[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 92 (Thursday, May 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 25891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12120]



[[Page 25891]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

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


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; 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, has 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the following 
proposal for the collection of information. 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: Revision of a currently 
approved collection;
    Title of Information Collection: Medicare DMEPOS Competitive 
Bidding Demonstration;
    Form No.: HCFA-R-0264, A-G;
    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 seven forms that are required for the demonstration. Form 
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 from bank or financial references for the bidding 
suppliers. Form HCFA-R-0264E is used to gather data from business 
referral sources for the bidding suppliers. HCFA-R-0264F is used by 
suppliers whose bids are in the competitive range to report financial 
data. Form HCFA-R-0264G has been added to meet public comments so that 
nursing homes that wish to continue to use their existing suppliers for 
the demonstration product categories may report that information.
    The competitive bidding demonstration for DMEPOS has the following 
objectives:
     Test the policies and implementation methods of 
competitive bidding to determine whether or not is 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 on February 12, 1999, and to request bidder submissions 
by March 29, 1999. Forms C, D, E and F will be used for inspections, 
reference checking, and financial information gathering 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: 2,060;
    Total Annual Responses: 2,060;
    Total Annual Hours: 24,795.
    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 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 30 days of this notice directly to the OMB Desk Officer 
designated at the following address: OMB Human Resources and Housing 
Branch, Attention: Allison Eydt, New Executive Office Building, Room 
10235, Washington, D.C. 20503.

    Dated: April 26, 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. 99-12120 Filed 5-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P