[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10688-10690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04174]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-7036-N]


Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's 
Health Insurance Programs; Renewal of the Advisory Panel on Outreach 
and Education (APOE) and Request for Nominations

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

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces the renewal of the Advisory Panel (the 
Panel) on Outreach and Education (APOE) charter. It also requests 
nominations for individuals to serve on the APOE.

DATES: Nominations will be considered if we receive them at the 
appropriate address, provided in the ADDRESSES section of this notice, 
no later than 5 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (e.d.t.) on March 30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Mail nominations to the following address: Abigail Huffman, 
Designated Federal Official, Office of Communications, CMS, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S1-13-05, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or 
email nominations to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abigail Huffman, Designated Federal 
Official, Office of Communications, CMS, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail 
Stop S1-13-05, Baltimore, MD 21244, 410-786-0897, email 
[email protected] or visit the Web site at http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/APOE.html. Press 
inquiries are handled through the CMS Press Office at (202) 690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Advisory Panel (the Panel) on Medicare Education (the 
predecessor to the APOE) was created in 1999 to advise and make 
recommendations to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS), and

[[Page 10689]]

the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 
on the effective implementation of national Medicare education 
programs, including with respect to the Medicare+Choice (M+C) program 
added by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33).
    The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) (Pub. L. 108-173) 
expanded the existing health plan options and benefits available under 
the M+C program and renamed it the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. We 
have had substantial responsibilities to provide information to 
Medicare beneficiaries about the range of health plan options available 
and better tools to evaluate these options. Successful MA program 
implementation required us to consider the views and policy input from 
a variety of private sector constituents and to develop a broad range 
of public-private partnerships.
    In addition, the Secretary, and by delegation, the Administrator of 
CMS was authorized under Title I of MMA to establish the Medicare 
prescription drug benefit. The drug benefit allows beneficiaries to 
obtain qualified prescription drug coverage. In order to effectively 
administer the MA program and the Medicare prescription drug benefit, 
we have substantial responsibilities to provide information to Medicare 
beneficiaries about the range of health plan options and benefits 
available, and to develop better tools to evaluate these plans and 
benefits.
    The Affordable Care Act (Patient Protection and Affordable Care 
Act, Pub. L. 111-148 and Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act 
of 2010, Pub. L. 111-152) expanded the availability of other option for 
health care coverage and enacted a number of changes to Medicare as 
well as to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). 
Qualified individuals and qualified employers are now able to purchase 
private health insurance coverage through competitive marketplace 
called Affordable Insurance Exchange, (also called Health Insurance 
Marketplace, or ``Marketplace''). In order to effectively implement and 
administer these changes, we must provide information to consumers, 
providers, and other stakeholders pursuant to education and outreach 
programs regarding how these programs will change and the expanded 
range of health coverage options available, including private health 
insurance coverage through the Marketplace. The APOE allows us to 
consider a broad range of views and information from interested 
audiences in connection with this effort and to identify opportunities 
to enhance the effectiveness of education strategies concerning the 
Affordable Care Act.

