[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 93 (Thursday, May 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26810-26811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12802]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[Document Identifier: HCFA-250 through HCFA-254]


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

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration, HHS
    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 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.
    We are, however, requesting an emergency review of the information 
collections 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. We are requesting an emergency 
review because the collection of this information is needed before the 
expiration of the normal time limits under OMB's regulations at 5 CFR, 
Part 1320. This is necessary to collect information from beneficiaries 
on health insurance coverage that is primary to Medicare. Collection of 
this information allows HCFA to identify those Medicare beneficiaries 
who have other group health insurance that would pay before Medicare, 
resulting in savings to the Medicare Trust Fund. The annual savings 
from the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) program are more than $3 
billion per year. Emergency approval is needed to prevent a disruption 
in the information collection and to continue the savings to the 
Medicare Trust Fund. We cannot reasonably comply with the normal 
clearance procedures because public harm is likely to result because 
eligible individuals may not receive the health insurance protections 
under the statute.
    HCFA is requesting OMB review and approval of this collection 15 
working days after the publication of this Federal Register notice, 
with a 180-day approval period. Written comments and recommendations 
will be accepted from the public if received by the individuals 
designated below 14 working days after the publication of this notice. 
During this 180-day period, we will publish a separate Federal Register 
notice announcing the initiation of an extensive 60-day agency review 
and public comment period on these requirements. We will submit the 
requirements for OMB review and an extension of this emergency 
approval.
    Type of Information Request: Reinstatement, without change, of a 
previously approved collection for which approval has expired;
    Title of Information Collection: Medicare Secondary Payer 
Information Collection and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 489.20;
    Form Number: HCFA-250 through HCFA-2545 (OMB approval #: 0938-
0214);
    Use: Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) is essentially the same concept 
known in the private insurance industry as coordination of benefits, 
and refers to those situations where Medicare does not have primary 
responsibility for paying the medical expenses of a Medicare 
beneficiary. HCFA contracts with health insuring organizations, herein 
referred to as intermediaries and carriers, to process Medicare claims. 
HCFA charges its Medicare intermediaries and carriers with various 
tasks to detect MSP cases; develops and disseminates tools to enable 
them to

[[Page 26811]]

better perform their tasks; and monitors their performance in 
achievement of their assigned MSP functions. Because intermediaries and 
carriers are also marketing health insurance products that may have 
liability when Medicare is secondary, the MSP provisions create the 
potential for conflict of interest. Recognizing this inherent conflict, 
HCFA has taken steps to ensure that its intermediaries and carriers 
process claims in accordance with the MSP provisions, regardless of 
what other insurer is primary. These information collection 
requirements describe the MSP requirements.
    Frequency: One time only;
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households;
    Number of Respondents: 14,204,000;
    Total Annual Responses: 14,204,000;
    Total Annual Hours Requested: 773,240.

 42 CFR 489.20(f)--Third Party Identification.

    Identification and collection of information concerning proper 
payers during the admission process is a common business practice in 
the health care field. HCFA hospital reviews indicate that only one 
additional question is required as compared with the normal admissions 
process for non-Medicare patients. In addition, many hospitals have and 
will continue to reap significant benefits due to identification of 
primary payers during the admission process. This relates to the fact 
that a private payer's rate of payment is normally based on a 
percentage of charges, whereas for Medicare patients the hospital 
receives the Medicare payment, which is generally an amount paid under 
the prospective payment system.

 Initial Enrollment Questionnaire (IEQ)--P.L. 103-432 Sec. 151

    The IEQ contractor states that the average number of IEQs mailed 
each calendar year is 1,903,960. The time required to complete the IEQ 
is approximately 15 minutes per beneficiary. Therefore, the burden is 
1,903,960  x  15 minutes = 475,990 of burden hours per year. The total 
burden is 773,240 hours (297,250 + 475,990).
    We have submitted a copy of this notice to OMB for its review of 
these information collections. A notice will be published in the 
Federal Register when approval is obtained.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access HCFA's 
Web Site address at http://www.hcfa.gov/regs/prdact95.htm, or E-mail 
your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and 
HCFA document identifier, to P[email protected], or call the Reports 
Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326.
    Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the 
burden or any other aspect of these collections of information 
requirements. However, as noted above, comments on these information 
collection requirements must be mailed and/or faxed to the designees 
referenced below fourteen days after the publication of this Federal 
Register notice:

Health Care Financing Administration, Office of Information Services, 
Information Technology Investment Management Group, Division of HCFA 
Enterprise Standards, Room C2-26-17, 7500 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. Fax Number: (410) 786-1415. Attn: Louis Blank 
HCFA-250 through HCFA-254 and,
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 
20503, Fax Number: (202) 395-6974 or (202) 395-5167. Attn: Allison 
Herron Eydt, HCFA Desk Officer.

    Dated: May 6, 1998.
John P. Burke III,
HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, HCFA, Office of Information Services, 
Information Technology Investment Management Group, Division of HCFA 
Enterprise Standards.
[FR Doc. 98-12802 Filed 5-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P