[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 62 (Friday, March 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16311-16312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4631]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS 250-254 and CMS 10171]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; 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), 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 function; (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 of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare 
Secondary Payer Information Collection and Supporting Regulations in 42 
CFR 411.25, 489.2, and 489.20; Form Number: CMS 250-254 (OMB: 
0938-0214); Use: Medicare Secondary Payer Information (MSP) is 
essentially the same concept known in the private insurance industry as 
coordination of benefits, and refers to those situations where Medicare 
does not have primary responsibility for paying the medical expenses of 
a Medicare beneficiary. Medicare Fiscal Intermediaries, Carriers, and 
now Part D plans, need information about primary payers in order to 
perform various tasks to detect and process MSP cases and make 
recoveries. MSP information is collected at various times and from 
numerous parties during a beneficiary's membership in the Medicare 
Program. Collecting MSP information in a timely manner means that 
claims are processed correctly the first time, decreasing the costs 
associated with adjusting claims and recovering mistaken payments.; 
Frequency: Reporting--On Occasion; Affected Public: Individuals or 
Households, Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit institutions; 
Number of Respondents: 134,553,682; Total Annual Responses: 
134,553,682; Total Annual Hours: 1,611,303.
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Coordination of 
Benefits between Part D Plans and Other Prescription Coverage 
Providers; Form Number: CMS 10171 (OMB: 0938-0978); Use: 
Section 1860D-23 and 1860D-24 of the Social Security Act requires the 
Secretary to establish requirements for prescription drug plans to 
ensure effective coordination between Part D plans, State 
pharmaceutical

[[Page 16312]]

assistance programs and other payers. The requirements must relate to 
the following elements: (1) Enrollment file sharing; (2) claims 
processing and payment; (3) claims reconciliation reports; (4) 
application of the protections against high out-of-pocket expenditures 
by tracking true out-of-pocket (TrOOP) expenditures; and (5) other 
processes that the Secretary determines. This information will be used 
by Part D plans, other health insurers or payers, pharmacies and CMS to 
coordinate prescription drug benefits provided to the Medicare 
beneficiary.; Frequency: Reporting--Monthly; Affected Public: Business 
or other for-profit, Federal, State, local and or tribal government; 
Number of Respondents: 56,320; Total Annual Responses: 2,153,767,270; 
Total Annual Hours: 1,017,914.
    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.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collections must be mailed or faxed within 30 days of this notice 
directly to the OMB desk officer: OMB Human Resources and Housing 
Branch, Attention: Carolyn Lovett, New Executive Office Building, Room 
10235, Washington, DC 20503. Fax Number: (202) 395-6974.

    Dated: March 24, 2006.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. E6-4631 Filed 3-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P