[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 113 (Thursday, June 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35655-35657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12653]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-7058-N]
Announcement of the Advisory Panel on Outreach and Education
(APOE) June 25, 2020 Meeting
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the next meeting of the 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
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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: Thursday, June 25, 2020, 12:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
eastern daylight time (e.d.t).
Deadline for Meeting Registration, Presentations, Special
Accommodations and Comments: Wednesday, June 17, 2020, 5:00 p.m.
eastern daylight time (e.d.t).
ADDRESSES:
Meeting Location: The meeting will be held virtually. All those who
RSVP will receive the link to attend.
Presentations and Written Comments: Presentations and written
comments should be submitted to: Lisa Carr, Designated Federal Official
(DFO), Office of Communications, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 325G HHH, Washington, DC
20201, 202-690-5742, 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 website https://www.eventbrite.com/e/104529556718/
or by contacting the DFO 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 ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES
section of this notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Carr, Designated Federal
Official, Office of Communications, 200 Independence Avenue SW,
Mailstop 325G HHH, Washington, DC 20201, 202-690-5742, or via email at
[email protected]. Additional information about the APOE is available
at: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/APOE.
Press inquiries are handled through the CMS Press Office at (202) 690-
6145.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background and Charter Renewal Information
A. Background
The Advisory Panel for Outreach and Education (APOE) (the Panel) is
governed by the provisions of the 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 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) 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 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. 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 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 111-148)
and Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-
152) (collectively referred to as the Affordable Care Act) expanded the
availability of other options for health care coverage and enacted a
number of changes to Medicare as well as to Medicaid and 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[supreg], or Marketplace[supreg] \2\). 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[supreg]. 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.
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\2\ Health Insurance Marketplace[supreg] and Marketplace[supreg]
\2\ are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services.
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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, 2019, and will
terminate on January 19, 2021 unless renewed by appropriate action.
B. Charter Renewal
In accordance with the January 19, 2019, charter, the APOE will
advise the HHS and CMS on developing and implementing education
programs that support individuals who are enrolled in or eligible for
Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or coverage available through the Health
Insurance Marketplace[supreg] and other CMS programs. The scope of this
Federal Advisory Committee Act (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, 2021, unless renewed by
appropriate action. The APOE was chartered under 42 U.S.C. 217a,
section 222 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. The
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APOE is governed by provisions of Pubic 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, the CHIP, and coverage available through the Health Insurance
Marketplace[supreg] and other CMS programs.
Enhancing the federal government's effectiveness in
informing Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or the Health Insurance
Marketplace[supreg] 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, partners and stakeholders.
Expanding outreach to vulnerable and underserved
communities, including racial and ethnic minorities, in the context of
Medicare, Medicaid, the CHIP and the Health Insurance
Marketplace[supreg] education programs, and other CMS programs as
designated.
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.
The current members of the Panel as of February 28, 2020 are: E.
Lorraine Bell, Chief Officer, Population Health, Catholic Charities
USA; Nazleen Bharmal, Medical Director of Community Partnerships,
Cleveland Clinic; Angie Boddie, Director of Health Programs, National
Caucus and Center on Black Aging, Inc.; Julie Carter, Senior Federal
Policy Associate, Medicare Rights Center; Scott Ferguson, Director of
Care Transitions and Population Health, Mount Sinai St. Luke's
Hospital; Leslie Fried, Senior Director, Center for Benefits Access,
National Council on Aging; David Goldberg, President and CEO of Mon
Health System; Jean-Venable Robertson Goode, Professor, Department of
Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science, School of Pharmacy, Virginia
Commonwealth University; Ted Henson, Director of Health Center
Performance and Innovation, National Association of Community Health
Centers; Joan Ilardo, Director of Research Initiatives, Michigan State
University, College of Human Medicine; Cheri Lattimer, Executive
Director, National Transitions of Care Coalition; Cori McMahon, Vice
President, Tridiuum; Alan Meade, Director of Rehab Services, Holston
Medical group; Michael Minor, National Director, H.O.P.E. HHS
Partnership, National Baptist Convention USA, Incorporated; Jina
Ragland, Associate State Director of Advocacy and Outreach, AARP
Nebraska; Morgan Reed, Executive Director, Association for Competitive
Technology; Margot Savoy, Chair, Department of Family and Community
Medicine, Temple University Physicians; Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz,
President and CEO, Better Medicare Alliance; and; Tia Whitaker,
Statewide Director, Outreach and Enrollment, Pennsylvania Association
of Community Health Centers.
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 June 25, 2020 meeting will
include the following:
Welcome and listening session with CMS leadership
Recap of the previous (January 15, 2020) meeting
CMS programs, initiatives, and priorities
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.
III. Meeting Participation
This meeting will be held virtually. It is open to the public, but
attendance is limited to registered participants. Persons wishing to
attend this meeting must register by contacting the DFO 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 specified in the DATES section of this notice.
IV. Collection of Information
This document does not impose information collection requirements,
that is, reporting, recordkeeping, or third-party disclosure
requirements. Consequently, there is no need for review by the Office
of Management and Budget under the authority of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS), Seema Verma, having reviewed and approved this document,
authorizes Evell J. Barco Holland, who is the Federal Register Liaison,
to electronically sign this document for purposes of publication in the
Federal Register.
Authority: Sec. 1114(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1314(f)), 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 part 102-3).
Dated: June 4, 2020.
Evell J. Barco Holland,
Federal Register Liaison, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2020-12653 Filed 6-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P