[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3329-3330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1516]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-226]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 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 the 
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: New Collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Evaluation of Medicare Choices Demonstration; 
Form No.: HCFA-R-226; Use: The objective of the evaluation of the 
Medicare Choices Demonstration is to determine whether the newer types 
of managed care delivery systems in the demonstration are effective at 
attracting and retaining Medicare enrollees and providing a high 
quality, cost-effective care. The key research questions HCFA will ask 
Medicare enrollees include: (A) Beneficiary choice, knowledge, and 
biased selection. Why do beneficiaries enroll (or not enroll) in plans? 
What proportion of enrollees disenroll, and why? What is the nature and 
extent of biased selection in the demonstration, and does it vary 
across plans? How well do enrollees understand their plans and the 
rules and procedures for obtaining care? (B) Effects on service use. 
What are the effects of the plans on the use of Medicare-covered 
services? Are some plans more effective at controlling service use than 
others? (C) Effects on Medicare costs. What are the effects of the 
various payment methods being tested in the demonstration on Medicare 
costs? (D) Effects on satisfaction, access, and quality. What are the 
effects of the plans on enrollee satisfaction, access to care, and 
quality of care? How does this vary across plans? Frequency: one time; 
Affected Public: Individuals or Households; Number of Respondents: 
10,000; Total Annual Responses: 10,000; Total Annual Hours: 3,880.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement for the proposed 
paperwork collections referenced above, access HCFA's WEB SITE ADDRESS 
at http://www.hcfa.gov/regs/prdact95.htm, or to obtain the supporting 
statement and any related forms, E-mail your request, including your 
address and phone number, to P[email protected], or call the Reports 
Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326. Written comments and 
recommendations for the proposed information collections must be mailed 
within 60 days of this notice directly to the HCFA Paperwork Clearance 
Officer designated at the following address: HCFA, Office of 
Information Services, Information Technology Investment Management 
Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards, Attention: John Rudolph, 
Room C2-26-17, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.


[[Page 3330]]


    Dated: January 8, 1998
John P. Burke III,
HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards, 
Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 98-1516 Filed 1-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P