Open meeting fact sheet

The most significant change to our open meeting process under the CMS’ change request (CR) 10901, is that observers are now welcome to attend via webinar rather than in-person only. Open meetings continue to provide a formal mechanism to allow interested parties the opportunity to make presentations of information and offer comments related to new proposed local coverage determinations (LCDs) and/or the revised portion of a proposed LCD that are in the 45-day open comment period. 

• First Coast will send our CAC members an email approximately two weeks prior to an open meeting when registration to attend the meeting is made available. 
• Following any presentations, our CMDs, CAC members, and observers can ask the presenter questions. 
• If there are no registered presenters for an open meeting, the CMD will go over the evidence used to develop or revise the proposed LCD(s) and will allow questions/discussion. 
• The open meetings are recorded and we post the audio recordings and written transcripts of each meeting on our website.  
• All interested parties, whether attending the open meeting or not, are welcome to submit comments on the proposed LCDs in writing.
• Reminder: When submitting written comments we encourage you to include any new supporting evidence (i.e., a justification and peer-reviewed medical articles) not already listed in the LCD’s sources of information/bibliography. This new evidence is beneficial when we review comments and revisions submitted for a proposed LCD.
• The level of evidence required for new/revised LCD development is the same as that required for LCD reconsiderations as per the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) internet-only manual (IOM), Publication 100-08, Medicare Program Integrity Manual (PIM), Chapter 13, Section 13.2. 
• The open meeting is not a forum for discussing the following:
  • Specific claims
  • Submission of new drugs
  • Indications
  • Marketing of forthcoming drugs or medical devices