[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 57 (Wednesday, March 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13853-13854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-6599]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation; 
Medicare Program; Establishment of the Technical Review Panel on the 
Medicare Trustees Reports and Request for Nominations for Members

AGENCY: Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the establishment of the Technical 
Review Panel on the Medicare Trustees Reports and solicits nominations 
for members of the panel. The Medicare Board of Trustees has requested 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (who is one of the Trustees) 
to establish a panel of technical experts to review the assumptions and 
methods underlying the Hospital Insurance (HI) and Supplementary 
Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund annual reports. This notice also 
announces that on March 11, 2004 the Secretary signed the charter 
establishing the panel. The charter will terminate two years from the 
date the charter is signed, unless renewed by the Secretary.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Nominations for members will be considered if we 
receive them at the appropriate address, as provided below, before 5 
p.m. on April 9, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written nominations to the following 
address: Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 443-F.8, 200 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201. Because of staffing and resource 
limitations, we cannot accept nominations by facsimile (FAX) or email 
transmission.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Cosgrove, (202) 205-8681.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Board of Trustees of the Medicare Trust Funds (the Hospital 
Insurance (HI) and Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Funds) 
report annually on the financial condition of the trust funds. The 
reports describe the trust funds' current and projected financial 
condition, within the next 10 years (the ``short term'') and 
indefinitely into the future (the ``long term''). The Medicare Board of 
Trustees has requested the Secretary of Health and Human Services (who 
is one of the Trustees) to establish a panel of technical experts to 
review the assumptions and methods underlying the HI and SMI annual 
reports. The panel will consist of up to 7 members, selected by the 
Secretary or a designee, and a Chair, who is appointed by the Secretary 
or a designee.
    The panel will meet periodically throughout its existence, until it 
has completed its work. The work of the panel is technical in nature 
and will concentrate on the long term financing of the Medicare 
program. We will prepare the agenda for the panel's activities, which 
will set the items for discussion.
    We are requesting nominations for members to serve on the panel. 
Panel members serve with compensation, and travel, meals, lodging, and 
related expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with standard 
government travel regulations. We have a special interest in ensuring 
that women, minorities, and the physically challenged are adequately 
represented on the panel and encourage nominations of qualified 
candidates from those groups.

II. Provisions of This Notice

A. Criteria for Nominees

    Nominees should possess knowledge, experience, and expertise in 
areas such as the Medicare program, health economics, and actuarial 
science, or any other relevant expertise.
    It is not necessary that any nominee possesses expertise in all of 
the areas listed, but each should have significant, relevant experience 
in at least one area. Members of the panel will serve for the entire 
duration of the panel.
    Any interested person may nominate one or more qualified 
individuals. Self-nominations will also be accepted. Each nomination 
must include a letter of nomination, a curriculum vita of the nominee, 
and a statement from the

[[Page 13854]]

nominee that the nominee is willing to serve on the panel.

B. Signing of the charter

    This notice announces the signing of the charter for the Technical 
Review Panel on the Medicare Trustees Reports. The charter was signed 
by the Secretary on March 11, 2004. The charter will terminate on March 
11, 2006, unless renewed by the Secretary.

III. Copies of the Charter

    You may obtain a copy of the Secretary's charter for the Technical 
Review Panel on Medicare Trustees Reports by submitting a request to 
Andrew Cosgrove, 200 Independence Ave., SW., Washington DC, 20201, 
(202) 205-8681 or contact Andrew Cosgrove via E-mail at 
[email protected].

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 217a; Section 222 of the Public Health 
Services Act, as amended.

    Dated: March 18, 2004.
Michael J. O'Grady,
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 04-6599 Filed 3-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-05-P