[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 208 (Thursday, October 26, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64227-64228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27526]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-131]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Public Information Collection Meeting to Discuss 
Proposed Revisions

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

[[Page 64228]]

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: Part B Advance 
Beneficiary Notice and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 411.404 and 
411.408; Form No.: HCFA-R-131 (OMB#0938-0566); Use: Part B suppliers, 
physicians, and practitioners who accept assignment and Part A 
providers furnishing Part B services--these entities may bill a patient 
for services denied by Medicare as not reasonable and necessary under 
Medicare program standards if they have informed the patient, before 
furnishing the services, that Medicare was likely to deny Part B 
payment for the services; nonparticipating physicians when they do not 
accept assignment--these physicians may bill a patient for physician 
services denied by Medicare as not reasonable and necessary under 
Medicare program standards if they have informed the patient, before 
furnishing the services, that Medicare was likely to deny Part B 
payment for the services and the patient, after being so informed, 
agreed to pay for the services; suppliers furnishing Part B durable 
medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS), 
whether or not they accept assignment--these suppliers may bill a 
patient for DMEPOS items and services denied by Medicare: (1) As not 
reasonable and necessary under Medicare program standards, (2) because 
the supplier made an unsolicited telephone contact, (3) because the 
supplier failed to obtain a supplier number, or (4) because the 
supplier failed to obtain an advance determination of coverage, if they 
have informed the patient, before furnishing the items and/or services, 
that Medicare was likely to deny Part B payment for the items and/or 
services and the patient, after being so informed, agreed to pay for 
the services; Frequency: On occasion; Affected Public: Individuals or 
households; Number of Respondents: 980,742; Total Annual Responses: 
18,823,150; Total Annual Hours: 2,352,894.
    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, telephone 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: Julie Brown, Room N2-14-26, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.
    In addition, HCFA will hold a public meeting to permit interested 
parties an opportunity to give their views on the content and 
distribution of the Part B Advance Beneficiary Notices. Representatives 
of providers and suppliers furnishing Part B services, health care 
consumer advocacy groups, and other members of the public who wish to 
participate in the public meeting are asked to notify HCFA, in advance, 
of their interest in attending. At this meeting, HCFA will solicit 
comments on the issues listed in the first paragraph of this notice.
    The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 28, 2000, from 
11 a.m. to 4 p.m., EST in the Multipurpose Room (capacity: 100 persons) 
of the Health Care Financing Administration, 7500 Security Blvd., 
Baltimore MD 21244. Interested parties should provide notification of 
their planned attendance to Raymond Boyd either by telephone (410-786-
4544), fax (410-786-4047), or e-mail ([email protected]), no later than 3 
p.m., Friday, November 22, 2000.

    Dated: October 13, 2000.
John P. Burke, III,
Reports Clearance Officer, Security and Standards Group, Division of 
HCFA Enterprise Standards.
[FR Doc. 00-27526 Filed 10-25-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P