[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 18 (Friday, January 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4129-4130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-1504]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-4079-N]


Medicare Program: Re-Chartering of the Advisory Panel on Medicare 
Education (APME) and Notice of the APME Meeting--February 24, 2005

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the renewal of the charter of the 
Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the Panel). 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. The 
charter renewal was signed by the Secretary on January 14, 2005. The 
charter will terminate on January 14, 2007, unless renewed by the 
Secretary.
    In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. 
Appendix 2, section 10(a) (Pub. L. 92-463), this notice also announces 
a meeting of the Panel on February 24, 2005. This meeting is open to 
the public.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for February 24, 2005 from 9 a.m. to 4 
p.m., e.s.t.
    Deadline for Presentations and Comments: February 17, 2005, 12 
noon, e.s.t.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Loews L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, 
480 L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, DC 20024, (202) 484-1000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Johnson, Health Insurance 
Specialist, Division of Partnership Development, Center for Beneficiary

[[Page 4130]]

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 14, 2005. 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; Dr. David Lansky, Director, 
Health Program, Markle Foundation; Donald J. Lott, Executive Director, 
Indian Family Health Clinic; Dr. Frank I. Luntz, President and Chief 
Executive Officer, Luntz Research Companies; Dr. Daniel Lyons, Senior 
Vice President, Government Programs, Independence Blue Cross; Katherine 
Metzger, Director, Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Fallon Community 
Health Plan; Dr. Keith Mueller, Professor and Section Head, Health 
Services Research and Rural Health Policy, University of Nebraska; 
David Null, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch; Lee Partridge, Senior 
Health Policy Advisor, National Partnership for Women and Families; Dr. 
Marlon Priest, Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Alabama 
at Birmingham; Susan O. Raetzman, Associate Director, Public Policy 
Institute, AARP; Catherine Valenti, Chairperson and Chief Executive 
Officer, Caring Voice Coalition; and Grant Wedner, Senior Director, New 
Services Department, WebMD.
    The agenda for the February 24, 2005 meeting will include the 
following:
     Recap of the previous (November 30, 2004) meeting.
     Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services update.
     Medicare Modernization Act: education and outreach 
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, 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.s.t., February 17, 2005. 
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., February 17, 2005. 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: January 19, 2005.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 05-1504 Filed 1-27-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P