[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58405-58407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23312]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-7019-N]
Medicare Program; Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare
Education, October 13, 2010
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Advisory Panel on
Medicare Education (the Panel) in accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act. 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 opportunities to enhance
the effectiveness of consumer education strategies concerning the
Medicare program. This meeting is open to the public.
DATES: Meeting Date: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.,
eastern daylight time (e.d.t.).
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Deadline for Meeting Registration and Comments: Wednesday, October
6, 2010, 5 p.m., e.d.t.
Deadline for Requesting Special Accommodations: Wednesday, October
6, 2010, 5 p.m., e.d.t.
ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The October 13, 2010 meeting will be a
``virtual meeting'' using Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro Meeting, a Web
conferencing product that allows users to conduct live meetings and
presentations over the Internet. The audio portion is also available
via telephone conferencing.
Meeting Registration: The meeting is open to the public, but
attendance is limited to the telephone lines available. Persons wishing
to attend this meeting must register at http://www.blsmeetings.net/H1714-4.
Meeting Presentations, Written Comments, and Special
Accommodations: Jennifer Kordonski, Designated Federal Official (DFO),
Division of Forum and Conference Development, Office of External
Affairs, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Mailstop S1-13-05, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or contact Ms.
Kordonski via e-mail at [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Kordonski, (410) 786-1840.
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:
I. Background and Meeting Agenda
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 (64 FR 7899, February 17, 1999) and approved the
renewal of the charter on January 21, 2009 (74 FR 13442, March 27,
2009). 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:
To provide recommendations on the development and
implementation of a national Medicare education program that describes
benefit options under Medicare.
To enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in
informing the Medicare consumer.
To make 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 benefit options and build a community
infrastructure for information, counseling, and assistance.
The current members of the Panel are: Stephen P. Fera, M.B.A., Vice
President, Social Mission Programs, Independence Blue Cross; Richard C.
Frank, M.D., Director, Cancer Research, Whittingham Cancer Center;
Cathy C. Graeff, R.Ph., M.B.A., Partner, Sonora Advisory Group; Carmen
R. Green, M.D., Professor, Anesthesiology and Associate Professor,
Health, Management, and Policy, University of Michigan; Cindy Hounsell,
J.D., President, Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement; Kathy
Hughes, Vice Chairwoman, Oneida Nation; Gail Hunt, President and Chief
Executive Officer, National Alliance for Caregiving; Warren Jones,
M.D., F.A.A.F.P., Executive Director, Mississippi Institute for
Improvement of Geographic Minority Health; Sandy Markwood, Chief
Executive Officer, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging;
David W. Roberts, M.P.A.,Vice President, Government Relations,
Healthcare Information and Management System Society; Julie Boden
Schmidt, M.S., Associate Vice President, Training and Technical
Assistance, National Association of Community Health Centers; Rebecca
P. Snead, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President,
National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and APME Chair; Donna
Yee, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Asian Community Center of Sacramento
Valley; Deeanna Jang, Policy Director, Asian and Pacific Islander
American Health Forum; Andrew Kramer, M.D., Professor of Medicine,
Division of Health Care Policy and Research, University of Colorado,
Denver; and John Lui, PhD, M.B.A., Executive Director, Stout Vocational
Rehabilitation Institute.
The agenda for the October 13, 2010 meeting will include the
following:
Recap of the previous (June 22, 2010) meeting.
Subgroup Committee Work Summary.
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 the DFO 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 the DFO at the address listed in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES section of this
notice.
II. Virtual Meeting Participation Information and Instructions
A. Software Requirements
Software to participate in a Connect Pro meeting only requires that
you have an Internet connection, a Web browser, and Adobe Flash Player
Version 8 or later to attend a Web conference. Connect Pro supports
nearly any operating system including Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and
Solaris, as well as the most widely used browsers including Internet
Explorer, Firefox, and Safari.
B. Participation in an Acrobat Connect Pro Meeting
1. Pre-Meeting Computer Testing
It is recommended that you test your computer prior to attending a
meeting. You can do this by going to: https://admin.adobe.acrobat.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm. The connection test checks
your computer to make sure all system requirements are met. If you pass
the first three steps of the test, then you are ready to
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participate in a meeting. If you do not pass the connection test,
perform the suggested actions and run the test again.
2. Joining the Meeting
Registrants will receive an e-mail invitation with meeting access
information prior to meeting. When the meeting date and time arrive,
click on the link or enter the URL into your Web browser. The meeting
login screen appears. Select ``Enter as a Guest,'' type in your first
and last name, and click ``Enter Room.'' The meeting launches in your
browser.
To access the audio portion of the meeting please dial 1-888-469-
0694 and enter passcode 1995616. If you should have difficulties
accessing the meeting please contact Syreeta Jones via phone at 1-301-
577-0244 ext. 4900 or via e-mail at [email protected].
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: September 9, 2010.
Donald M. Berwick,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-23312 Filed 9-23-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P