[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 37 (Friday, February 25, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9362-9363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3552]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-4089-N]


Medicare Program; Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare 
Education--March 22, 2005

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 March 22, 2005. 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. This meeting replaces the February 24, 2005 meeting that was 
canceled.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for March 22, 2005 from 9 a.m. to 4 
p.m., e.s.t.
    Deadline for Presentations and Comments: March 15, 2005 12 noon, 
e.s.t.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Wyndham 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 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

[[Page 9363]]

Pacific Center on Aging; Thomas Hall, Chairman and Chief Executive 
Officer, Cardio-Kinetics, Inc.; The Honorable Bobby Jindal, United 
States Congress; 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; 
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.
    The agenda for the March 22, 2005 meeting will include the 
following:
     Recap of the previous (November 30, 2004) meeting.
     Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services update.
     Medicare Modernization Act: 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 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., March 15, 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.), March 15, 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: February 16, 2005.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 05-3552 Filed 2-24-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P