[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 5850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-952]



[[Page 5850]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS 10174, CMS-460, and CMS-10097]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services (CMS) 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.
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension Collection; 
Title of Information Collection: Collection of Prescription Drug Data 
from MA-PD, PDP and Fallout Plans/Sponsors for Medicare Part D 
Payments; Use: The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and 
Modernization Act (MMA) requires Medicare payment to Medicare Advantage 
(MA) organizations, prescription drug plans (PDP) sponsors, Fallbacks, 
and other plan sponsors offering coverage of outpatient prescription 
drugs under the new Medicare Part D benefit. The MMA provided four 
summary mechanisms for paying plans: direct subsidies, subsidized 
coverage for qualifying low-income individuals, Federal reinsurance 
subsidies, and risk corridor payments. In order to make payment in 
accordance with these provisions, CMS has determined it needs to 
collect a limited set of data elements for 100 percent of prescription 
drug claims or events from plans offering Part D coverage. The 
transmission of the statutorily required data will be in an electronic 
format. The information users will be Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM), 
third party administrators and pharmacies, and the PDPs, MA-PDs, 
Fallbacks, and other plan sponsors that offer coverage of outpatient 
prescription drugs under the new Medicare Part D benefit to Medicare 
beneficiaries. The statutorily required data will be used primarily for 
payment, claims validation, quality monitoring, and program integrity 
and oversight; Form Number: CMS-10174 (OMB: 0938-0982); 
Frequency: Monthly, Quarterly and Annually; Affected Public: Business 
or other for-profit, and not-for-profit institutions; Number of 
Respondents: 455; Total Annual Responses: 2,418,000,000; Total Annual 
Hours: 4,836.
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare 
Participating Physician or Supplier Agreement; Form No.: CMS-460 
(OMB 0938-0373); Use: Form number CMS-460 is completed by 
nonparticipating physicians and suppliers if they choose to participate 
in Medicare Part B. By signing the agreement, the physician or supplier 
agrees to take assignment on all Medicare claims. To take assignment 
means to accept the Medicare allowed amount as payment in full for the 
services they furnish and to charge the beneficiary no more than the 
deductible and coinsurance for the covered service. In exchange for 
signing the agreement, the physician or supplier receives a significant 
number of program benefits not available to nonparticipating suppliers. 
The information associated with this collection is needed to identify 
the recipients of the program benefits; Frequency: Reporting, Other--
when starting a new business; Affected Public: Business or other for-
profit, Individuals or Households; Number of Respondents: 6000; Total 
Annual Responses: 6000; Total Annual Hours: 1500.
    3. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare 
Contractor Provider Satisfaction Survey (MCPSS); Form No.: CMS-10097 
(OMB 0938-0915); Use: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services will obtain feedback from over 30,000 Medicare providers via a 
survey about satisfaction, attitudes and perceptions regarding the 
services provided by Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Carriers, Fiscal 
Intermediaries, Durable Medical Equipment Suppliers, and Regional Home 
Health Intermediaries and Medicare Administrative Contractors. The 
survey focuses on basic business functions provided by the Medicare 
Contractors such as inquiries, provider communications, claims 
processing, appeals, provider enrollment, medical review and provider 
audit & reimbursement. Providers will receive a notice requesting they 
use a specially constructed web site to respond to a set of questions 
customized for their contractor's responsibilities. The survey will be 
conducted yearly and annual reports of the survey results will be 
available via an online reporting system for use by CMS, Medicare 
Contractors, and the general public; Frequency: Reporting--Annually; 
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions; Number of Respondents: 20,514; Total Annual Responses: 
20,514; Total Annual Hours: 7209.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS' 
Web site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995, 
or e-mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB 
number, and CMS document identifier, to [email protected], or call 
the Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326.
    To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations for the 
proposed information collections must be received at the address below, 
no later than 5 p.m. on April 4, 2006. CMS, Office of Strategic 
Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Division of Regulations 
Development--C, Attention: Bonnie L. Harkless, Room C4-26-05, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: January 25, 2006.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 06-952 Filed 2-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P