[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 140 (Friday, July 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 41448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11582]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10179]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.
    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: New Collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Requests by Hospitals for an Alternative Cost-
to-Charge Ration Instead of the Statewide Average Cost-to-Charge Ratio; 
Use: Because of the extensive gaming of outlier payments, CMS 
implemented new regulations in 42 CFR 412.84(i)(2) for inpatient 
hospitals and 42 CFR 412.525(a)(4)(ii) and 412.529(c)(5)(ii) for Long 
Term Care Hospitals (LTCH) to allow a hospital to contact its fiscal 
intermediaries to request that its cost-to-charge ratio (CCR) 
(operating and/or capital CCR for inpatient hospitals or the total 
(combined operating and capital) CCR for LTCHs), otherwise applicable, 
be changed if the hospital presents substantial evidence that the 
ratios are inaccurate for inpatient hospitals. Any such requests would 
have to be approved by the CMS Regional Office with jurisdiction over 
that FI. Form Number: CMS-10179 (OMB: 0938-NEW); Frequency: 
Reporting--On occasion; Affected Public: Individuals or Households and 
Federal Government; Number of Respondents: 18; Total Annual Responses: 
18; Total Annual Hours: 144.
    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 September 19, 2006.
    CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs, 
Division of Regulations Development--B, Attention: William N. Parham, 
III, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-
1850.

    Dated: July 14, 2006.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. E6-11582 Filed 7-20-06; 8:45 am]
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