[Federal Register: November 28, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 230)]
[Notices]
[Page 72492-72493]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28no08-88]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-7012-N]
Medicare Program; Announcement of Meeting of the Advisory Panel
on Medicare Education, January 13, 2009
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this
notice announces a meeting of Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the
Panel). The Panel advises and makes recommendations to the Secretary of
Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services on the effectiveness of consumer education
strategies concerning the Medicare program. This meeting is open to the
public.
DATES: Meeting Date: January 13, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., e.s.t.
Deadline for Meeting Registration, Presentations and Comments:
January 5, 2009, 12 noon, e.s.t.
[[Page 72493]]
Deadline for Requesting Special Accommodations: January 5, 2009, 12
noon, e.s.t.
ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: Washington Marriott at Metro Center, 775
12th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005.
Meeting Registration, Presentations, and Written Comments: Lynne
Johnson, Designated Federal Official, Division of Forum and Conference
Development, Office of External Affairs, Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mailstop S1-05-06,
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or contact Ms. Johnson via e-mail at
Lynne.Johnson@cms.hhs.gov.
Registration: The meeting is open to the public, but attendance is
limited to the space available. Persons wishing to attend this meeting
must register by contacting Lynne Johnson at the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice or by telephone at (410) 786-0090, by
the date listed in the DATES section of this notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Johnson, (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.hhs.gov/FACA/04_APME.asp) for additional information and
updates on committee activities. Press inquiries are handled through
the CMS Press Office at (202) 690-6145.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(the Secretary) to establish an advisory panel if the Secretary
determines that the panel is ``in the public interest in connection
with the performance of duties imposed * * * by law.'' Such duties are
imposed by section 1804 of the Social Security Act (the Act), requiring
the Secretary to provide informational materials to Medicare
beneficiaries about the Medicare program, and section 1851(d) of the
Act, requiring the Secretary to provide for ``activities * * * to
broadly disseminate information to [M]edicare beneficiaries * * * on
the coverage options provided under [Medicare Advantage] in order to
promote an active, informed selection among such options.''
The Panel is also authorized by section 1114(f) of the Act (42
U.S.C. 1311(f)) and section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 217a). The Secretary signed the charter establishing this Panel
on January 21, 1999 and approved the renewal of the charter on November
14, 2006. The establishment of the charter and the renewal of the
charter were announced in the February 17, 1999 Federal Register (64 FR
7899), and the March 23, 2007 Federal Register (72 FR 13796),
respectively. 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
Secretary delegates authority to the Administrator.
The goals of the Panel are as follows:
To provide recommendations on the development and
implementation of a national Medicare education program that describes
the options for selecting a health plan and prescription drug plan
under Medicare.
To enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in
informing the Medicare consumer, including the appropriate use of
public-private partnerships.
To provide recommendations on how to expand outreach to
vulnerable and underserved communities, including racial and ethnic
minorities, in the context of a national Medicare education program.
To 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: Gwendolyn T. Bronson, SHINE/
SHIP Counselor, Massachusetts SHINE Program; Dr. Yanira Cruz, President
and Chief Executive Officer, National Hispanic Council on Aging;
Stephen L. Fera, Vice President, Social Mission Programs, Independence
Blue Cross; Clayton Fong, President and Chief Executive Officer,
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; Nan Kirsten-Fort, Executive
Vice President, Consumer Services, WebMD; Dr. Jessie C. Gruman,
President and Chief Executive Officer, Center for the Advancement of
Health; Kathy Hughes, Vice Chairwoman, Oneida Nation; Gail Hunt,
President and Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance for
Caregiving; Dr. Frank B. McArdle, Manager, Hewitt Research Office,
Hewitt Associates; Sandy Markwood, Chief Executive Officer, National
Area Agencies on Aging; Molly Mettler, Senior Vice President,
Healthwise; Robert L. Mollica, Senior Program Director, National
Academy for State Health Policy; Julie Bodon Schmidt, Associate Vice
President, Training and Technical Assistance Department, National
Association of Community Health Centers; Rebecca Snead, Executive Vice
President and Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance of State
Pharmacy Associations.
The agenda for the January 13, 2009 meeting will include the
following:
Recap of the previous (October 22, 2008) meeting.
Medicare Outreach and Education Strategies.
Public Comment.
Listening Session with CMS Leadership.
Next Steps.
Individuals or organizations that wish to make a 5-minute oral
presentation on an agenda topic should submit a written copy of the
oral presentation to Lynne Johnson at the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES
section of this notice. 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 at the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES
section of this notice.
Individuals requiring sign language interpretation or other special
accommodations should contact Ms. Johnson at the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES
section of this notice.
Authority: Sec. 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
217a) 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: November 20, 2008.
Kerry Weems,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E8-28368 Filed 11-26-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P