II. Provisions of This Notice

A. Renewal of the APOE

    Pursuant to the charter approved on January 21, 2015, the APOE was 
renewed. The APOE will advise HHS and CMS on developing and 
implementing education programs that support individuals with or who 
are eligible for Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, and 
the CHIP about options for selecting health care coverage under these 
and other programs envisioned under health care reform to ensure 
improved access to quality care, including prevention services. The 
scope of this Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) group also includes 
advising on education of providers and stakeholders with respect to the 
Affordable Care Act and certain provisions of the Health Information 
Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act enacted as 
part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
    The charter will terminate on January 21, 2017, unless renewed by 
appropriate action. The APOE was chartered under 42 U.S.C. 222 of the 
Public Health Service Act, as amended. The APOE is governed by 
provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), 
which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory 
committees.
    Pursuant to the renewed charter, the APOE will advise the Secretary 
and the Administrator concerning optimal strategies for the following:
     Developing and implementing education and outreach 
programs for individuals enrolled in, or eligible for, Medicare, 
Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or 
coverage available through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
     Enhancing the federal government's effectiveness in 
informing Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP 
consumers, issuers, providers, and stakeholders pursuant to education 
and outreach programs of issues regarding these programs, including the 
appropriate use of public-private partnerships to leverage the 
resources of the private sector in educating beneficiaries, providers, 
and stakeholders.
     Expanding outreach to vulnerable and underserved 
communities, including racial and ethnic minorities, in the context of 
Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP education 
programs.
     Assembling and sharing an information base of ``best 
practices'' for helping consumers evaluate health coverage options.
     Building and leveraging existing community infrastructures 
for information, counseling, and assistance.
     Drawing the program link between outreach and education, 
promoting consumer understanding of health care coverage choices, and 
facilitating consumer selection/enrollment; which in turn support the 
overarching goal of improved access to quality care, including 
prevention services, envisioned under the Affordable Care Act.

B. Requests for Nominations

    The APOE shall consist of no more than 20 members. The Chair shall 
either be appointed from among the 20 members, or a federal official 
will be designated to serve as the Chair. The charter requires that 
meetings shall be held approximately four times per year. Members will 
be expected to attend all meetings. The members and the Chair shall be 
selected from authorities knowledgeable in one or more of the following 
fields:

 Senior citizen advocacy
 Outreach to minority and underserved communities
 Health communications
 Disease-related advocacy
 Disability policy and access
 Health economics research
 Behavioral health
 Health insurers and plans
 Health IT
 Social media
 Direct patient care
 Matters of labor and retirement

Representatives of the general public may also serve on the APOE.
    This notice also announces that in July 2015, there will be 11 
expired terms of membership and in October 2015, there will be an 
additional 2 expired terms of membership. This notice is an invitation 
to interested organizations or individuals to submit their nominations 
for membership for all 13 vacancies on the APOE (no self-nominations 
will be accepted). The Administrator will appoint new members to the 
APOE from among those candidates determined to have the expertise 
required to meet specific agency needs, and in a manner to ensure an 
appropriate balance of membership. We have an interest in ensuring that 
the interests of both women and men, members of all racial and ethnic 
groups, and disabled individuals are adequately represented on the 
APOE. Therefore, we encourage nominations of qualified candidates

[[Page 10690]]

who can represent these interests. Any interested organization or 
person may nominate one or more qualified persons.
    Each nomination must include a letter stating that the nominee has 
expressed a willingness to serve as a Panel member and must be 
accompanied by a curricula vitae and a brief biographical summary of 
the nominee's experience.
    While we are looking for experts in a number of fields, our most 
critical needs are for experts in aging, social media, tribal affairs, 
matters of labor and retirement, health economics research, behavioral 
health, health insurers and plans, direct patient care, racial/ethnic 
health/disparities, disability, quality, pharmacy, social work, rural 
health, CHIP, and state programs/Medicaid.
    We are requesting that all curricula vitae include the following:

 Date of birth
 Place of birth
 Title and current position
 Professional affiliation
 Home and business address
 Telephone and fax numbers
 Email address
 List of areas of expertise

Phone interviews of nominees may also be requested after review of the 
nominations.
    In order to permit an evaluation of possible sources of conflict of 
interest, potential candidates will be asked to provide detailed 
information concerning such matters as financial holdings, 
consultancies, and research grants or contracts.
    Members are invited to serve for 2-year terms, contingent upon the 
renewal of the APOE by appropriate action prior to its termination. A 
member may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a 
successor takes office. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy for an 
unexpired term shall be appointed for the remainder of that term.

III. Copies of the Charter

    The Secretary's Charter for the APOE is available on the CMS Web 
site at: http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/APOE.html or you may obtain a copy of the charter by submitting a 
request to the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
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: February 23, 2015.
Marilyn Tavenner,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-04174 Filed 2-26-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P