[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57617-57619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24304]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-7038-N]


Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's 
Health Insurance Programs; Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Outreach 
and Education (APOE), October 7, 2015

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Advisory Panel on 
Outreach and Education (APOE) (the Panel) in accordance with the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Panel advises and makes 
recommendations to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS) and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare 
& Medicaid Services (CMS) on opportunities to enhance the effectiveness 
of consumer education strategies concerning the Health Insurance 
Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance 
Program (CHIP). This meeting is open to the public.

DATES: Meeting Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2015, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
eastern daylight time (e.d.t).
    Deadline for Meeting Registration, Presentations and Comments: 
Wednesday, September 30, 2015, 5:00 p.m., e.d.t.
    Deadline for Requesting Special Accommodations: Wednesday, 
September 30, 2015, 5:00 p.m., e.d.t.

ADDRESSES:
    Meeting Location: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 
Hubert H.

[[Page 57618]]

Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue SW., Room 738 G, Conference 
Room, Washington, DC 20201.
    Presentations and Written Comments: Presentations and written 
comments should be submitted to: Abigail Huffman, Designated Federal 
Official (DFO), Division of Forum and Conference Development, Office of 
Communications, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Mailstop S1-05-06, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or via email 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 at the Web site https://www.regonline.com/apoeoct2015meeting or by contacting the DFO as listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 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 DFO at the address 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: Abigail Huffman, Designated Federal 
Official, Office of Communications, CMS, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail 
Stop S1-05-06, Baltimore, MD 21244, 410-786-0897, email 
[email protected]. Additional information about the APOE is 
available on the Internet at: http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/APOE.htmlPress inquiries are handled through the 
CMS Press Office at (202) 690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Advisory Panel for Outreach and Education (APOE) (the Panel) is 
governed by the provisions of Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 
(Pub. L. 92-463), as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets forth 
standards for the formation and use of federal advisory committees. The 
Panel is authorized by section 1114(f) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1314(f)) 
and section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 217a).
    The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) (the Secretary) signed the charter establishing the Citizen's 
Advisory Panel on Medicare Education\1\ (the predecessor to the APOE) 
on January 21, 1999 (64 FR 7899, February 17, 1999) to advise and make 
recommendations to the Secretary and 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).
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    \1\ We note that the Citizen's Advisory Panel on Medicare 
Education is also referred to as the Advisory Panel on Medicare 
Education (65 FR 4617). The name was updated in the Second Amended 
Charter approved on July 24, 2000.
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    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. The successful MA program 
implementation required CMS 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, Title I of the MMA authorized the Secretary and the 
Administrator of CMS (by delegation) 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, Public Law 111-148, and Health Care and Education Reconciliation 
Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-152) expanded the availability of other 
options 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 
marketplaces, called Affordable Insurance Exchanges (also called the 
Health Insurance Marketplace, and ``Marketplace''). In order to 
effectively implement and administer these changes, we must provide 
information to consumers, providers, and other stakeholders through 
education and outreach programs regarding how existing programs will 
change and the expanded range of health coverage options available, 
including private health insurance coverage through the Marketplace. 
The APOE (the Panel) 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.
    The scope of this panel also includes advising on issues pertaining 
to the 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).
    On January 21, 2011, the Panel's charter was renewed and the Panel 
was renamed the Advisory Panel for Outreach and Education. The Panel's 
charter was most recently renewed on January 21, 2015, and will 
terminate on January 21, 2017 unless renewed by appropriate action.
    Under the current charter, the APOE will advise the Secretary and 
the Administrator on 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, through education and 
outreach programs, on 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

[[Page 57619]]

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.
    The current members of the Panel are: Kellan Baker, Associate 
Director, Center for American Progress; Phillip Bergquist, Manager, 
Health Center Operations, Children's Health Insurance Program 
Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) Outreach & Enrollment Project and 
Director, Michigan Primary Care Association; Robert Blancato, 
President, Matz, Blancato & Associates; Dale Blasier, Professor of 
Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Orthopaedics, Arkansas Children's 
Hospital; Deborah Britt, Executive Director of Community & Public 
Relations, Piedmont Fayette Hospital; Deena Chisolm, Associate 
Professor of Pediatrics & Public Health, The Ohio State University, 
Nationwide Children's Hospital; Josephine DeLeon, Director, Anti-
Poverty Initiatives, Catholic Charities of California; Robert Espinoza, 
Vice President of Policy, Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute; Amy 
Jones, Director of Health & Social Services, Southeast Asian Mutual 
Assistance Associations Coalition (SEAMAAC, Inc.); Louise Scherer 
Knight, Director, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at 
Johns Hopkins; Miriam Mobley-Smith, Dean, Chicago State University, 
College of Pharmacy; Roanne Osborne-Gaskin, M.D., Associate Medical 
Director, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island; Kamila Pickett, 
Litigation Support, Independent Contractor; Jeanne Ryer, Director, New 
Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative, University of New Hampshire; 
Alvia Siddiqi, Medicaid Managed Care Community Network (MCCN) Medical 
Director, Advocate Physician Partners, Carla Smith, Executive Vice 
President, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society 
(HIMSS); Paula Villescaz, Senior Consultant, Assembly Health Committee; 
and Darlene Yee-Melichar, Professor & Coordinator, San Francisco State 
University.

II. Provisions of This Notice

    In accordance with Section 10(a) of the FACA, this notice announces 
a meeting of the APOE. The agenda for the October 7, 2015 meeting will 
include the following:

 Welcome and listening session with CMS leadership
 Recap of the previous (July 22, 2015) meeting
 Affordable Care Act initiatives
 An opportunity for public comment
 Meeting summary, review of recommendations, and 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 DFO 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 an oral presentation may 
submit written comments to the DFO 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).

    Dated: September 21, 2015.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-24304 Filed 9-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P