2014-27835. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Public Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR is for extending the use of the approved information collection assigned OMB control number 0990-0330, scheduled to expire on 12/31/14. Comments submitted during the first public review of this ICR will be provided to OMB. OMB will accept further comments from the public on this ICR during the review and approval period.

DATES:

Comments on the ICR must be received on or before December 26, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments to [e-mail] or via facsimile to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Information Collection Clearance staff, [e-mail] or [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

When submitting comments or requesting information, please include the OMB control number <OCN> and document identifier HHS-OS-0990-0330 30D for reference.

Information Collection Request Title: Annual Appellant Climate Survey- Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA).

OMB No.: 0990-0330.

Abstract: The annual OMHA Appellant Climate Survey is a survey of Medicare beneficiaries, providers, suppliers, or their representatives who participated in a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) from the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA). Appellants dissatisfied with the outcome of their Level 2 Medicare appeal may request a hearing before an OMHA ALJ. The Appellant Climate Survey will be used to measure appellant satisfaction with their OMHA appeals experience, as opposed to their satisfaction with a specific ruling.

OMHA was established by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-173) and became operational on July 1, 2005. The MMA legislation and implementing regulations issued on March 8, 2007 instituted a number of changes in the appeals process. The MMA legislation also directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to consider the feasibility of conducting hearings using telephone or video-teleconference (VTC) technologies. In carrying out this mandate, OMHA makes use of VTC to provide appellants with a vast nationwide network of access points for hearings close to their homes. The first three-year administration cycle of the OMHA survey began in FY08 and a second three-year cycle began in FY12. The survey will continue to be conducted annually over a three-year period, beginning in FY15.

Likely Respondents: Survey respondents will consist of Medicare beneficiaries, providers, suppliers, or their representatives who participated in a hearing before an OMHA ALJ. OMHA will draw a representative, non-redundant sample of appellants whose cases have been closed in the last six months.

Total Estimated Annualized Burden—Hours

Type of respondent	Form name	Number of respondents	Number responses per respondent	Average burden per response (in hours)	Total burden hours
Charged at rate of Healthcare Providers and Suppliers	Form A	240	1	11/60	44
Charged at rate of Beneficiaries	Form A	160	1	11/60	29
Total		400	1	11/60	73

OS specifically requests comments on (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.

Darius Taylor,

Information Collection Clearance Officer.