[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16482-16483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8210]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Proposed Reinstatement of Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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    In accordance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Health Affairs announces the proposed reinstatement of public 
information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions 
thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency' estimate of the burden of the 
information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden of the information collection on respondents, including 
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by June 3, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on the reinstatement of 
information collection should be sent to TRICARE Management Activity, 
Medical benefits and Reimbursement System, 16401 East Centretech 
Parkway, ATTN: Marty Maxey, Aurora, CO 80011-9066.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed reinstatement of information collection, please write to the 
above address or call TRICARE Management Activity, Medical benefits and 
Reimbursement Systems at (303) 676-3627.
    Title Associated with Form, and OMB Number: Request for 
Reimbursement of Capital and Direct Medical Education Costs.
    Needs and Uses: The TRICARE/CHAMPUS contractors will use the 
information collected to reimburse hospitals for TRICARE/CHAMPUS' share 
of capital and direct medical education costs.
    Affected Public: Individuals; business or other for profit.
    Annual Burden Hours: 5,532.
    Number of Respondents: 5,400. Respondents are institutional 
providers and admitting physicians.
    Responses Per Respondent: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes for physicians.
    Frequency: On occasioin.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Information Collection

    The Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1984, Pub. L. 98-94 
amended Title 10, section 1079(j)(2)(A) of the U.S.C. and provided the 
Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) 
with the statutory authority to reimburse institutional providers based 
on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). The CHAMPUS DRG-based payments 
apply only to hospital's operating costs and do not include any amounts 
for hospitals' capital or direct medical education costs. Any hospital 
subject to the DRG-based payment system, except for children's 
hospitals (whose capital and direct medical education costs are 
incorporated in the children's hospital differential), who want to be 
reimbursed for allowed capital and direct medical education costs must 
submit a request for payment to the TRICARE/CHAMPUS contractor. The 
request allows TRICARE to collect the information necessary to properly 
reimburse hospitals for its share of these costs. The information can 
be submitted in any form, most likely in the form of a letter. The 
contractor will calculate the TRICARE/CHAMPUS share of capital and 
direct medical education costs and make a lump-sum payment to the 
hospital.
    The TRICARE/CHAMPUS DRG-based payment system is modeled on the 
Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) and was implemented on 
October 1, 1987. Initially, under 42 CFR 412.46 of the Medicare 
regulations, physicians was required to sign attestation and 
acknowledgment statements. These requirements were implemented to 
ensure a means of holding hospitals and physicians accountable for the 
information they submit on the Medicare claim forms. Being modeled on 
the Medicare PPS, CHAMPUS also adopted these requirements. The 
physicians attestation and physician acknowledgment required by 
Medicare under 42 CFR 412.46 are also required for CHAMPUS as a 
condition for payment and may be satisfied by the same statements as 
required for Medicare, with substitution or addition of ``CHAMPUS'' 
when the word ``Medicare'' is used. Physicians sign a physician 
acknowledgement, maintained by the institution, at the time the 
physician is granted admitting privileges. This acknowledgement 
indicates the physician understands the importance of a correct medical 
record,

[[Page 16483]]

and misrepresentation may be subject to penalties.

    Dated: March 19, 2003.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 03-8210 Filed 4-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-08-M