[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 241 (Monday, December 17, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64578-64580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27198]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-7056-N]


Medicare and Medicaid Programs, and Other Program Initiatives, 
and Priorities; Request for Nominations to the Advisory Panel on 
Outreach and Education (APOE)

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice requests nominations for individuals to serve on 
the Advisory Panel on Outreach and Education (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 Savings Time (e.s.t.) on January 16, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver nominations to the following address: Lynne 
Johnson, Acting Designated Federal Official, Office of Communications, 
CMS, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S1-05-06, Baltimore, MD 21244-

[[Page 64579]]

1850 or email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Johnson, Acting Designated 
Federal Official, Office of Communications, CMS, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Mail Stop S1-05-06, Baltimore, MD 21244, 410-786-0897, email 
[email protected] or visit the website 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 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 Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1314(f)) and section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 217a).
    The Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the predecessor to the 
APOE) was created in 1999 to advise and make recommendations to the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, 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).
    The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 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. CMS has 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 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 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, 
CMS has 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 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 a competitive marketplace, 
called an Affordable Insurance Exchange (also called Health Insurance 
Marketplace\SM\, or Marketplace\SM\). 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\SM\. 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.
    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) (Pub. 
L. 111-5).
    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 19, 2017, and will 
terminate on January 19, 2019 unless renewed by appropriate action.

II. Provisions of This Notice

A. Renewal of the APOE

    On January 19, 2017, the APOE charter was renewed. The APOE will 
advise the Department of Health and Human Services and CMS on 
developing and implementing education programs that support individuals 
with or who are eligible for coverage through the 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 FACA 
group also includes advising on education of providers and stakeholders 
with respect to health care reform and certain provisions of the HITECH 
Act enacted as part of the ARRA.
    The charter will terminate on January 19, 2019, 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.
    In accordance with the renewed charter, the APOE will advise the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services and the CMS 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 CHIP, or coverage available through the Health 
Insurance Marketplace\SM,\ and other CMS programs.
     Enhancing the federal government's effectiveness in 
informing Health Insurance Marketplace\SM\, 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\SM\, Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP 
education programs, and other CMS 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,

[[Page 64580]]

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 up to 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 requests nominations for 10 individuals to serve 
on the APOE to fill current vacancies and 10 vacancies that will become 
available in 2019. This notice is an invitation to interested 
organizations or individuals to submit their nominations for membership 
(no self-nominations will be accepted). The CMS 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 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 
specific needs are for experts in 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, and matters of labor and retirement.
    We are requesting that all submitted 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.
     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 
website at: https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/apex/FACAPublicCommittee?id=a10t0000001gzsCAAQ, or you may obtain a copy of 
the charter by submitting a request to the contact listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION section of this notice.

    Dated: December 3, 2018.
Seema Verma,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2018-27198 Filed 12-14-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P