[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 204 (Friday, October 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62055-62056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23441]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-4078-N]


Medicare Program: Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare 
Education--November 30, 2004

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) (Pub. L. 92-463), this notice 
announces a meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the 
Panel) on November 30, 2004. 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 November 30, 2004 from 9 a.m. to 4 
p.m., e.s.t.
    Deadline for Presentations and Comments: November 23, 2004, 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, 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 the Advisory Panel on 
Medicare Education (the Panel) on January 21, 1999 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:
     To develop and implement a national Medicare education 
program that describes the options for selecting a health plan under 
Medicare.
     To enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in 
informing the Medicare consumer, including the appropriate use of 
public-private partnerships.
     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: Dr. Drew E. Altman, President 
and Chief Executive Officer, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation; James 
L. Bildner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, New Horizons 
Partners, LLC; Dr. Jane Delgado, Chief Executive Officer, National 
Alliance For Hispanic Health; Clayton Fong, President and Chief 
Executive Officer, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; Thomas Hall, 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cardio-Kinetics, Inc.; Bobby 
Jindal; David Knutson, Director, Health System Studies, Park Nicollet 
Institute for Research and Education; Donald J. Lott, Executive 
Director, Indian Family Health Clinic; Dr. Frank I. Luntz, President 
and Chief Executive Officer, Luntz Research Companies; Jeffrey 
McWaters, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AMERIGROUP Corporation; 
Katherine Metzger, Director, Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Fallon 
Community Health Plan; David Null, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch; 
Dr. Marlon Priest, Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of 
Alabama at Birmingham; Susan O. Raetzman, Associate Director, Public 
Policy Institute, AARP; and Catherine Valenti, Chairperson and Chief 
Executive Officer, Caring Voice Coalition.

[[Page 62056]]

    The agenda for the November 30, 2004 meeting will include the 
following:
     Recap of the previous (September 9, 2004) meeting.
     Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Update.
     Medicare Modernization Act: Outreach and Education.
     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 must 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 email at [email protected] no 
later than 12 noon, e.s.t., November 23, 2004. 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, (e.s.t.), November 23, 2004. 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 must 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: September 22, 2004.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 04-23441 Filed 10-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P