2014-02065. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information (including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information) and to allow 60 days for public comment on the proposed action. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

DATES:

Comments must be received by April 4, 2014:

ADDRESSES:

When commenting, please reference the document identifier or OMB control number (OCN). To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in any one of the following ways:

1. Electronically. You may send your comments electronically to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for “Comment or Submission” or “More Search Options” to find the information collection document(s) that are accepting comments.

2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following address: CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Division of Regulations Development, Attention: Document Identifier/OMB Control Number ___, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

To obtain copies of a supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed collection(s) summarized in this notice, you may make your request using one of following:

1. Access CMS' Web site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/​PaperworkReductionActof1995.

2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to [e-mail].

3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Reports Clearance Office at [phone]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Contents

This notice sets out a summary of the use and burden associated with the following information collections. More detailed information can be found in each collection's supporting statement and associated materials (see ADDRESSES).

CMS-10515 Payment Collections Operations Contingency Plan

CMS-R-48 Hospital Conditions of Participation and Supporting Regulations

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. The term “collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA requires federal agencies to publish a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, CMS is publishing this notice.

Information Collections

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Payment Collection Operations Contingency Plan; Use: Under sections 1401, 1411, and 1412 of the Affordable Care Act and 45 CFR part 155 subpart D, an Exchange makes an advance determination of tax credit eligibility for individuals who enroll in Qualified Health Plan (QHP) coverage through the Exchange and seek financial assistance. Using information available at the time of enrollment, the Exchange determines whether the individual meets the income and other requirements for advance payments and the amount of the advance payments that can be used to pay premiums. Advance payments are made periodically under section 1412 of the Affordable Care Act to the issuer of the QHP in which the individual enrolls. Section 1402 of the Affordable Care Act provides for the reduction of cost sharing for certain individuals enrolled in a QHP through an Exchange, and section 1412 of the Affordable Care Act provides for the advance payment of these reductions to issuers. The statute directs issuers to reduce cost sharing for essential health benefits for individuals with household incomes between 100 and 400 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL) who are enrolled in a silver level QHP through an individual market Exchange and are eligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit. Health insurance issuers will manually enter enrollment and payment data into a Microsoft Excel-based spreadsheet, and submit the information to HHS. The data collection will be used by HHS to make payments or collect charges from issuers under the following programs: advance payments of the premium tax credit, advanced cost-sharing reductions, and Marketplace user fees. HHS will use the information collected to make payments and collect charges in January 2014 and for a number of months thereafter, as may be required based on HHS' operational progress. Form Number: CMS-10515 (OCN: 0938-1217); Frequency: Monthly; Affected Public: Private sector (business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions); Number of Respondents: 575; Total Annual Responses: 7,475; Total Annual Hours: 51,175. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Jaya Ghildiyal at 301-492-5149.)

2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Hospital Conditions of Participation and Supporting Regulations; Use: The information collection requirements described in this information collection request are needed to implement the Medicare and Medicaid conditions of participation (CoP) for 4,890 accredited and non-accredited hospitals and an additional 101 critical access hospitals (CAHs) that have distinct part psychiatric or rehabilitation units (DPUs). CAHs that have DPUs must comply with all of the hospital CoPs on these units. Thus, this package reflects the paperwork burden for a total of 4,991 (that is, 4,890 hospitals and 101 CAHs which include 81 CAHs that have psychiatric DPUs and 20 CAHs that have rehabilitation DPUs). The information collection requirements for the remaining 1,183 CAHs have been reported in a separate package under CMS-10239.

The CoPs and accompanying requirements specified in the supporting regulations are used by our surveyors as a basis for determining whether a hospital qualifies for a provider agreement under Medicare and Medicaid. CMS and the health care industry believe that the availability to the facility of the type of records and general content of records, which this regulation specifies, is standard medical practice and is necessary in order to ensure the well-being and safety of patients and professional treatment accountability. Form Number: CMS-R-48 (OCN: 0938-0328); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Private sector (business or other for-profits); Number of Respondents: 4,991; Total Annual Responses: 1,342,424; Total Annual Hours: 18,84,0617. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Scott Cooper at 410-786-9465.)

Dated: January 28, 2014.

Martique Jones,

Deputy Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.