Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 204 / Friday, October 22, 2004 / Notices 62057

noon, November 1, 2004, to be 

scheduled. Testimony is limited to 

agenda topics only. 

The number of oral presentations may 

be limited by the time available. A 

written copy of the presenter’s oral 

remarks must be submitted to John 

Lanigan, Designated Federal Official, by 

e-mail at Jlanigan@cms.hhs.gov no later 

than 12 noon, November 1, 2004, for 

distribution to Council members for 

review prior to the meeting. Physicians 

and medical organizations not 

scheduled to speak may also submit 

written comments to the Designated 

Federal Officer for distribution. 

The meeting is open to the public, but 

attendance is limited to the space 

available. 

Special Accommodations: Individuals 

requiring sign language interpretation or 

other special accommodation must 

contact John Lanigan by e-mail at 

Jlanigan@cms.hhs.gov or by telephone 

at (410) 786–2312 at least 10 days before 

the meeting.

Authority: (Section 1868 of the Social 

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ee) and section 

10(a) of Pub. L. 92–463 (5 U.S.C. App. 2, 

section 10(a)).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.773, Medicare—Hospital 

Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, 

Medicare—Supplementary Medical 

Insurance Program.)

Dated: October 7, 2004. 

Mark B. McClellan, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services.

[FR Doc. 04–23442 Filed 10–21–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–1302–N] 

Medicare Program; Town Hall Meeting 

on the Medicare Provider Feedback 

Group (MPFG) November 16, 2004

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces a town 

hall meeting. The purpose of the 

meeting is to solicit the opinions of 

individual Medicare providers and 

suppliers to educate CMS on how we 

can better serve Medicare providers and 

suppliers. Providers, physicians, home 

health agencies, industry billing staff 

representatives, and other Medicare 

billers are invited to attend this meeting. 

We will consider facts and opinions 

provided by individuals during this 

meeting. The information gathered will 

be used as feedback on CMS provider 

and supplier communication activities 

and related topics. The meeting is open 

to the public, but attendance is limited 

to space available.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for 

Tuesday, November 16, 2004, from 2 

p.m. until 3 p.m. e.s.t.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in 

the auditorium at the Centers for 

Medicare and Medicaid Services, 7500 

Security Boulevard, Baltimore, 

Maryland 21244.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robin Magwood, (410) 786–1999. You 

may also send e-mail inquiries about 

this meeting to 

RMagwood@cms.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On November 16, 2004, we will 

convene a town hall meeting to solicit 

the opinions of individual Medicare 

providers and suppliers on how CMS 

can better serve Medicare providers and 

suppliers through communication 

education materials and other means. 

This meeting will provide the Agency 

with a venue that allows Agency 

managers an opportunity to interact 

with individual Medicare providers and 

suppliers and obtain their opinions on 

various topics. We will have follow-up 

meetings to solicit additional opinions 

and clarify any issues that may arise 

during the November 16, 2004 meeting. 

At the November 16th meeting, we 

will explain CMS’s design for gathering 

individual provider and supplier 

information, and then ask for opinions 

on how CMS can better serve the 

Medicare provider and supplier 

community. An on-line registration is 

available for interested individuals who 

wish to participate in the meeting in 

person or by teleconference. The on-line 

registration will capture contact 

information and practice characteristics, 

such as names, email addresses, and 

provider and supplier types. 

Meeting Format: The meeting will 

begin with an overview of the goals and 

objectives of the initiative, including a 

discussion of our efforts to gather 

feedback from individual Medicare 

providers and suppliers. The meeting 

moderator will be introduced, and, 

along with members of the Provider 

Communications Group, Centers for 

Medicare Management, will provide 

background information on the 

initiative. We will then hold a question 

and answer session that offers meeting 

attendees an opportunity to provide 

feedback on how CMS serves Medicare 

providers and suppliers, as well as make 

suggestions regarding how this process 

can be improved. 

Attending the Meeting: The Provider 

Communication Group, Centers for 

Medicare Management, Division of 

Provider Relations and Evaluation, is 

the coordinator for this meeting. This 

meeting will be held in a Federal 

Government building, and persons 

attending the meeting will be required 

to show a photographic identification, 

preferably a valid driver’s license, and 

be listed on an approved security list 

before entering. Persons interested in 

attending the meeting and providing 

feedback must complete the on-line 

registration located at http://

registration.intercall.com/go/cms.

Registration will open on October 25, 

2004 and close November 23, 2004. The 

on-line registration system will generate 

a confirmation page to indicate the 

completion of your registration. Please 

print this page as your registration 

receipt. Registration after 12 p.m. on 

November 15, 2004 will delay 

confirmation and individuals may not 

be permitted entrance to the building. 

However, registrations received after 

November 16 will enable individuals to 

listen to a digital recording of the 

meeting. 

Individuals may participate in the 

public meeting by teleconference. The 

dial-in number is 877–357–7851, and 

you should reference conference 

identification number 1040512. 

Physicians and other interested parties 

may speak or ask questions during the 

question and answer period facilitated 

by the moderator. Parties may also 

submit written comments to the point of 

contact named in this Federal Register

Notice. 

Special Accommodations: Individuals 

requiring sign language interpretation or 

other special accommodations must 

contact Keri Boston by e-mail at 

Kboston@cms.hhs.gov.

Authority: Section 1811 and 1831 of the 

Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c and 

1395j).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program No. 93.774, Medicare—

Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

Dated: October 14, 2004. 

Mark B. McClellan, 

Administrator, Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services.

[FR Doc. 04–23443 Filed 10–21–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P