[Federal Register: May 1, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 83)]
[Notices]
[Page 20323-20324]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01my09-52]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-2303-N]
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employee Benefits Security Administration
Establishment of the Children's Health Insurance Program Working
Group and Request for Nominations for Members
AGENCIES: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS; Employee
Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), DOL
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the establishment of the Children's
Health Insurance Program Working Group and discusses the group's
purpose and charter. It also solicits nominations for members.
DATES: Nominations for membership will be considered if they are
received by June 1, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send nominations and written requests for copies of the
Charter of the Children's Health Insurance Program Working Group to--
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard,
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850. Mail stop: S2-06-28, Attention: Stacey
Green.
Web page: You may also review the charter online at: http://
www.cms.hhs.gov/FACA/06_CHIPWorkingGroup.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacey Green, Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, HHS at Stacey.Green@cms.hhs.gov or (410) 786-6102;
or Amy Turner, Employee Benefits Security Administration, DOL at (202)
693-8335. Press inquiries are handled through the CMS Press Office at
(202) 690-6145.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 311(b)(1)(C) of the Children's Health Insurance Program
Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) (Pub. L. 111-3) (Feb. 4, 2009),
directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of
Labor to jointly establish a Medicaid, CHIP, and Employer-Sponsored
Coverage Coordination Working Group (``the CHIP Working Group''). The
CHIP Working Group, as chartered, under the legal authority of section
311(b)(1)(C) of CHIPRA (Pub. L. 111-3), is also governed by the
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. App.
II. Charter, General Responsibilities, and Composition of the
Children's Health Insurance Program Working Group
A. Charter Information and General Responsibilities
On April 3, 2009 the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
Secretary of Labor signed the charter establishing the CHIP Working
Group. This group will meet up to 3 times over the life of the Group
and will terminate 17 months from the charter filing date. You may
obtain a copy of the charter for the CHIP Working Group by mailing a
written request to the address specified in the ADDRESSES section of
this notice. The purpose of the Working Group shall be to:
Develop a model coverage coordination disclosure form for
plan administrators of group health plans to complete for purposes of
permitting a State to determine the availability and cost-effectiveness
of coverage available under group health plans to employees who have
family members who are eligible for premium assistance offered under a
State plan under titles XIX or XXI of the Social Security Act (the Act)
and to allow for coordination of coverage for enrollees of such plans.
The form shall provide the following information in addition to other
information as the Working Group determines appropriate: (1) A
determination of whether the employee is eligible for coverage under
the group health plan, (2) the name and contact information of the plan
administrator of the group health plan, (3) the benefits offered under
the plan, (4) the premiums and cost-sharing required under the plan,
and (5) any other information relevant to the coverage under the plan.
Identify 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, submit to the Secretary of
Labor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services the model
disclosure form as stated above along with a report containing
recommendations for appropriate measures for addressing the impediments
(as stated above) to the effective coordination of coverage between
group health plans and the State plans under titles XIX and XXI of the
Act.
B. Composition of the CHIP Working Group
The Working Group shall consist of not more than 30 members,
jointly appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
Secretary of Labor, including the chair(s), one of whom shall be
appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and one of whom
shall be appointed by the Secretary of Labor. Members will serve
without compensation but will receive reimbursement for travel costs.
The Working Group shall be composed of representatives of: The
Department of Labor; the Department of
[[Page 20324]]
Health and Human Services; 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 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.
III. Submission of Nominations
The Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human
Services (the Departments) are requesting nominations for membership on
the CHIP Working Group. The Departments will consider qualified
individuals who are self-nominated or are nominated by organizations
representing affected stakeholders when selecting those
representatives. The Departments will make every effort to appoint
members to serve on the advisory board from among those candidates
determined to meet specific statutory categories and Departmental needs
and in a manner to ensure an appropriate balance of membership. The
Secretaries, however, reserve the discretion to appoint members to
serve on the advisory board in response to this notice if necessary to
meet specific statutory categories and Departmental needs in a manner
to ensure an appropriate balance of membership.
Any interested person may nominate one or more qualified
individuals (self-nominations will also be accepted) for each of the
categories listed in section II.B of this notice. Each nomination must
include the following information:
1. A letter of nomination that contains contact information for
both the nominator and nominee (if not the same).
2. A statement from the nominee that he or she is willing to serve
on the Working Group for its duration and an explanation of interest in
serving on the advisory board. The nominee should also indicate which
category or categories he or she is willing to represent and whether he
or she would be willing to serve as the chair of the advisory board.
(For self-nominations, this information may be included in the
nomination letter.)
3. A curriculum vitae that indicates the nominee's educational and/
or experience with Medicaid, CHIP, or experience with employment-based
health coverage.
4. Two letters of reference that support the nominee's
qualifications for participation on the advisory board. (For
nominations other than self-nominations, a nomination letter that
includes information supporting the nominee's qualifications may be
counted as one of the letters of reference.)
To ensure that a nomination is considered, the Departments must
receive all of the nomination information specified in section III of
this notice by June 1, 2009. Nominations should be mailed to the
address specified in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
Authority: Section 311(b)(1)(C) of the Children's Health
Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-3) (Feb.
4, 2009). The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Working
Group is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, (Pub. L. 92-463) (Oct. 6, 1972), as amended, 5 U.S.C.
App.
Dated: April 10, 2009.
Charlene Frizzera,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,
Department of Health and Human Services.
Dated: April 28, 2009.
Alan D. Lebowitz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Program Operations, Employee Benefits
Security Administration, Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. E9-10083 Filed 4-30-09; 8:45 am]