E8-15152. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services.

In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is publishing the following summary of proposed collections for public comment. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding this burden estimate 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.

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Home and Community Based Waiver Requests and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 440.180 and 441.300-310; Use: Under a Secretarial waiver, States may offer a wide array of home and community-based services to individuals who would otherwise require institutionalization. States requesting a waiver must provide certain assurances, documentation and cost and utilization estimates which are reviewed, approved and maintained for the purpose of identifying/verifying States' compliance with such statutory and regulatory requirements. Form Number: CMS-8003 (OMB# 0938-0449); Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 50; Total Annual Responses: 136; Total Annual Hours: 8,010.

2. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of Information Collection: Consolidated Renal Operations in a Web Enabled Network (CROWNWeb) Third-party Submission Authorization Form; Use: The Consolidated Renal Operations in a Web Enabled Network (CROWNWeb) Third-Party Submission Authorization form is to be completed by “Facility Administrators” (administrators of CMS-certified dialysis facilities) if they intend to authorize a third party (a business with which the facility is associated, or an independent vendor) to submit data to CMS to comply with the recently revised Conditions for Coverage of dialysis facilities. The CROWNWeb system is the system used as the collection point of data necessary for entitlement of ESRD patients to Medicare benefits and for Federal Government monitoring and assessing of the quality and types of care provided to renal patients. The information collected through the CWTPSA form will allow CMS and its contractors to receive data from authorized parties acting on behalf of CMS-certified dialysis facilities. CMS anticipates that roughly 3000 signed forms will be received by February 2009, and that the total number of forms may reach 5100 by February 2012. Form Number: CMS-10268 (OMB# 0938-New); Frequency: Monthly; Affected Public: Business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 5,100; Total Annual Responses: 5,100; Total Annual Hours: 425.

3. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare Enrollment Application; Form Number: CMS-855 (A, B, I, R)(OMB#: 0938-0685); Use: The primary function of the Medicare enrollment application is to gather information from a provider or supplier that tells us who it is, whether it meets certain qualifications to be a health care provider or supplier, where it practices or renders its services, the identity of the owners of the enrolling entity, and information necessary to establish correct claims payments. We are revising this currently approved information collection. The goal of the revisions to this information collection request (ICR) is to adjust the burden associated with this ICR to account for the removal of the CMS-855(S) application. Frequency: Recordkeeping and Reporting—On occasion; Affected Public: Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 400,000; Total Annual Responses: 400,000; Total Annual Hours: 785,702.

To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS's Web Site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/​PaperworkReductionActof1995, or e-mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to [e-mail], or call the Reports Clearance Office on [phone].

In commenting on the proposed information collections please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in one of the following ways by September 2, 2008:

1. Electronically. You may submit 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) 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.

Dated: June 26, 2008.

Michelle Shortt,

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