[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55030-55031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23495]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifiers: HCFA-R-267 (OMB #0938-0753)]


Intent of Clearance: Public Information Collection Meeting To 
Discuss Requirements To Be Submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB)

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, in the near future, the Health Care 
Financing Administration (HCFA), Department of Health and Human 
Services (DHHS), will be submitting to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) a request for review of the proposed Appeals Data 
Collections System for Managed Care Organizations (M+COs)
    In order to seek public input at this early juncture and before we 
seek approval for this information collection from OMB, HCFA will be 
holding a town hall meeting to discuss the goals of the proposed 
Appeals Data Collection System for M+COs, issues that may surround it, 
and the required data elements associated with it.
    Interested persons are invited to participate in a public 
discussion about various aspects 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 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.
    Dates: The meeting is scheduled for September 25, 2000 from 10 a.m. 
until 4 p.m., E.D.T.

Persons Interested in Attending or Requesting More Information 
Should Contact

    Brandon Bush, (410) 786-0028 ([email protected]) Project Coordinator; 
John Burke , (410) 786-1325 ([email protected]) PRA Reports Clearance 
Officer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    At present, we capture data on ``plan level'' appeal activities at 
the Medicare + Choice Organizations (M+COs), 
namely those managed care appeals not resolved at the M+CO 
level and which

[[Page 55031]]

have automatically proceeded to a higher level of review by HCFA's 
independent contractor. We do not yet capture data on plans' internal 
appeal activity. Therefore, since our current data collection efforts 
represent only a portion of a M+CO's total appeal activity, 
it is insufficient to (1) assess plans' performance and provide 
feedback for improvement of their appeals process; and (2) review 
``enrollee-specific'' appeal trends. (3) allow beneficiaries to make 
plan to plan comparisons based on the depth of sufficient data.
    Through Operational Policy Letters (O.P.Ls) and Federal Register 
notices as well as industry association and beneficiary group meetings, 
we have made clear our intent to implement a data collection system to 
which M+COs will be required to periodically submit their 
appeal activity. Prior to finalizing the design of the data collection 
system, we are interested in validating our requirements of 
M+COs through a public process involving those who will use 
the information (for example, beneficiaries, M+COs, 
researchers, other purchasers, the public, and us). This public venue 
will afford us the opportunity to educate the users about our efforts 
to assist beneficiaries in making informed decisions when choosing 
plans. It will also serve to educate participants about the breadth of 
data that can be collected , and to receive input on data to be 
collected.

Agenda

    The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. with an introduction to the 
system. We will give an overview to the participants of the proposed 
data elements to be considered. Informational booklets and writing 
materials will be provided at the meeting.
    After the introduction and initial discussion, participants will be 
able to break up into four groups, which will be led by facilitators 
and employees of our staff to review the elements and discus concerns. 
The information gathered in these sessions will then be shared and 
discussed with the group as a whole. Afterwards, the participants will 
again break up into four separate groups for one last session, which 
will be shared and discussed with the entire group.
    At the conclusion of the meeting we will provide a summary of the 
meeting, discussions and recommendations for data elements.

    Dated: September 8, 2000.
John P. Burke III,
HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, Office of Information Services, 
Information Technology Investment Management Group, Division of HCFA 
Enterprise Standards, Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-23495 Filed 9-8-00; 12:16 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P