[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16061-16062]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7135]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-234]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration, DHH.
    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: Extension of a currently 
approved collection;
    Title of Information Collection: Subpart D--Private Contracts and 
Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 405.410, 405.430, 405.435, 405.440, 
405.445, 405.455, 410.61, 415.110, and 424.24;
    Form No.: HCFA-R-234 (OMB# 0938-0730);
    Use: Section 4507 of the BBA of 1997 amended section 1802 of the 
Social Security Act to permit certain physicians and practitioners to 
opt-out of Medicare and to provide through private contracts services 
that would otherwise be covered by Medicare. Under such contracts the 
mandatory claims submission and limiting charge rules of section 
1848(g) of the Act would not apply. Subpart D and the Supporting 
Regulations contained in 42 CFR 405.410, 405.430, 405.435, 405.440, 
405.445, and 405.455, counters the effect of certain provisions of 
Medicare law that, absent section 4507 of BBA 1997, preclude physicians 
and practitioners from contracting privately with Medicare 
beneficiaries to pay without regard to Medicare limits;
    Frequency: Biennially;
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit;
    Number of Respondents: 26,820;
    Total Annual Responses: 26,820;
    Total Annual Hours: 7,197.
    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,

[[Page 16062]]

Attention: Dawn Willinghan (HCFA-R-234) Room N2-14-26, 7500 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: March 13, 2001.
John P. Burke III,
HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, HCFA Office of Information Services, 
Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.
[FR Doc. 01-7135 Filed 3-21-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P