advisory council on medical assistance

advisory council on medical assistance Sec. 226. Title XIX of the Social Security Act is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section: “advisory council on medical assistance “Sec. 1906. For the purpose of advising the Secretary on matters of general policy in the administration of this title (including the relationship of this title and title XVIII) and making recommendations for improvements in such administration, there is hereby created a Medical Assistance Advisory Council which shall consist of twenty-one persons, not otherwise in the employ of the United States, appointed by the Secretary without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service. The Secretary shall from time to time appoint one of the members to serve as Chairman. The members shall include representatives of State and local agencies and nongovernmental organizations and groups concerned with health, and of consumers of health services, and a majority of the membership of the Advisory Council shall consist of representatives of consumers of health services. Each member shall hold office for a term of four years, except that any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term, and except that the terms of office of the members first taking office shall expire, as designated by the Secretary at the time of appointment, five at the end of the first year, five at the end of the second year, five at the end of the third year, and six at the end of the fourth year after the date of appointment. A member shall not be eligible to serve continuously for more than two terms. The Secretary may, at the request of the Council or otherwise, appoint such special advisory professional or technical committees as may be useful in carrying out this title. Members of the Advisory Council and members of any such advisory or technical committee, while attending meetings or conferences thereof or otherwise serving on business of the Advisory Council or of such committee, shall be entitled to receive compensation at rates fixed by the Secretary, but not exceeding $100 per day, including travel time, and while so serving away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed travel expenses, inducting per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons in the Government service employed intermittently. The Advisory Council shall meet as frequently as the Secretary deems necessary. Upon request of five or more members, it shall be the duty of the Secretary to call a meeting of the Advisory Council.”