[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4437-4438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1978]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifier: HCFA-841-853]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY:  Health Care Financing Administration.
    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: Revision of a currently 
approved collection;
    Title of Information Collection: Durable Medical Equipment Regional 
Carrier, Certificate of Medical Necessity and Supporting Regulations in 
42 CFR, Section 407.18 and 410.1;
    Form No.: HCFA-841-853 (OMB# 0938-0679);
    Use: A Certificate of Medical Necessity is a standardized format 
used to communicate information provided by an attending physician and 
a supplier of medical equipment and supplies. The information is used 
by carriers to determine the medical necessity of an item or service 
covered by the Medicare program and being used for the treatment of the 
Medicare beneficiary's condition. The CMNs being submitted for OMB 
review are necessary in order for HCFA to

[[Page 4438]]

determine the medical necessity of the item or service. The information 
needed to make this determination requires application of medical 
judgement that can only be provided by a physician or other clinician 
who is familiar with the condition of the beneficiary;
    Frequency: On occasion;
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, and Federal 
Government;
    Number of Respondents: 140,000;
    Total Annual Responses: 6.8 million;
    Total Annual Hours: 1.13 to 1.7 million.
    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 [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, Security and Standards Group, 
Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards Attention: Dawn Willinghan, Room 
N2-14-26, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: January 16, 2000
John Parmigiani,
Manager,
HCFA Office of Information Services Security and Standards Group, 
Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.
[FR Doc. 00-1978 Filed 1-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P