2019-07491. 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 the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, the accuracy of the estimated burden, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

DATES:

Comments must be received by June 17, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

When commenting, please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. 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' website address at website address at https://www.cms.gov/​Regulations-and-Guidance/​Legislation/​PaperworkReductionActof1995/​PRA-Listing.html.

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:

William N. Parham 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-1045 Medicare Uniform Institutional Provider Bill and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 424.5

Under the 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 Collection

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension without change of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare Uniform Institutional Provider Bill and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 424.5; Use: Section 42 CFR 424.5(a)(5) requires providers of services to submit a claim for payment prior to any Medicare reimbursement. Charges billed are coded by revenue codes. The bill specifies diagnoses according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) code. Inpatient procedures are identified by ICD-10 codes, and outpatient procedures are described using the CMS Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). These are standard systems of identification for all major health insurance claims payers. Submission of information on the UB-04 CMS-1450 permits Medicare Part A MACs to receive consistent data for proper payment. Medicare receives over 99.97 percent of the claims submitted by institutional providers electronically. CMS only accepts electronic claims in the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) 837 format for institutional providers unless the provider meets CMS requirements to submit paper claims. With the uniform bill, we have been able to achieve a more uniform and a more automated bill processing system for Medicare institutional and providers. The UB-04 CMS-1450 is managed by the National Uniform Billing Committee (NUBC), sponsored by the American Hospital Association. Most payers are represented on this body, and the UB-04 is widely used in the industry. Medicare Part A MACs use the information on the UB-04 CMS-1450 to determine whether to make Medicare payment for the services provided, the payment amount, and whether or not to apply deductibles to the claim. The same method is also used by other payers. CMS is also a secondary user of data. CMS uses the information to develop a database, which is used to update, and revise established payment schedules and other payment rates for covered services. CMS also uses the information to conduct studies and reports. Form Number: CMS-1045 (OMB control number: 0938-0997); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 53,111; Total Annual Responses: 204,138,881; Total Annual Hours: 1,797,958. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Mohammad B Ullah at 410-786-4143.)

Dated: April 10, 2019.

William N. Parham, III,

Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.