[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 188 (Friday, September 26, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55849-55850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21910]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-7010-N]


Medicare Program; Announcement of Meeting of the Advisory Panel 
on Medicare Education, October 22, 2008

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, this 
notice announces a meeting of Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the 
Panel). The Panel advises and makes recommendations to the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services on the effectiveness of consumer education 
strategies concerning the Medicare program. This meeting is open to the 
public.

DATES: Meeting Date: October 22, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., e.d.t.
    Deadline for Meeting Registration, Presentations and Comments: 
October 15, 2008, 12 noon, e.d.t.
    Deadline for Requesting Special Accommodations: October 8, 2008, 12 
noon, e.d.t.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: Fairmont Washington Hotel, 2401 M Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20037, (202) 429-2400. Meeting Registration, 
Presentations, and Written Comments: Lynne Johnson, Designated Federal 
Official, Division of Forum and Conference Development, Office of 
External Affairs, Centers for

[[Page 55850]]

Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mailstop S1-05-
06, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or contact Ms. Johnson via e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Registration: The meeting is open to the public, but attendance is 
limited to the space available. Persons wishing to attend this meeting 
must register by contacting Lynne Johnson at the address listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice or by telephone at (410) 786-0090, by 
the date listed in the DATES section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Johnson, (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/04_APME.asp) for additional information and 
updates on committee activities. Press inquiries are handled through 
the CMS Press Office at (202) 690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act authorizes 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish 
an advisory panel if the Secretary determines that the panel is ``in 
the public interest in connection with the performance of duties 
imposed * * * by law.'' Such duties are imposed by section 1804 of the 
Social Security Act (the Act), requiring the Secretary to provide 
informational materials to Medicare beneficiaries about the Medicare 
program, and section 1851(d) of the Act, requiring the Secretary to 
provide for ``activities * * * to broadly disseminate information to 
[M]edicare beneficiaries * * * on the coverage options provided under 
[Medicare Advantage] in order to promote an active, informed selection 
among such options.''
    The Panel is also authorized by section 1114(f) of the Act (42 
U.S.C. 1311(f)) and section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 217a). The Secretary signed the charter establishing this Panel 
on January 21, 1999 and approved the renewal of the charter on November 
14, 2006. The establishment of the charter and the renewal of the 
charter were announced in the February 17, 1999 Federal Register (64 FR 
7899), and the March 23, 2007 Federal Register (72 FR 13796), 
respectively. 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 
Secretary delegates authority to the Administrator.
    The goals of the Panel are as follows:
     To provide recommendations on the development and 
implementation of a national Medicare education program that describes 
the options for selecting a health plan and prescription drug plan 
under Medicare.
     To enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in 
informing the Medicare consumer, including the appropriate use of 
public-private partnerships.
     To provide recommendations on how 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: Gwendolyn T. Bronson, SHINE/
SHIP Counselor, Massachusetts SHINE Program; Dr. Yanira Cruz, President 
and Chief Executive Officer, National Hispanic Council on Aging; 
Clayton Fong, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Asian 
Pacific Center on Aging; Nan Kirsten-Forte, Executive Vice President, 
Consumer Services, WebMD; Dr. Jessie C. Gruman, President and Chief 
Executive Officer, Center for the Advancement of Health; Dr. Frank B. 
McArdle, Manager, Hewitt Research Office, Hewitt Associates; Rebecca 
Snead, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, National 
Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations. Thirteen new members will be 
appointed to the panel and announced at the meeting.
    The agenda for the October 22, 2008, meeting will include the 
following:
     Recap of the previous (June 26, 2008) meeting.
     Introduction of New Members.
     Medicare 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 at the address listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES 
section of this notice. 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 at the address listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES 
section of this notice.
    Individuals requiring sign language interpretation or other special 
accommodations should contact Ms. Johnson at the address listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES 
section of this notice.

    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 10, 2008.
Kerry Weems,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E8-21910 Filed 9-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P