[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 175 (Friday, September 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54535-54536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23022]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifier: HCFA-10011]


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 of legislative mandate, Government Performance and 
Review Act (GPRA) goals, and the potential for public harm. In terms of 
legislation, the 1997 Balanced Budget Act requires HCFA to offer 
comparative health plan information for the purposes of ``informed 
choice.'' In addition, two of the clearly stated goals of the HCFA 
strategic plan are to ``purchase the best value health care for 
beneficiaries'' and to ``promote beneficiary and public understanding 
of HCFA and its programs.''
    The improved awareness by beneficiaries of the Medicare program has 
been incorporated into HCFA's Government Performance and Review Act 
(GPRA) goals (See: ``Performance Goal M+C1-02: Improve Effectiveness of 
Dissemination of Medicare Information to Beneficiaries''). Recent 
analyses of the Medicare Beneficiary Survey data suggest that stage of 
readiness to make informed choice, which the Pro-Change Behavior 
Systems Survey will yield, will be a better predictor of knowledge 
about Medicare than other extant predictors (See: ``Assessing Readiness 
of Medicare Beneficiaries to Participate in Informed Health Care 
Choices''). Expediting the clearance of this survey would help HCFA 
fulfill the goals of HCFA's Government Performance and Review Act 
(GPRA) as soon as possible.
    In addition to the legislative mandate and GPRA, the survey should 
be expedited to prevent public harm. Recent research conducted by the 
contractor, Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc., has demonstrated that 
the Medicare beneficiary population contains many who fail to review 
the adequacy of their health insurance arrangements even on a cursory 
basis (See: ``Assessing Readiness of Medicare

[[Page 54536]]

Beneficiaries to Participate in Informed Health Care Choices''). Unless 
we are able to identify those individuals and target appropriate 
outreach and communications strategies to prompt more attention to 
information about health care choices, at least some beneficiaries will 
find themselves with inadequate or inappropriate health insurance and 
may find themselves harmed as a result.
    HCFA is requesting OMB review and approval of this collection by 
September 30, 2000, with a 180-day approval period. Written comments 
and recommendations will be accepted from the public if received by the 
individuals designated below by September 26, 2000. 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 Collection Request: New collection;
    Title of Information Collection: Stages of Change Survey for 
Informed Choice in the Medicare Population;
    Form No.: HCFA-10011 (OMB# 0938-NEW);
    Use: This is a survey of Medicare beneficiaries in the first step 
in the application the Transtheoretical Model (the ``stage model'') to 
informed choice in the Medicare population. The Transtheoretical Model 
has been applied and proven effective in facilitating behavior change 
in a wide range of health behaviors including smoking cessation, 
mammography screening, and safe sex. This work will yield 
psychometrically sound and externally valid measures of beneficiaries' 
readiness to make informed choices about health plans, and provide 
information to HCFA to assist with its national educational campaign to 
inform beneficiaries about their choices. Stages of Change measures 
will be administered to 560 Medicare beneficiaries and initial 
enrollees. This survey research will yield psychometrically sound 
measures of beneficiaries' readiness to make informed choices about 
health plans, and provide information to guide HCFA's National Medicare 
Education Program (NMEP).;
    Frequency: Other: One-time survey;
    Affected Public: Individuals or households;
    Number of Respondents: 560;
    Total Annual Responses: 560;
    Total Annual Hours: 327.
    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, to 
[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 and recordkeeping requirements must be mailed and/or faxed 
to the designees referenced below, by September 26, 2000:

Health Care Financing Administration, Office of Information Services, 
Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards 
Attention: Dawn Willinghan (HCFA-10011), Room N2-14-26, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850

    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: September 28, 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. 00-23022 Filed 9-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-U