May 12 -- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), invites nominations by June 11, 2021 for a health economist to serve on the Advisory Panel for Outreach and Education (APOE). The APOE advises 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® and other CMS programs. The scope of the APOE 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.
More specifically, the APOE advises the Secretary 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® and other CMS programs.
Enhancing the federal government's effectiveness in informing Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or the Health Insurance Marketplace® 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® 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.
This notice requests nominations for three individuals to serve on the APOE to fill current vacancies and possible vacancies that may become available later in 2021. Members serve for 2-year terms. While we are looking for experts in a number of fields, our most specific needs are for experts in outreach to minority and underserved communities, health communications, disease-related advocacy, disability policy and access, health economics research, behavioral health, health insurers and plans, Health IT, social media, direct patient care, and matters of labor and retirement.
APOE webpage:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/FACA/APOE
FR notice inviting nominations:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/05/12/2021-10118/request-for-nominations-and-announcement-of-the-advisory-panel-on-outreach-and-education-apoe-may-26