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[Federal Register: March 31, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 61)]
[Notices]               
[Page 16149-16150]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31mr10-98]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-2312-N]

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employee Benefits Security Administration

 
Medicaid and CHIP Programs; Meeting of the CHIP Working Group--
April 26, 2010

AGENCIES: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of 
Health and Human Services (DHHS); Employee Benefits Security 
Administration (EBSA), Department of Labor (DOL).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the first meeting of the Medicaid, 
Children's Health Insurance Program (``CHIP''), and Employer-Sponsored 
Coverage Coordination Working Group (referred to as the ``CHIP Working 
Group''). The CHIP Working Group will meet to address objectives 
specified under section 311(b)(1)(C) of the Children's Health Insurance 
Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. This meeting is open to the 
public.

DATES: Meeting Date: Monday, April 26, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T.).
    Deadline for Registration without Oral Presentation: April 21, 
2010, 12 p.m., E.S.T.
    Deadline for Registration of Oral Presentations: April 12, 2010 12 
p.m., E.S.T.
    Deadline for Submission of Oral Remarks and Written Comments: April 
12, 2010 12 p.m., E.S.T.
    Deadline for Requesting Special Accommodations: April 12, 2010 12 
p.m., E.S.T.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The meeting will be held at the Omni 
Shoreham, 2500 Calvert Street, NW. at Connecticut Avenue in Washington, 
DC 20008.
    Submission of Testimony: Testimonies should be mailed to Stacey 
Green, Designated Federal Official (DFO), Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail stop C2-04-04, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, or contact the DFO via e-mail at 
stacey.green@cms.hhs.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacey Green, DFO, Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services, DHHS at (410) 786-6102, or Amy Turner,

[[Page 16150]]

Employee Benefits Security Administration, DOL at (202) 693-8335. News 
media representatives must contact the CMS Press Office, (202) 690-
6145. Please refer to the Internet at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA, or 
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/CHIP.html for additional information and 
updates on committee activities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In accordance with section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (FACA), this notice announces the first meeting of the Medicaid, 
CHIP, and Employer-Sponsored Coverage Coordination Working Group 
(``CHIP Working Group''). The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
and the Secretary of Labor are required under section 311(b)(1)(C) of 
the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) of 
2009 (Pub. L. 111-3), enacted February 4, 2009, to jointly establish a 
CHIP Working Group. The membership of the group is based on nominations 
submitted in response to a Federal Register solicitation notice 
published on May 1, 2009 (74 FR 20323). The CHIP Working Group will 
meet two times to develop a model coverage coordination disclosure form 
for group health plan administrators to send to States upon request 
regarding benefits available under the plan. This notice will enable 
States to determine the availability and cost-effectiveness of 
providing premium assistance to individuals eligible for benefits under 
titles XIX or XXI of the Social Security Act (the Act) to enable them 
to enroll in group health plans. The CHIP Working Group will identify 
and report on the impediments to the effective coordination of coverage 
available to families that include employees of employers that maintain 
group health plans and members who are eligible for medical assistance 
under title XIX of the Act or child health assistance or other health 
benefits coverage under title XXI of the Act.
    Not later than August 5, 2010, the CHIP Working Group must submit 
to the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services the model coverage coordination disclosure form and the report 
containing recommendations for appropriate measures for addressing the 
impediments to the effective coordination of coverage.
    The CHIP Working Group consists of 22 individuals, including 2 Co-
Chairs. Members of the CHIP Working Group are composed of 
representatives of the Department of Labor (DOL); the Department of 
Health and Human Services (DHHS); State directors of the Medicaid 
Program under title XIX of the Act; State directors of the State 
Children's Health Insurance Program under title XXI of the Act; 
employers, including owners of small businesses and their trade or 
industry representatives and certified human resource and payroll 
professionals; plan administrators and plan sponsors of group health 
plans as defined in section 607(1) of the Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974, as amended; health insurance issuers; and 
representatives of children and other beneficiaries of medical 
assistance under title XIX of the Act or child health assistance or 
other health benefits coverage under title XXI of the Act. Members 
serve for the duration of the committee.
    The current members are:
     Department of Labor: Phyllis Borzi;
     Department of HHS: Victoria Wachino;
     State Representatives, including Medicaid and CHIP 
Directors: Mari Spaulding-Bynon, Rhonda Medows, Howard ``Rocky'' King, 
Ann Clemency Kohler; Janet Olszewski, Linda Sheppard, and Anita Smith;
     Employers, Plan Sponsors, and Plan Administrators: Emma 
Bennett-Williams, Barbara Caress, Roberta Casper Watson, Greta Cowart, 
Kaye Pestaina, and Mark Stember;
     Health Insurance Issuers: Terry Bayer, Ellyn Fuchsteiner, 
and Kevin Hayden; and
     Representatives of Children and Other Beneficiaries of 
Medical Assistance: Joan Alker, George Askew, Miguel Carranza, and 
Karen Pollitz.

II. Meeting Format and Agenda

    The meeting will commence with welcoming remarks for the CHIP 
Working Group by Departmental representatives. In addition, the agenda 
will focus on the following:
     Opening statements from the Co-Chairs, as well as 
introductions and remarks by other CHIP Working Group members;
     Swearing in of members;
     An overview of FACA requirements;
     An overview by DOL and HHS staff of the deliverables that 
the CHIP Working Group is responsible for under CHIPRA:
    + A model coverage coordination disclosure form for plan 
administrators of group health plans.
    + A report containing recommendations for appropriate measures for 
addressing the impediments to the effective coordination of coverage 
between group health plans and title XIX and XXI State plans.
     An opportunity for public comment and testimony.
    For additional information and clarification on these topics, 
contact the DFO as provided in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section of this notice. Individual or organizational stakeholders that 
represent the focus area of the CHIP Working Group wishing to present a 
5-minute oral testimony on agenda issues must register with the DFO by 
the date listed in the DATES section of this notice. Testimony is 
limited to agenda topics only. The number of oral testimonies may be 
limited by the time available. A written copy of the presenter's oral 
remarks must be submitted to the DFO for distribution to CHIP Working 
Group members for review before the meeting by the date listed in the 
DATES section of this notice. Individual and organizational 
stakeholders not scheduled to speak may also submit written comments to 
the DFO for distribution by the date listed in the DATES section of 
this notice.

III. Meeting Registration and Security Information

    The meeting is open to the public, but attendance is limited to the 
space available. 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.
    Individuals requiring sign language interpretation or other special 
accommodations must contact the DFO via the contact information 
specified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice 
by the date listed in the DATES section of this notice.

    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)).

    Dated: March 25, 2010.
Charlene Frizzera,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
    Dated: March 23, 2010.
Michael L. Davis,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits Security Administration, 
Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2010-7225 Filed 3-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P; 4510-29-P
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