[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3742-3743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-1334]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-7017-N2]


Medicare Program; Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare 
Education; Cancellation of the February 3, 2010 Meeting and 
Announcement of the March 31, 2010 Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the cancellation of the meeting of the 
Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the Panel) that was published in 
the December 18, 2009 Federal Register (74 FR 67240-67241). This notice 
also announces a public meeting on March 31, 2010. 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 opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of consumer education 
strategies concerning the Medicare program. This meeting is open to the 
public.

DATES: Meeting Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 
p.m., eastern daylight time (e.d.t.).
    Deadline for Meeting Registration, Presentations and Comments: 
Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 5 p.m., e.d.t.
    Deadline for Requesting Special Accommodations: Wednesday, March 
17, 2010, 5 p.m., e.d.t.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: Hilton Washington Hotel Embassy Row, 2015 
Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20036, (202) 265-6800.
    Meeting Registration, Presentations, and Written Comments: Cindy 
Falconi, Acting Designated Federal Official, Division of Forum and 
Conference Development, Office of External Affairs, Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mailstop S1-13-
05, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or contact Ms. Falconi 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 the Acting Designated Federal Official at 
the address listed in the ``ADDRESSES'' section of this notice or by 
telephone at the number listed in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT'' section of this notice by the date listed in the ``DATES'' 
section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Falconi, 410-786-6452. 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 (64 FR 7899, February 17, 1999) and approved the 
renewal of the charter on January 21, 2009 (74 FR 13442, March 27, 
2009). 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:

[[Page 3743]]

     To provide recommendations on the development and 
implementation of a national Medicare education program that describes 
benefit options under Medicare.
     To enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in 
informing the Medicare consumer.
     To make 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 benefit 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; 
Stephen L. Fera, Vice President, Social Mission Programs, Independence 
Blue Cross; Clayton Fong, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; Nan Kirsten-Fort[eacute], 
Executive Vice President, Consumer Services, WebMD; Richard Frank, 
M.D., Director Cancer Research, Whittingham Cancer Center at Norwalk 
Hospital; Dr. Carmen R. Green, Director, Pain Research Division, 
Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Health 
System; Dr. Jessie C. Gruman, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
Center for the Advancement of Health; Cindy Hounsell, J.D., President, 
Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement; Kathy Hughes, Vice 
Chairwoman, Oneida Nation; Gail Hunt, President and Chief Executive 
Officer, National Alliance for Caregiving; Deeanna Jang, Policy 
Director, Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum; Warren 
Jones, M.D., Executive Director, Mississippi Institute for Improvement 
of Geographic Minority Health; Dr. Andrew M. Kramer, Professor of 
Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver; John Lui, Ph.D., Executive 
Director, Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute; Sandy Markwood, 
Chief Executive Officer, National Area Agencies on Aging; David 
Roberts, M.P.A., Vice President, Government Relations, Healthcare 
Information and Management Systems Society; Julie Bod[euml]n Schmidt, 
Associate Vice President, Training and Technical Assistance Department, 
National Association of Community Health Centers; Rebecca Snead, 
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance 
of State Pharmacy Associations; Donna Yee, Ph.D., Chief Executive 
Officer, Asian Community Center of Sacramento Valley.
    The agenda for the March 31, 2010 meeting will include the 
following:
     Recap of the previous (October 20, 2009) meeting.
     Subgroup Committee Work Summary.
     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 the Acting Designated Federal Official 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 the 
Acting Designated Federal Official 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 the Acting Designated Federal Official 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 Public Law 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 20, 2010.
Charlene Frizzera,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-1334 Filed 1-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P