[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 140 (Thursday, July 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 45090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-18378]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-264 A-H]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration, DHHS. 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: Medicare DMEPOS Competitive 
Bidding Demonstration;
    Form No.: HCFA-R-264 A-H (OMB #0938-0748);
    Use: Section 1847 of the Social Security Act, as added by 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 demonstration 
currently operating in Polk County, Florida and the demonstration 
planned for San Antonio, Texas involve competitive bidding of 
categories of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and 
supplies (DMEPOS). The new set of products to be offered for 
competitive bidding in San Antonio are: Oxygen equipment and supplies, 
hospital beds, non-customized orthotic devices, manual wheelchairs and 
accessories, and nebulizer inhalation drugs. 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.
    There are eight forms that are required for this demonstration. 
Form A will be used by the bidding supplier to provide information 
about the characteristics of the company. Form B will be used by the 
bidding supplier to provide specific information about the prices it 
bids for specific product categories, and to provide information about 
the attributes of the supplier in relation to the specific product 
category. Form C will be used by HCFA or its agents to obtain 
information on site regarding the bidding supplier. Form D will be used 
by HCFA or its agents to obtain financial references on the bidding 
supplier from banks and other financial sources. Form E will be used by 
HCFA or its agents to obtain information about the bidding suppliers 
from referral sources such as home health agencies and hospital 
discharge planners. Form F will be used to obtain information about the 
suppliers' financial status and to assure that they have sufficient 
fiscal resources to operate in a competitive environment where the 
prices being paid for some products are less than what have been 
customarily paid. It is required only from suppliers whose bids are in 
the competitive range. Form G will be used for nursing homes to 
identify their suppliers of products and services who have not been 
awarded Demonstration Supplier status for services to beneficiaries in 
their home. This is to permit payment to those suppliers for products 
and services furnished to nursing homes. Form H will be used to monitor 
the performance of Demonstration Suppliers to assure their adherence to 
the quality standards established for the project.
    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.
     Assure beneficiary access to high quality medical 
equipment and supplies.
     Prevent business transactions with suppliers who engage in 
fraudulent practices.
    Frequency: On occasion;
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, and not-for-profit 
institutions;
    Number of Respondents: 5,100;
    Total Annual Responses: 1,700;
    Total Annual Hours: 12,420.
    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: July 11, 2000.
John P. Burke III,
HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, HCFA Office of Information Services, 
Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.
[FR Doc. 00-18378 Filed 7-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P