Notice2024-25966
Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, Private Health Insurance Program; Health Equity Advisory Committee; Establishment & Nomination Request
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Published
November 8, 2024
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Abstract
This notice announces the establishment of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Equity Advisory Committee (the "Committee") and solicits nominations for members to be appointed to the Committee by the Director of the CMS Office of Minority Health. The Committee is established to advise and make recommendations to CMS on the identification and resolution of systemic barriers to accessing CMS programs that hinder quality of care for beneficiaries and consumers. The Committee will focus on health disparities in underserved communities, which are populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, such as but not limited to Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality as defined in the Executive Order, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 217 (Friday, November 8, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 217 (Friday, November 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88780-88782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25966]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[CMS-5054-N]
Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, Private
Health Insurance Program; Health Equity Advisory Committee;
Establishment & Nomination Request
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the establishment of the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Equity Advisory Committee
(the ``Committee'') and solicits nominations for members to be
appointed to the Committee by the Director of the CMS Office of
Minority Health. The Committee is established to advise and make
recommendations to CMS on the identification and resolution of systemic
barriers to accessing CMS programs that hinder quality of care for
beneficiaries and consumers. The Committee will focus on health
disparities in underserved communities, which are populations sharing a
particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have
been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects
of economic, social, and civic life, such as but not limited to Black,
Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious
minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons;
persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons
otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality as
defined in the Executive Order, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for
Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
DATES: Nominations must be received no later than December 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Nominations and requests for copies of the Health Equity
Advisory Committee (HEAC) Charter may be submitted to the address
specified below. Please do not submit duplicates. Nominations or
requests for copies of the HEAC Charter must be submitted by email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#642c212527240709174a0c0c174a030b12"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="743c313537341719075a1c1c075a131b02">[email protected]</span></a> with the subject line ``HEAC Nomination'' or ``HEAC
Request for Charter,'' depending on the content of the email.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Iris Allen, Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, HHS, at (410) 786-1633.
Press inquiries may be submitted by phone at (202) 690-6145 or by
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ddadafb8aeae9dbeb0aef3b5b5aef3bab2ab"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="37474552444477545a44195f5f4419505841">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Health Equity Advisory Committee (the ``Committee'' or
``HEAC'') is established to advise and make recommendations to the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the identification
and resolution of systemic barriers to accessing CMS programs that
hinder quality of care for beneficiaries and consumers. Consistent with
Executive Order (E.O.) 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for
Underserved Communities through the Federal Government,\1\ the
Committee will seek to advise and make recommendations to CMS on
ensuring all eligible individuals can access CMS programs and identify
how CMS can deliver benefits equitably to all people enrolled in CMS
programs. The Committee will also serve as a dedicated platform for CMS
collaboration with key interested persons to advance health equity by
identifying how CMS can promote quality and access for
[[Page 88781]]
beneficiaries of all CMS programs. The Committee will help CMS consider
a broad range of views and information from interested and impacted
audiences of CMS programs. The Committee's focus on health equity will
address health disparities in underserved communities, which are
populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic
communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to
participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, such as but
not limited to Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American
persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of
color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities;
persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely
affected by persistent poverty or inequality.\2\
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\1\ 86 FR 7009, January 25, 2021.
\2\ 86 FR 7009, January 25, 2021.
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II. Charter, General Responsibilities, and Composition of the CMS
Health Equity Advisory Committee
A. Charter Information and General Responsibilities
On July 26, 2024, the Secretary of Health and Human Services
finalized the Charter establishing the HEAC. The HEAC shall advise the
Secretary and the CMS Administrator concerning optimal strategies for
those enrolled in, or eligible for Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, or
health coverage available through the Health Insurance Marketplace and
other CMS programs, that eliminate or reduce systemic barriers
including:
<bullet> Enhancing the federal government's effectiveness in
understanding and promoting the consistent and systemic fair, just and
impartial treatment of all individuals as outlined in the Executive
Order within their health program policies.
<bullet> Developing and implementing opportunities to increase
coordination and engagement with community-based organizations.
<bullet> Developing and implementing strategies to assess whether,
and to what extent, the agency's programs and policies perpetuate
systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits.
A copy of the Charter for the HEAC may be obtained by submitting a
written request to the email address specified in the ADDRESSES section
of this notice.
