 
June 30, 2015. Application materials and instructions are available at 
http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Oncology-Care/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: [email protected] for 
questions regarding the application process of OCM.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Oncology Care Model (OCM) aims to improve health outcomes for 
people with cancer, improve the quality of cancer care, and reduce 
spending for cancer treatment. We expect that physician practices 
selected for participation in the model will be able to transform care 
delivery for their patients undergoing chemotherapy, leading to 
improved quality of care for beneficiaries at a decreased cost to 
payers. Through this care transformation, practices participating in 
OCM can reduce Medicare expenditures while improving cancer care for 
Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries. Beneficiaries can experience 
improved health outcomes when health care providers work in a 
coordinated and person-centered manner. We are interested in partnering 
with payers and practitioners who are working to redesign care to 
deliver these aims.
    The Request for Applications (RFA) requests applications to test 
the model, which is centered around a chemotherapy episode of care. For 
more details, see the RFA and related informational materials available 
on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) 
Web site at http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Oncology-Care/.
    On February 17, 2015, we published a notice in the Federal Register 
announcing the RFA for payers and practices to apply to participate in 
the testing of OCM for a 5-year performance period beginning in 2016 
(80 FR 8323). In that notice, we stated that payers and practices 
interested in applying to participate in the testing of OCM must submit 
non-binding letters of intent (LOIs) by March 19, 2015 and April 23, 
2015, respectively; and that all applications from payers and practices 
must be received by 5:00 p.m. EDT on June 18, 2015. We subsequently 
extended the deadlines for the submission of LOIs to April 9, 2015 
(payers) and May 7, 2015 (practices), as announced on the Innovation 
Center Web site at (http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Oncology-Care/), in updates to the RFA and related informational materials, and 
in emails to stakeholders.

II. Provisions of the Notice

    Since the publication of the February 17, 2015 notice, several 
stakeholders have requested additional time to prepare their 
applications and form partnerships in order to participate in the OCM 
beginning in 2016. Therefore, the Innovation Center is extending the 
deadline for receipt of payer and practice applications from June 18, 
2015 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) to June 30, 2015 at 5:00 
p.m. EDT. Only those payers and practices that submitted timely, 
complete LOIs are eligible to apply to participate in OCM, and only the 
submission of web-based applications will be accepted. The extended 
application deadline has already been announced on the Innovation 
Center Web site at (http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Oncology-Care/), in updates to the RFA and related informational materials, and 
in emails to stakeholders.
    In the DATES section of this notice, we are including the new 
submission deadline. For additional information on the OCM and how to 
apply, we refer readers to click on the RFA and related informational 
materials located on the Innovation Center Web site at http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Oncology-Care/.

III. Collection of Information Requirements

    This document does not impose information collection requirements, 
that is, reporting, recordkeeping or third-party disclosure 
requirement. 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. Chapter 35).

    Dated: June 12, 2015.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-15129 Filed 6-18-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P