2014-02673. 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 8, 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-10499 Public Health Agency/Registry Readiness To Support Meaningful Use

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (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: New collection (Request for a new OMB control number); Title of Information Collection: Public Health Agency/Registry Readiness to Support Meaningful Use; Use: The Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs provide incentives for the meaningful use of Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT). We defined meaningful use as a set of objectives and measures in either Stage 1 or Stage 2 depending on how long an eligible provider has participated in the program. Both Stage 1 (3 objectives) and Stage 2 (5 objectives) of meaningful use contain objectives and measures that require eligible providers to determine the readiness of public health agencies and registries to receive electronic data from CEHRT. Public comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking for Stage 2 of meaningful use (77 FR 13697) asserted that the burden for each individual eligible provider to determine the readiness of multiple public health agencies and registries could be nearly eliminated if we were to maintain a database on the readiness of public health agencies and registries. In the final rule for Stage 2 of meaningful use (77 FR 53967), we agreed that the burden on eligible providers, public health agencies and registries would be greatly reduced and established that we would create such a database and it would serve as the definitive information source for determining public health agency and registry readiness to receive electronic data associated with the public health meaningful use objectives. The information will be made publicly available on the CMS Web site (www.cms.gov/​EHRincentiveprograms) in order to provide a centralized repository of this information to eligible providers and eliminate there multiple individual inquiries to multiple public health agencies and registries. Form Number: CMS-10499 (OCN: 0938—New); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Private sector—Business or other for-profits and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 250; Total Annual Responses: 250; Total Annual Hours: 83. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Kathleen Connors de Laguna at 410-786-2256.)

Dated: February 4, 2014.

Martique Jones,

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