[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 58 (Friday, March 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13442-13443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6773]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-7013-N]


Medicare Program; Announcement of Rechartering and Meeting of the 
Advisory Panel on Medicare Education, April 22, 2009

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the renewal of the charter of the 
Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the Panel). The Panel advises and 
makes recommendations to the Secretary 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 notice also announces 
a meeting of the Panel in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act. This meeting is open to the public.

DATES: Meeting Date: April 22, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., eastern 
daylight time (e.d.t.).
    Deadline for Meeting Registration, Presentations and Comments: 
April 15, 2009, 5 p.m., e.d.t.
    Deadline for Requesting Special Accommodations: April 8, 2009, 5 
p.m., e.d.t.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: Hilton Washington Hotel Embassy Row, 2015 
Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20036, (202) 265-6800.
    Meeting Registration, Presentations, and Written Comments: Lynne 
Johnson, Designated Federal Official, Division of Forum and Conference 
Development, Office of External Affairs, Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Mailstop S1-05-06, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 or contact Ms. Johnson via e-mail at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4e023720202b60042126203d21200e2d233d6026263d60292138"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0b477265656e25416463657864654b68667825636378256c647d">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Registration: 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 Lynne Johnson at the address listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice or by telephone at (410) 786-0090, by 
the date listed in the DATES section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Johnson, (410) 786-0090. Please 
refer to the CMS Advisory Committees' Information Line (1-877-449-5659 
toll free)/(410-786-9379 local) or the

[[Page 13443]]

Internet (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/04_APME.asp) for additional 
information and updates on committee activities. Press inquiries are 
handled through the CMS Press Office at (202) 690-6145.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act authorizes 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish 
an advisory panel if the Secretary determines that the panel is ``in 
the public interest in connection with the performance of duties 
imposed * * * by law.'' Such duties are imposed by section 1804 of the 
Social Security Act (the Act), requiring the Secretary to provide 
informational materials to Medicare beneficiaries about the Medicare 
program, and section 1851(d) of the Act, requiring the Secretary to 
provide for ``activities * * * to broadly disseminate information to 
[M]edicare beneficiaries * * * on the coverage options provided under 
[Medicare Advantage] in order to promote an active, informed selection 
among such options.''
    The Panel is also authorized by section 1114(f) of the Act (42 
U.S.C. 1311(f)) and section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 217a). The Secretary signed the charter establishing this Panel 
on January 21, 1999 (64 FR 7899, February 17, 1999) and approved the 
renewal of the charter on January 21, 2009. 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:
    <bullet> To provide recommendations on the development and 
implementation of a national Medicare education program that describes 
benefit options under Medicare.
    <bullet> To enhance the Federal government's effectiveness in 
informing the Medicare consumer.
    <bullet> To make recommendations on how to expand outreach to 
vulnerable and underserved communities, including racial and ethnic 
minorities, in the context of a national Medicare education program.
    <bullet> To assemble an information base of best practices for 
helping consumers evaluate benefit options and build a community 
infrastructure for information, counseling, and assistance.
    The current members of the Panel are: Gwendolyn T. Bronson, SHINE/
SHIP Counselor, Massachusetts SHINE Program; Dr. Yanira Cruz, President 
and Chief Executive Officer, National Hispanic Council on Aging; 
Stephen L. Fera, Vice President, Social Mission Programs, Independence 
Blue Cross; Clayton Fong, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; Nan Kirsten-Fort[eacute], 
Executive Vice President, Consumer Services, WebMD; Cathy Graeff, 
R.Ph., M.B.A., National, Senior Vice President, Communications and 
Industry Relations, National Council for Prescription Drug Programs; 
Dr. Carmen R. Green, Director, Pain Research Division, Associate 
Professor, Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Health System; Dr. 
Jessie C. Gruman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Center for the 
Advancement of Health; Cindy Hounsell, J.D., President, Women's 
Institute for a Secure Retirement; Kathy Hughes, Vice Chairwoman, 
Oneida Nation; Gail Hunt, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
National Alliance for Caregiving; Dr. Andrew M. Kramer, Professor of 
Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver; Dr. Frank B. McArdle, 
Manager, Hewitt Research Office, Hewitt Associates; Sandy Markwood, 
Chief Executive Officer, National Area Agencies on Aging; Robert L. 
Mollica, Consumer; David Roberts, M.P.A., Vice President, Government 
Relations, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society; Julie 
Bod[euml]n Schmidt, Associate Vice President, Training and Technical 
Assistance Department, National Association of Community Health 
Centers; Rebecca Snead, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive 
Officer, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations.
    The agenda for the April 22, 2009 meeting will include the 
following:
    <bullet> Recap of the previous (January 13, 2009) meeting.
    <bullet> Subgroup Committee Work Summary.
    <bullet> Medicare Outreach and Education Strategies.
    <bullet> Public Comment.
    <bullet> Listening Session with CMS Leadership.
    <bullet> 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 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 a presentation 
may submit written comments to Ms. Johnson at the address listed in the 
ADDRESSES 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 Ms. Johnson at the address listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice by the date listed in the DATES 
section of this notice.

    Authority: Sec. 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
217a) and sec. 10(a) of Public Law 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: March 18, 2009.
Charlene Frizzera,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. E9-6773 Filed 3-26-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P


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