The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) is seeking members for its Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC). Nomination packages must be submitted by March 28.
The committee comprises 100 experts, including 90 at-large standing members (ten of whom are patient advocates), and ten representatives of industry interests in clinical and administrative medicine, biologic and physical sciences, public health administration, patient advocacy, healthcare data and information management and analysis, healthcare economics, and medical ethics. Twenty-three membership terms are expiring in June, three of which are patient advocates, and the remaining 20 membership openings are for the at-large standing MEDCAC membership.
Nominees are selected based upon their individual qualifications and not solely as representatives of professional associations or societies.
The MEDCAC was established to provide independent guidance and expert advice to CMS on specific clinical topics. The MEDCAC is used to supplement CMS’ internal expertise and to allow an unbiased and current deliberation of “state-of-the-art” technology and science. The committee reviews and evaluates medical literature, reviews technology assessments and public testimony, and examines data and information on the benefits, harms, and appropriateness of medical items and services that are covered under Medicare or that may be eligible for coverage under Medicare. The MEDCAC judges the strength of the available evidence and makes recommendations to CMS based on that evidence.
No more than 15 members with knowledge specific to the topic in question are selected to serve on the panel for each MEDCAC meeting. Non-MEDCAC members who have relevant expertise may be recruited to provide additional input to panel members, and experts may be invited to make formal presentations to the MEDCAC for a particular meeting. The panel meets in a public forum approximately four to eight times over the life of the committee to review medical evidence for the topic under deliberation, listen to public testimony, and provide advice about the quality of the evidence.
MEDCAC meetings are announced in the Federal Register and on the CMS website.
To read the notice or see the nomination requirements, visit the Federal Register.
For questions, contact Ruth McKesson, MEDCAC Coordinator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, Coverage and Analysis Group, S3-02-01, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244; (410) 786-8611; or [email protected]
To learn more about the committee, read “Factors CMS Considers in Referring Topics to the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee.”
