[Federal Register: February 10, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 27)]
[Notices]
[Page 6750-6751]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10fe03-89]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-4051-N]
Medicare Program; Renewal of the Advisory Panel on Medicare
Education (APME) and Notice of Meeting of the Advisory Panel--February
27, 2003
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice of renewal and notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the renewal of the Advisory Panel on
Medicare Education (APME or the Panel). The Panel advises and makes
recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human
Services and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services on opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of consumer
education strategies concerning the Medicare program. This notice
announces the signing of the APME charter renewal by the Secretary on
January 21, 2003. The charter will terminate on January 21, 2005,
unless renewed by the Secretary.
In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C.
Appendix 2, section 10(a) (Pub. L. 92-463) this notice also announces a
meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the Panel) on
[[Page 6751]]
February 27, 2003. This meeting is open to the public.
DATES: The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 27, 2003, from
9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., e.s.t.
Deadline for Submission of Presentations and Comments: February 20,
2003, 12 noon, e.s.t.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Wyndham Washington Hotel,
1400 M Street, NW., Washington, DC, 20005, (202) 429-1700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Johnson, Health Insurance
Specialist, Division of Partnership Development, Center for Beneficiary
Choices, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security
Boulevard, S2-23 05, Baltimore, MD, 21244-1850, (410) 786-0090. Please
refer to the CMS Advisory Committees Information Line (1-877-449-5659
toll free)/(410-786-9379 local) or the Internet (http://www.cms.gov/faca/apme/default.asp
) for additional information and updates on
committee activities, or contact Ms. Johnson via E-mail at
ljohnson3@cms.hhs.gov. Press inquiries are handled through the CMS
Press Office at (202) 690-6145.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 217a), as
amended, grants to the Secretary the authority to establish an advisory
panel if the Secretary finds the panel necessary and in the public
interest. The Secretary signed the charter establishing this panel on
January 21, 1999 (64 FR 7849), and approved the renewal of the charter
on January 18, 2001. The Panel advises and makes recommendations to the
Secretary and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) on opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of
consumer education strategies concerning the Medicare program. The
goals of the panel are as follows:
[sbull] Develop and implement a national Medicare education program
that describes the options for selecting a health plan under Medicare.
[sbull] Enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in informing
the Medicare consumer, including the appropriate use of public-private
partnerships.
[sbull] Expand outreach to vulnerable and underserved communities,
including racial and ethnic minorities, in the context of a national
Medicare education program.
[sbull] Assemble an information base of best practices for helping
consumers evaluate health plan options and build a community
infrastructure for information, counseling, and assistance.
The current members of the panel are: Dr. Jane Delgado, Chief
Executive Officer, National Alliance for Hispanic Health; Joyce Dubow,
Senior Policy Advisor, Public Policy Institute, AARP; Timothy Fuller,
Executive Director, National Gray Panthers; John Graham IV, Chief
Executive Officer, American Diabetes Association; Dr. William Haggett,
Senior Vice President, Government Programs, Independence Blue Cross;
Thomas Hall, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cardio-Kinetics,
Inc.; David Knutson, Director, Health System Studies, Park Nicollet
Institute for Research and Education; Brian Lindberg, Executive
Director, Consumer Coalition for Quality Health Care; Katherine
Metzger, Director, Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Fallon Community
Health Plan; Dr. Laurie Powers, Co-Director, Center on Self-
Determination, Oregon Health Sciences University; Dr. Marlon Priest,
Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham;
Dr. Susan Reinhard, Co-Director, Center for State Health Policy,
Rutgers University and Chairperson of the Advisory Panel on Medicare
Education; Dr. Everard Rutledge, Vice President of Community Health,
Bon Secours Health Systems, Inc.; Jay Sackman, Executive Vice
President, 1199 Service Employees International Union; Dallas
Salisbury, President and Chief Executive Officer, Employee Benefit
Research Institute; Rosemarie Sweeney, Vice President, Socioeconomic
Affairs and Policy Analysis, American Academy of Family Physicians; and
Bruce Taylor, Director, Employee Benefit Policy and Plans, Verizon
Communications.
II. Provisions of this Notice
A. Renewal
This notice announces the signing of the Advisory Panel on Medicare
Education charter renewal by the Secretary on January 21, 2003. The
charter will terminate on January 21, 2005, unless renewed by the
Secretary before the expiration date.
B. Meeting Notice
The agenda for the February 27, 2003, meeting will include the
following items:
[sbull] Recap of the previous (November 19, 2002) meeting.
[sbull] Center for Beneficiary Choices update.
[sbull] Promoting the use of Medicare preventive benefits.
[sbull] Eliminating disparities in the use of Medicare preventive
benefits.
[sbull] 2003/2004 Medicare Education Campaign.
[sbull] Update on Home Health Quality Initiative.
[sbull] Public comment.
[sbull] Listening session with CMS leadership.
[sbull] Next steps.
Individuals or organizations that wish to make a 5-minute oral
presentation on an agenda topic should contact Ms. Johnson by 12 noon,
February 20, 2003. A written copy of the oral presentation should also
be submitted to Ms. Johnson by 12 noon, February 20, 2003. The number
of oral presentations may be limited by the time available. Individuals
not wishing to make a presentation may submit written comments to Ms.
Johnson by 12 noon, February 20, 2003. The meeting is open to the
public, but attendance is limited to the space available. Individuals
requiring sign language interpretation for the hearing impaired or
other special accommodations should contact Ms. Johnson at least 15
days before the meeting.
III. Copies of the Charter
You may obtain a copy of the Secretary's charter for the APME by
submitting a request to Lynne Johnson, Health Insurance Specialist,
Division of Partnership Development, Center for Beneficiary Choices,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, S2-
23-05, Baltimore, MD, 21244-1850, (410) 786-0090 or contact Ms. Johnson
via E-mail at ljohnson3@cms.hhs.gov. A copy of the charter will also be
available on the Internet at (http://www.cms.gov/faca/apme/default.asp
).
Authority: Sec. 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
217(a) and sec. 10(a) of Pub. L. 92-463 (5 U.S.C. App. 2, sec. 10(a)
and 41 CFR 102-3).
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.733,
Medicare--Hospital Insurance Program; and Program No. 93.774,
Medicare--Supplementary Medical Insurance Program.)
Dated: February 4, 2003.
Thomas A. Scully,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 03-3073 Filed 2-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P