[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 163 (Friday, August 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50793-50794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21438]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-4053-N]


Medicare Program: Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare 
Education--September 18, 2003

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 
U.S.C. Appendix 2, section 10(a) (Public Law 92-463), this notice 
announces a meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the 
Panel) on September 18, 2003. 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 meeting is 
open to the public.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for September 18, 2003 from 9:15 a.m. 
to 4 p.m., e.d.t.
    Deadline for Presentations and Comments: September 11, 2003, 12 
noon, e.d.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, mail stop 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.hhs.gov/faca/apme/default.asp) for additional information and 
updates on committee activities, or contact Ms. Johnson via e-mail at 
[email protected]. Press inquiries are handled through the CMS 
Press Office at (202) 690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 222 of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 217a), as amended, grants to the Secretary of the Department 
of Health and Human Services (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 21, 2003. 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] To develop and implement a national Medicare education 
program that describes the options for selecting a health plan under 
Medicare.
    [sbull] To enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in 
informing the Medicare consumer, including the appropriate use of 
public-private partnerships.
    [sbull] To expand outreach to vulnerable and underserved 
communities, including racial and ethnic minorities, in the context of 
a national Medicare education program.
    [sbull] 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: Dr. Jane Delgado, Chief 
Executive Officer, National Alliance for Hispanic Health; Joyce Dubow, 
Senior Policy Advisor, Public Policy Institute, American Association of 
Retired Persons (AARP); Clayton Fong, President and Chief Executive 
Officer,

[[Page 50794]]

National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; 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.
    The agenda for the September 18, 2003 meeting will include the 
following:
    [sbull] Recap of the previous (May 21, 2003) meeting.
    [sbull] Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Update and Center 
for Beneficiary Choices Update.
    [sbull] CMS Demonstrations.
    [sbull] Medicare Reform Update.
    [sbull] Research and Evaluation: Sharing Research with 
Stakeholders.
    [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 submit a written copy of the 
oral presentation to Lynne Johnson, Health Insurance Specialist, 
Division of Partnership Development, Center for Beneficiary Choices, 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail 
stop S2-23-05, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or by e-mail at 
[email protected] no later than 12 noon, e.d.t., September 11, 
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, September 11, 2003. The 
meeting is open to the public, but attendance is limited to the space 
available.
    Special Accommodation: Individuals requiring sign language 
interpretation or other special accommodations should contact Ms. 
Johnson at least 15 days before the meeting.

    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: August 7, 2003.
Thomas A. Scully,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 03-21438 Filed 8-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P