2015-21476. Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)  

  • Start Preamble

    AGENCY:

    Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

    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. 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.

    We are, however, requesting an emergency review of the information collection referenced below. In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the following requirements for emergency review. This is necessary to ensure compliance with an initiative of the Administration. We are requesting an emergency review under 5 CFR 1320.13(a)(2)(i) because public harm is reasonably likely to result if the normal clearance procedures are followed. We are seeking emergency approval for modifications to the information collection request (ICR) currently approved under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 0938-1155. CMS seeks an emergency revision to the ICR approved under 0938-1155 to collect additional information from health insurance companies as part of the MLR and risk corridors programs. This ICR is necessary to validate data that issuers have previously submitted to CMS in more detail than CMS has previously anticipated. While conducting program integrity reviews of submitted data, CMS has identified a number of significant discrepancies in the 2014 benefit year submissions that issuers made for MLR and risk corridors on July 31, 2015. CMS also identified a number of common errors that may lead to submissions that do not comply with CMS regulations and guidance. In order to resolve these potential discrepancies, ensure all submissions comply with applicable guidance, and operate the MLR and risk corridors program accurately and effectively, CMS needs additional information to explain the data found in issuers' underlying MLR and risk corridors submissions. Without this additional information, CMS will be unable to verify the accuracy of the submission and validate the data needed to operate the MLR or risk corridors programs.

    DATES:

    Comments must be received by September 3, 2015.

    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: CMS-10401/OMB Control Number 0938-1155, 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 Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov.

    3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

    Start Further Info

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

    End Further Info End Preamble Start Supplemental Information

    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:Start Printed Page 52479

    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-10401 Standards Related to Reinsurance, Risk Corridors, and Risk Adjustment

    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. In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the following requirements for emergency review. This is necessary to ensure compliance with an initiative of the Administration. We are requesting an emergency review under 5 CFR 1320.13(a)(2)(i) because public harm is reasonably likely to result if the normal clearance procedures are followed.

    Information Collection

    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved information collection; Title of Information Collection: Standards Related to Reinsurance, Risk Corridors, and Risk Adjustment; Use: Under Section 1342 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and implementing regulation at 45 CFR part 153, issuers of qualified health plans (QHPs) must participate in a risk corridors program. A QHP issuer will pay risk corridors charges or be eligible to receive risk corridors payments or based on the ratio of the issuer's allowable costs to the target amount. A final rule (Standards Related to Reinsurance, Risk Corridors and Risk Adjustment) implementing the risk corridors program was published on March 23, 2012 (77 FR 17220), which added part 153 to title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Final rules (2014, 2015, and 2016 Payment Notices) outlining the risk corridors benefit and payment parameters for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 benefit years were published on March 11, 2013 (78 FR 15410), March 11, 2014 (79 FR 13744), and February 27, 2015 (80 FR 10750), respectively. Additionally, on October 30, 2013, HHS published the Second Final Program Integrity rule (78 FR 65076) to align the risk corridors program with the requirements of the single risk pool provision at 45 CFR 156.80. The risk corridors data collection applies to QHP issuers the individual and small group markets. Each QHP issuer is required to submit an annual report to CMS concerning the issuer's allowable costs, allowable administrative costs, premium, and proportion of market premium in QHPs. Risk corridors premium information that is specific to an issuer's QHPs is collected through a separate data reporting form.

    The risk corridors plan-level reporting form, and instructions for completing the form were published as part of the information collection approved under OMB control number 0938-1164. In §§ 153.530 and 153.540 we set forth a data validation process for risk corridors data submissions. The information collection burden associated with the risk corridors data validation process is accounted for in the “Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions: Standards Related to Reinsurance, Risk Corridors, Risk Adjustment, and Appeals” approved under OMB control number 0938-1155.

    Based on CMS's identification of more significant data discrepancies than previously anticipated, we are requesting an emergency revision to the risk corridors data validation information collection requirement. We are requiring all companies with QHP issuers to complete a checklist to attest that their submission complied with critical guidelines for risk corridors and MLR data submission. For companies with issuers whose reported claims or premium amounts for risk corridors and MLR differ from data collected for other premium stabilization programs by a greater magnitude than expected, CMS is requiring that issuers quantify these differences, and provide a written explanation of the magnitude of the discrepancy. We require these descriptions to be approved by an actuary. The MLR Risk Corridors Submission Checklist and the Risk Corridors Data Discrepancy Worksheet will be submitted via web form at the company level, such that a company will submit one checklist and one discrepancy worksheet that includes information for all of its applicable issuers. As a result of this new requirement, we are updating our annual burden hour estimates to reflect the actual numbers of risk corridors submissions received by QHP issuers and the increased annual burden hours associated with submitting additional data validation information to CMS. Form Number: CMS-10401 (OMB control number: 0938-1155); Frequency: Annual; Affected Public: Health insurance companies that issued qualified health plans; Number of Respondents: 250; Total Annual Responses: 250; Total Annual Hours: 2,040. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Jaya Ghildiyal at 301-492-5149).

    We are requesting OMB review and approval of this collection by September 4, 2015, with a 180-day approval period. Written comments and recommendations will be considered from the public if received by the date and address noted above.

    Start Signature

    Dated: August 26, 2015.

    William N. Parham, III,

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

    End Signature End Supplemental Information

    [FR Doc. 2015-21476 Filed 8-27-15; 4:15 pm]

    BILLING CODE 4120-01-P

Document Information

Published:
08/31/2015
Department:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice.
Document Number:
2015-21476
Dates:
Comments must be received by September 3, 2015.
Pages:
52478-52479 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Document Identifiers: CMS-10401
PDF File:
2015-21476.pdf