2023-03879. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Public Comment Request; The Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program Reconciliation Tool, OMB No. 0915-0342-Revision

AGENCY:

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR.

DATES:

Comments on this ICR should be received no later than March 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of the clearance requests submitted to OMB for review, email Samantha Miller, the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, at [e-mail] or call 301-594-4394.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

When submitting comments or requesting information, please include the ICR title for reference.

Information Collection Request Title: The Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program Reconciliation Tool OMB No. 0915-0342—Revision.

Abstract: The THCGME program, authorized by section 340H of the Public Health Service Act, was established by section 5508 of Public Law 111-148. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2) provide continued funding for the THCGME Program.

The THCGME program awards payment for both direct and indirect expenses to support training for primary care residents in community-based ambulatory patient care settings. Direct expense payments are designed to compensate eligible teaching health centers for those expenses directly associated with sponsoring resident training programs, while indirect expense payments are intended to compensate for the additional costs relating to teaching residents in such programs.

HRSA collects information from THCGME program award recipients using an OMB-approved reconciliation tool. HRSA seeks to extend its approved information collection and is increasing the total estimated annual burden hours associated with the collection, due to an increase in the number of program award recipients from 58 to 83. A 60-day notice published in the Federal Register , 87 FR 76204-05 (December 13, 2022). There were no public comments.

Need and Proposed Use of the Information: THCGME program payments are prospective payments, and the statute provides for a reconciliation process, through which overpayments may be recouped and underpayments may be adjusted at the end of the fiscal year. This data collection instrument will gather information relating to the number of resident full-time equivalents in Teaching Health Center training programs in order to reconcile payments for both direct and indirect expenses.

Likely Respondents: The likely respondents to the THCGME Reconciliation Tool are THCGME program award recipients.

Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide the information requested. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for this ICR are summarized in the table below.

Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours:

Form name	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Total responses	Average burden per response (in hours)	Total burden hours
THCGME Reconciliation Tool	83	1	83	2	166
Total	83	1	83	2	166

HRSA 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.

Maria G. Button,

Director, Executive Secretariat.