05-3552. Medicare Program; Meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education-March 22, 2005

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2, section 10(a) (Pub. L. 92-463), this notice announces a meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the Panel) on March 22, 2005. The Panel advises and makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Department 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. This meeting replaces the February 24, 2005 meeting that was canceled.

DATES:

The meeting is scheduled for March 22, 2005 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., e.s.t.

Deadline for Presentations and Comments: March 15, 2005 12 noon, e.s.t.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the Wyndham Hotel, 1400 M Street, NW., Washington DC 20005, [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lynne Johnson, Health Insurance Specialist, Division of Partnership Development, Center for Beneficiary Choices, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail stop S2-23-05, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, [phone]. 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/​apme/​default.asp) for additional information and updates on committee activities, or contact Ms. Johnson via e-mail at [e-mail]. Press inquiries are handled through the CMS Press Office at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 217a), as amended, grants to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) the authority to establish an advisory panel if the Secretary finds the panel necessary and in the public interest. The Secretary signed the charter establishing this Panel on January 21, 1999 (64 FR 7849) and approved the renewal of the charter on January 14, 2005. 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:

• To develop and implement a national Medicare education program that describes the options for selecting a health plan under Medicare.
• To enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in informing the Medicare consumer, including the appropriate use of public-private partnerships.
• 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 health plan options and build a community infrastructure for information, counseling, and assistance.

The current members of the Panel are: Dr. Drew E. Altman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation; James L. Bildner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, New Horizons Partners, LLC; Dr. Jane Delgado, Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance For Hispanic Health; Clayton Fong, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; Thomas Hall, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cardio-Kinetics, Inc.; The Honorable Bobby Jindal, United States Congress; David Knutson, Director, Health System Studies, Park Nicollet Institute for Research and Education; Donald J. Lott, Executive Director, Indian Family Health Clinic; Dr. Frank I. Luntz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Luntz Research Companies; Katherine Metzger, Director, Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Fallon Community Health Plan; David Null, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch; Dr. Marlon Priest, Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Susan O. Raetzman, Associate Director, Public Policy Institute, AARP,and Catherine Valenti, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Caring Voice Coalition.

The agenda for the March 22, 2005 meeting will include the following:

• Recap of the previous (November 30, 2004) meeting.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services update.
• Medicare Modernization Act: 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 Lynne Johnson, Health Insurance Specialist, Division of Partnership Development, Center for Beneficiary Choices, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail stop S2-23-05, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or by email at [e-mail] no later than 12 noon, e.s.t., March 15, 2005 The number of oral presentations may be limited by the time available. Individuals not wishing to make a presentation may submit written comments to Ms. Johnson by 12 noon, e.s.t.), March 15, 2005. The meeting is open to the public, but attendance is limited to the space available.

Special Accommodation: Individuals requiring sign language interpretation or other special accommodations should contact Ms. Johnson at least 15 days before the meeting.

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 16, 2005.

Mark B. McClellan,

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.