B. Composition of the Health Equity Advisory Committee (HEAC)
The Committee must consist of individuals that have expertise
working with underserved communities that have been denied fair, just,
and impartial treatment, such as Black, Latino, American Indian and
Alaska Native persons, Asian and Pacific Islanders and other persons of
color; members of religious minorities; LGBTQ+ persons; persons with
disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons who are
otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. The
members may be selected by the CMS Administrator, or their designee,
and must be knowledgeable in the fields of health equity; outreach to
underserved populations; community/safety net providers; disability
policy and access; and/or other relevant health equity matters that are
presented or addressed by the agency. The Committee may also be
comprised of Special Government Employees and Representative Members.
III. Submissions of Nominations
The Secretary is requesting nominations for membership in the HEAC.
The Secretary also requests nominations for a member to serve as the
chairperson of the HEAC. When selecting those members, the Secretary
will consider qualified individuals who are nominated by individuals or
organizations representing affected stakeholders. The Secretary will
make every effort to appoint members to serve on the HEAC from among
those candidates determined to have the technical expertise (including
expertise from professional and lived experience) required to meet
specific agency needs and to ensure an appropriate balance of expertise
and experience among the membership. The diversity of expertise in such
membership includes expertise on matters such as race, ethnicity,
gender, disability, sexual orientation, religious affiliation,
geographic location, political status, and gender identity. The
Secretary reserves the discretion to appoint members who were not
nominated in response to this notice to serve on the HEAC if necessary
to meet specific agency needs in a manner that ensures an appropriate
balance of membership that is reflective of all of CMS' programs as
well as a variety of experiences and backgrounds.
Any interested person or organization may nominate one qualified
individual (self-nominations will not be accepted). Each nomination
must include the following information:
<bullet> A letter of nomination that contains contact information
for both the nominator and nominee. One-page maximum.
<bullet> A statement from the nominee with an explanation of
interest in serving on the HEAC and that they are willing to serve on
the HEAC for at least two years. The nominee should also indicate which
category or categories of underserved communities specified in section
II.B their expertise can represent. One-page maximum.
<bullet> A resum[eacute] or curriculum vitae that indicates the
nominee's educational experience and relevant professional and/or lived
experience. Two-pages maximum.
<bullet> Two letters of reference that support the nominee's
qualifications for membership on the HEAC and how their educational,
professional, and/or lived experience aligns with at least one or more
of the 5 priority areas within the CMS Framework for Health Equity or
one or more of the 6 priority areas within the CMS Framework for
Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal and Geographically Isolated
Communities. Please choose only one framework to align the nominee's
experience with a CMS priority area. One-page maximum per letter.
<bullet> The 5 Priority Areas within the CMS Framework for Health
Equity are--
++ Priority 1: Expand the Collection, Reporting, and Analysis of
Standardized Data.
++ Priority 2: Assess Causes of Disparities Within CMS Programs and
Address Inequities in Policies and Operations to Close Gaps.
++ Priority 3: Build Capacity of Health Care Organizations and the
Workforce to Reduce Health and Health Care Disparities.
++ Priority 4: Advance Language Access, Health Literacy, and the
Provision of Culturally Tailored Services.
++ Priority 5: Increase All Forms of Accessibility to Health Care
Services and Coverage.
<bullet> The 6 Priority Areas within the CMS Framework for
Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal and Geographically Isolated
Communities are--
++ Priority 1: Apply a Community-Informed Geographic Lens to CMS
Programs and Policies.
++ Priority 2: Increase Collection and Use of Standardized Data to
Improve Health Care for Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated
Communities.
++ Priority 3: Strengthen and Support Health Care Professionals in
Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities.
++ Priority 4: Optimize Medical and Communication Technology for
Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities.
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++ Priority 5: Expand Access to Comprehensive Health Care Coverage,
Benefits, and Services and Supports for Individuals in Rural, Tribal,
and Geographically Isolated Communities.
++ Priority 6: Drive Innovation and Value-Based Care in Rural,
Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities.
To ensure that a nomination is considered, CMS must receive all the
nomination information specified in section III of this notice by
December 12, 2024. Nominations should be emailed to the appropriate
address specified in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS), Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, having reviewed and approved this
document, authorizes Vanessa Garcia, who is the Federal Register
Liaison, to electronically sign this document for purposes of
publication in the Federal Register.
Vanessa Garcia,
Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-25966 Filed 11-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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