[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 7, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 36695-36696] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-17161] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Care Financing Administration [HCFA-1082-N] Medicare Program; July 22, 1999, Meeting of the Competitive Pricing Advisory Committee and the Area Advisory Committee for the Kansas City Metropolitan Area AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS. ACTION: Notice of meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this notice announces a meeting of the Competitive Pricing Advisory Committee (the CPAC) and the Area Advisory Committee (AAC) for the Kansas City metropolitan area on July 22, 1999. The CPAC and the Kansas City metropolitan area AAC will meet both independently and in a joint session. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish a demonstration project under which payments to Medicare+Choice organizations in designated areas are determined in accordance with a competitive pricing methodology. The BBA requires the Secretary to create the CPAC to make recommendations on demonstration area designation and appropriate research designs for the project. The BBA also requires the Secretary to appoint AACs in the demonstration sites to advise on the implementation of the project. CPAC and AAC meetings are open to the public. DATES: The CPAC is scheduled to meet on July 22, 1999, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., c.d.s.t. The Kansas City metropolitan area AAC is scheduled to meet on July 22, 1999, from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Both committees will meet together in a joint session from 12 noon until 4 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Kansas City Airport Marriott, 775 Brasilia, Kansas City, MO, 64153, (816) 464-2200. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Arnold, Ph.D., Executive Director, Competitive Pricing Advisory Committee, Health Care Financing Administration, 7500 Security Boulevard C4-14-17, Baltimore, MD 21244- 1850, (410) 786-6451 (for information about the CPAC). Richard P. Brummel, Deputy Regional Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration, Richard Bolling Federal Building, Room 235, 601 East 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106, (816) 426-5233 (for information about the Kansas City metropolitan area AAC). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4011 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) (Pub. L. 105-33), requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish a demonstration project under which payments to Medicare+Choice organizations in designated areas are determined in accordance with a competitive pricing methodology. Section 4012(a) of the BBA requires the Secretary to appoint a Competitive Pricing Advisory Committee (the CPAC) to meet periodically and make recommendations to the Secretary concerning the designation of areas for inclusion in the project and appropriate research designs for implementing the project. The CPAC has previously met on May 7, 1998, June 24 and 25, 1998, September 23 and 24, 1998, October 28, 1998, January 6, 1999, and May 13, 1999. The CPAC consists of 15 individuals who are independent actuaries, experts in competitive pricing and the administration of the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program, representatives of health plans, insurers, employers, unions, and beneficiaries. The CPAC members are: James Cubbin, Executive Director, General Motors Health Care Initiative; Robert Berenson, M.D., Director, Center for Health Plans and Providers, Health Care Financing Administration; John Bertko, Actuary Principal, Reden & Anders, Ltd.; Dave Durenberger, Vice President, Public Policy Partners; Gary Goldstein, M.D., former CEO, The Oschner Clinic; Samuel Havens, Healthcare Consultant and Chairman of Health Scope/United; Margaret Jordan, President and CEO, The Margaret Jordan Group; Chip Kahn, President, The Health Insurance Association of America; Cleve Killingsworth, President, Health Alliance Plan; Nancy Kichak, Director, Office of Actuaries, Office of Personnel Management; Len Nichols, Principal Research Associate, The Urban Institute; Robert Reischauer, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution; John Rother, Director, Legislation and Public Policy, American Association of Retired Persons; Andrew Stern, President, Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO; and Jay Wolfson, Director, Florida Health Information Center, University of South Florida. The chairperson of the CPAC is James Cubbin and the co-chairperson is Robert Berenson, M.D. In accordance with section 4012(a)(5) of the BBA, the CPAC will terminate on December 31, 2004. Section 4012(b) of the BBA requires the Secretary to appoint an Area Advisory Committee (AAC) in each demonstration site to advise the Secretary on the implementation of the project. The CPAC has designated the Kansas City metropolitan area and Maricopa County in Arizona as the initial demonstration sites. The Kansas City metropolitan area AAC has previously met on March 26, 1999, April 8, 1999, April 22, 1999, and May 12, 1999. The Maricopa County AAC has previously met on March 31, 1999, April 20, 1999, May 18 and 19, 1999, and June 7 and 8, 1999. Additional meetings for the Maricopa County AAC are scheduled for June 30 and July 1, 1999. The Kansas City metropolitan area AAC consists of 17 members who represent health plans, providers, and Medicare beneficiaries. The members of the Kansas City metropolitan area AAC are: E.J. Holland, Jr., Assistant Vice President for Corporate Benefits, Sprint; Robert Bonney, Vice President, Managed Care, St. Luke's Shawnee Mission PHO; Hazel Borders, beneficiary; Richard Brown, President and CEO, Health Midwest; Cynthia Finter, President and Executive Director, Kaiser Permanente, Kansas City Region; Tresia Franklin, Director of Benefits Administration, Hallmark Cards, Inc.; Alan Freeman, CEO, Cass Medical Center; Herman Johnson, beneficiary, John Kennedy, Senior Vice President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City; Mike Oxford, Executive Director, Topeka Independent Living Resource Center; Jean Rumbaugh, Vice President, Government Programs, HealthNet; Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas Insurance Commissioner; Zarina Shockley-Sparling, Executive Director, Humana, Inc.; Jan Stallmeyer, R.N., President, Principal Health Care of Kansas City, Inc.; Charles Van Way III, [[Page 36696]] M.D., Metropolitan Medical Society; Barry Wilkinson, President (retired), Heavy Construction Workers Labor Local 663; and Esther Wolf, Associate, School of Social Welfare, University of Missouri at Kansas City. The chairperson of the Kansas City metropolitan area AAC is E.J. Holland, Jr. The agendas for the July 22, 1999, meetings will include the following:The CPAC will meet to review the status and any pending issues from the Maricopa County AAC and Kansas City metropolitan area AAC, as well as review preliminary information on future demonstration site selection. The Kansas City metropolitan area AAC will discuss and develop a communication and outreach plan for Kansas City beneficiaries and providers, discuss and decide how to measure potential disruption in the Kansas City market due to competitive pricing, and discuss and decide a schedule for implementation of the demonstration. In a joint session from 12 noon to 4 p.m., the CPAC and the Kansas City metropolitan area AAC will meet to discuss and decide how to measure possible beneficiary disruption in the Kansas City market due to competitive pricing. Individuals or organizations that wish to make 5-minute oral presentations on the CPAC agenda issues should contact Sharon Arnold, CPAC Executive Director, by 12 noon, July 15, 1999, to be scheduled. A written copy of the oral remarks should be submitted to the executive director no later than 12 noon, July 15, 1999. Anyone who is not scheduled to speak may submit written comments to the executive director by 12 noon, July 17, 1999. Individuals or organizations that wish to make 5-minute oral presentations on the Kansas City metropolitan area AAC agenda issues should contact Richard Brummel, Kansas City Deputy Regional Administrator, by 12 noon, July 15, 1999, to be scheduled. A written copy of the oral remarks should be submitted to the Kansas City Deputy Regional Administrator no later than 12 noon, July 15, 1999. Anyone who is not scheduled to speak may submit written comments to the Kansas City Deputy Regional Administrator by 12 noon, July 17, 1999. The number of oral presentations may be limited by the time available. This meeting is open to the public, but attendance is limited to the space available. (Sec. 4012 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, Pub. L. 105-33 (42 U.S.C.1395w-23 note) and section 10(a) of Public Law 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: June 30, 1999. Nancy-Ann Min DeParle, Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration. [FR Doc. 99-17161 Filed 7-6-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4120-01-P