[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71948-71950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-28004]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-7057-N]
Announcement of the Advisory Panel on Outreach and Education
(APOE); January 15, 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 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: Wednesday, January 15, 2020 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
eastern standard time (e.s.t).
Deadline for Meeting Registration, Presentations, Special
Accommodations and Comments: Tuesday, January 7, 2020, 5:00 p.m.
eastern standard time (e.s.t).
ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW,
Room 505A, Washington, DC 20201.
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/apoe-january-15-2020-meeting-tickets-81969951331 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: http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-guidance/Guidance/FACA/APOE.html. 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
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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\SM\, or Marketplace\SM\ \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\SM\. 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\SM\ and Marketplace\SM\ are
service marks 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\SM\ 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 APOE is
governed by provisions of Pub. L. 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\SM\ and other CMS programs.
Enhancing the federal government's effectiveness in
informing Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or the Health Insurance
Marketplace\SM\ 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\SM\
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 November 18, 2019 are: 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 R.
Goode, Professor, Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science,
School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University; Louise Scherer
Knight, Director, Harry J. Duffey Family Patient and Family Services
Program, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center; Cheri
Lattimer, Executive Director, National Transitions of Care Coalition;
Michael Minor, National Director, H.O.P.E. HHS Partnership, National
Baptist Convention USA, Incorporated; Cathy Phan, Business Development
Coordinator, Asian American Health Coalition dba HOPE Clinic; Margot
Savoy, Chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Temple
University Physicians; Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, President and
CEO, Better Medicare Alliance; and Tobin Van Ostern, Co-Founder, Young
Invincibles Advisors; 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 January 15, 2020 meeting will
include the following:
Welcome and listening session with CMS leadership
Recap of the previous (November 14, 2019) 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
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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. Security, Building, and Parking Guidelines
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. This meeting will be held in a federal
government building, the Hubert H. Humphrey (HHH) Building; therefore,
federal security measures are applicable.
The REAL ID Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-13) establishes minimum
standards for the issuance of state-issued driver's licenses and
identification (ID) cards. It prohibits federal agencies from accepting
an official driver's license or ID card from a state for any official
purpose unless the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
determines that the state meets these standards. Beginning October
2015, photo IDs (such as a valid driver's license) issued by a state or
territory not in compliance with the Real ID Act will not be accepted
as identification to enter federal buildings. Visitors from these
states/territories will need to provide alternative proof of
identification (such as a valid passport) to gain entrance into federal
buildings. The current list of states from which a federal agency may
accept driver's licenses for an official purpose is found at http://www.dhs.gov/real-id-enforcement-brief.
We recommend that confirmed registrants arrive reasonably early,
but no earlier than 45 minutes prior to the start of the meeting, to
allow additional time to clear security. Security measures include the
following:
Presentation of a government-issued photographic
identification to the Federal Protective Service or Guard Service
personnel.
Inspection, via metal detector or other applicable means,
of all persons entering the building. We note that all items brought
into HHH Building, whether personal or for the purpose of presentation
or to support a presentation, are subject to inspection. We cannot
assume responsibility for coordinating the receipt, transfer,
transport, storage, set up, safety, or timely arrival of any personal
belongings or items used for presentation or to support a presentation.
Note: Individuals who are not registered in advance will not be
permitted to enter the building and will be unable to attend the
meeting.
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).
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: December 19, 2019.
Seema Verma,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2019-28004 Filed 12-27-19; 8:45 am]
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