(a) Repealed. Pub. L. 111-148, title III, §3134(b)(2), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 435

(b) Council for Technology and Innovation

(1) Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a Council for Technology and Innovation within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (in this section referred to as “CMS”).

(2) Composition

The Council shall be composed of senior CMS staff and clinicians and shall be chaired by the Executive Coordinator for Technology and Innovation (appointed or designated under paragraph (4)).

(3) Duties

The Council shall coordinate the activities of coverage, coding, and payment processes under this subchapter with respect to new technologies and procedures, including new drug therapies, and shall coordinate the exchange of information on new technologies between CMS and other entities that make similar decisions.

(4) Executive Coordinator for Technology and Innovation

The Secretary shall appoint (or designate) a noncareer appointee (as defined in section 3132(a)(7) of title 5) who shall serve as the Executive Coordinator for Technology and Innovation. Such executive coordinator shall report to the Administrator of CMS, shall chair the Council, shall oversee the execution of its duties, and shall serve as a single point of contact for outside groups and entities regarding the coverage, coding, and payment processes under this subchapter.

(c) Physician-focused payment models

(1) Technical Advisory Committee

(A) Establishment

There is established an ad hoc committee to be known as the “Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee” (referred to in this subsection as the “Committee”).

(B) Membership

(i) Number and appointment

The Committee shall be composed of 11 members appointed by the Comptroller General of the United States.

(ii) Qualifications

The membership of the Committee shall include individuals with national recognition for their expertise in physician-focused payment models and related delivery of care. No more than 5 members of the Committee shall be providers of services or suppliers, or representatives of providers of services or suppliers.

(iii) Prohibition on Federal employment

A member of the Committee shall not be an employee of the Federal Government.

(iv) Ethics disclosure

The Comptroller General shall establish a system for public disclosure by members of the Committee of financial and other potential conflicts of interest relating to such members. Members of the Committee shall be treated as employees of Congress for purposes of applying subchapter I of chapter 131 of title 5.

(v) Date of initial appointments

The initial appointments of members of the Committee shall be made by not later than 180 days after April 16, 2015.

(C) Term; vacancies

(i) Term

The terms of members of the Committee shall be for 3 years except that the Comptroller General shall designate staggered terms for the members first appointed.

(ii) Vacancies

Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the expiration of that member’s term until a successor has taken office. A vacancy in the Committee shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

(D) Duties

The Committee shall meet, as needed, to provide comments and recommendations to the Secretary, as described in paragraph (2)(C), on physician-focused payment models.

(E) Compensation of members

(i) In general

Except as provided in clause (ii), a member of the Committee shall serve without compensation.

(ii) Travel expenses

A member of the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5 while away from the home or regular place of business of the member in the performance of the duties of the Committee.

(F) Operational and technical support

(i) In general

The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation shall provide technical and operational support for the Committee, which may be by use of a contractor. The Office of the Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shall provide to the Committee actuarial assistance as needed.

(ii) Funding

The Secretary shall provide for the transfer, from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 1395t of this title, such amounts as are necessary to carry out this paragraph (not to exceed $5,000,000) for fiscal year 2015 and each subsequent fiscal year. Any amounts transferred under the preceding sentence for a fiscal year shall remain available until expended.

(G) Application

Section 1013 of title 5 shall not apply to the Committee.

(2) Criteria and process for submission and review of physician-focused payment models

(A) Criteria for assessing physician-focused payment models

(i) Rulemaking

Not later than November 1, 2016, the Secretary shall, through notice and comment rulemaking, following a request for information, establish criteria for physician-focused payment models, including models for specialist physicians, that could be used by the Committee for making comments and recommendations pursuant to paragraph (1)(D).

(ii) MedPAC submission of comments

During the comment period for the proposed rule described in clause (i), the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission may submit comments to the Secretary on the proposed criteria under such clause.

(iii) Updating

The Secretary may update the criteria established under this subparagraph through rulemaking.

(B) Stakeholder submission of physician-focused payment models

On an ongoing basis, individuals and stakeholder entities may submit to the Committee proposals for physician-focused payment models that such individuals and entities believe meet the criteria described in subparagraph (A).

(C) Committee review of models submitted

The Committee, on a periodic basis—

(i) shall review models submitted under subparagraph (B);

(ii) may provide individuals and stakeholder entities who submitted such models with—

(I) initial feedback on such models regarding the extent to which such models meet the criteria described in subparagraph (A); and

(II) an explanation of the basis for the feedback provided under subclause (I); and

(iii) shall prepare comments and recommendations regarding whether such models meet the criteria described in subparagraph (A) and submit such comments and recommendations to the Secretary.

(D) Secretary review and response

The Secretary shall review the comments and recommendations submitted by the Committee under subparagraph (C) and post a detailed response to such comments and recommendations on the Internet website of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

(3) Rule of construction

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to impact the development or testing of models under this subchapter or subchapters XI, XIX, or XXI.