02-21826. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), Department of Health and Human Services, 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.

Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Request for Certification in the Medicare/Medicaid Program to Provide Outpatient Physical Therapy and/or Speech-Language Pathology and the Outpatient Physical Therapy and/or Speech-Language Pathology Survey Report Form and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 485.701-485.729; Form No.: CMS-1856/1893 (OMB# 0938-0065); Use: The form CMS-1856 is utilized as an application to be completed by suppliers of OPT/SP services requesting participation in the Medicare/Medicaid programs. This form initiates the process of obtaining a decision as to whether the conditions of coverage are met as an OPT/SP supplier. It is used by the CMS Regional Offices (ROs) to enter the new supplier into the Online Survey, Certification and Reporting System (OSCAR). The survey report form CMS-1893 is an instrument used by the State survey agency to record data collected during an on-site survey of a supplier of OPT/SP services to determine compliance with the applicable conditions of participation and to report this information to the Federal Government. The form is primarily a coding worksheet designed to facilitate data reduction and retrieval into the OSCAR system at the CMS ROs. The form includes basic information on compliance (i.e., met, not met, explanatory statements) and does not require any descriptive information regarding the survey activity itself.; Frequency: On occasion; Affected Public: Business or other for profit; Number of Respondents: 1,700; Total Annual Responses: 255; Total Annual Hours: 446.

To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS Web site address at http://www.hcfa.gov/​regs/​prdact95.htm,, 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]. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collections must be mailed within 30 days of this notice directly to the OMB desk officer: OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, Attention: Brenda Aguilar, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: August 20, 2002.

John P. Burke, III,

Paperwork Reduction Act Team Leader, CMS Reports Clearance Officer, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Division of Regulations Development and Issuances.