[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9161-9162]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4489]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-264, A-F]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

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.
    Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection;
    Title of Information Collection: Medicare DMEPOS Competitive 
Bidding Demonstration;
    Form No.: HCFA-R-0264, A-F;
    Use: Section 4319 of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) mandates HCFA to 
implement demonstration projects under which competitive acquisition 
areas are established for contract award purposes for the furnishing of 
Part B items and services, except for physician's services. The first 
of these demonstration projects implements competitive bidding of 
categories of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and 
supplies (DMEPOS). Under the law, suppliers can receive payments from 
Medicare for items and services covered by the demonstration only if 
their bids are competitive in terms of quality and price. Each 
demonstration project may be conducted in up to three metropolitan 
areas for a three year period. Authority for the demonstration expires 
on December 31, 2002. The schedule for the demonstration anticipates 
about a six month period required between mailing the bidding forms to 
potential bidders and the start of payments for DMEPOS under the 
demonstration. HCFA intends to operate the demonstration in two rounds, 
the first of two years, and the second of one year. HCFA has announced 
that it intends to operate its first demonstration in Polk County, 
Florida, which is the Lakeland-Winter Haven Metropolitan Area.
    There are six forms that are required for the demonstration. The 
first, HCFA-R-0264A, will be filled out by suppliers to describe the 
attributes of their organization, including quality of services and 
financial data. Form HCFA-R-0264B will be filled out by suppliers for 
each of the categories of DMEPOS for which they bid, and includes 
information about their supply of that category of equipment or 
supplies, and the prices that they bid for each item in that category. 
Form HCFA-R-0264C will be used by site inspectors who gather 
information at the facilities of bidders. Form HCFA-R-0264D is used to 
gather data by telephone from referral sources of business for the 
bidding suppliers, form HCFA-R-0264E is used to gather data by 
telephone from banks and other financial institutions for financial and 
business references. Form HCFA-R-0264F is used by suppliers to provide 
data on their financial charaacteristics and soundness.
    The competitive bidding demonstration for DMEPOS has the following 
objectives:
     Test the policies and implementation methods of 
competitive bidding to determine whether or not it should be expanded 
as a Medicare Program.
     Reduce the price that Medicare pays for medical equipment 
and supplies.
     Limit beneficiary out-of-pocket expenditures for 
copayments.
     Improve beneficiary access to high quality medical 
equipment and supplies.
     Prevent business transactions with suppliers who engage in 
fraudulent practices.
    HCFA plans to mail the bidding package, including the referenced 
forms A and B, to potential bidders at the first demonstration sites in 
Polk County, Florida and to use the remaining forms to gather 
information on only those bidders in the competitive range. The 
remaining forms C, D, E, and F will be used for inspections and 
reference checking in the three months following the bid submissions. 
These forms will be used by HCFA or its agents to gather information 
regarding bidders who have made financially attractive bids and are 
being evaluated for quality, financial stability, and other attributes 
for consideration as demonstration suppliers.
    Frequency: Two times at each demonstration site;
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, and not-for-profit 
institutions;
    Number of Respondents: 2,040;
    Total Annual Responses: 2,040;
    Total Annual Hours: 24,780.
    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. Written comments and

[[Page 9162]]

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, Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA 
Enterprise Standards, Attention: Dawn Willinghan, Room N2-14-26, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: February 16, 1999.
John P. Burke III,
HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, HCFA Office of Information Services, 
Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-4489 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P