[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 58 (Thursday, March 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14719-14720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7855]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-5]


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: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Physician 
Certification / Recertification in Skilled Nursing Facilities and 
Supporting Regulations 42 CFR 424.20; Form No.: HCFA-R-5; Use: The 
Medicare program requires as a condition of participation for Medicare 
Part A payment for posthospital skilled nursing facility (SNF) 
services, that a physician must certify and periodically recertify that 
a beneficiary requires an SNF level of care. The physician 
certification requirement is intended to ensure that the beneficiary's 
need for services has been established and then reviewed and updated at 
appropriate intervals. Frequency: On occasion; Affected Public: 
Individuals or Households, Business or other for-profit, Not -for-
profit institutions, State, Local or Tribal Government; Number of 
Respondents: 1,493,493; Total Annual Responses: 3; Total Annual Hours: 
365,914.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement for the proposed 
paperwork

[[Page 14720]]

collections referenced above, or 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, nformation Technology 
Investment Management Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards, 
Attention: John Rudolph, Room C2-26-17, 7500 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: March 17, 1998.
John P. Burke III,
HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards, 
Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 98-7855 Filed 3-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P