[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 208 (Friday, October 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63018-63019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17910]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-R-204, CMS-10208, and CMS-301]


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: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Data Collection 
for the Second Generation Social Health Maintenance Organization 
Demonstration; Use: The purpose of the Second Generation Social Health 
Maintenance Organization Demonstration (S/HMO-II) is to refine the 
targeting and financing methodologies, and benefit design of the Social 
Health Maintenance Organization Demonstration model. Four primary 
components of the S/HMO-II demonstration are: (1) A geriatric care 
approach that will be applied across the entire spectrum of S/HMO-II 
enrollees; (2) expanded community care

[[Page 63019]]

coordination through links between chronic care case-management and 
acute care providers; (3) provision of long-term-benefits; and (4) an 
adjusted average per capita costs based risk-adjusted payment 
methodology. Form Number: CMS-R-204 (OMB: 0938-0709); 
Frequency: Reporting--yearly; Affected Public: Individuals or 
households; Number of Respondents: 17,624; Total Annual Responses: 
17,624; Total Annual Hours: 3,425.
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Assessing Degrees of Health Care Involvement 
Survey; Use: It is not sufficient to merely mail information about the 
Medicare program to each beneficiary. CMS needs to know that the 
beneficiaries received the information, understood the information and 
found the information useful in making choices about their Medicare 
participation. To this end, CMS must have measure(s) over time of what 
beneficiaries know and understand about the Medicare program now to be 
able to quantify and attribute any changes to their understanding or 
behavior to information/education initiatives. Measuring beneficiary 
information needs and knowledge over time will help CMS to evaluate the 
impact of information/education and other initiatives, as well as to 
understand how the population is changing separate from such 
initiatives. Form Number: CMS-10208 (OMB: 0938--NEW); 
Frequency: Reporting--weekly; Affected Public: Individuals or 
households; Number of Respondents: 4,000; Total Annual Responses: 
3,500; Total Annual Hours: 1,200.
    3. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Certification of 
Medicaid Eligibility Control (MEQC) Payment Error Rates and Supporting 
Regulations at 42 CFR 431.800-431.865; Use: Medicaid Eligibility 
Quality Control (MEQC) is operated by Title XIX agencies to monitor and 
improve the administration of its Medicaid program. The traditional 
MEQC program is based on State reviews of Medicaid beneficiaries 
identified through a statistically reliable statewide sample of cases 
selected from the eligibility files. These reviews are conducted to 
determine whether the sampled cases meet applicable Title XIX 
eligibility requirements. State agencies are required to submit the 
Payment Error Rate form to their respective CMS Regional Office. 
Regional Office staff will review these forms for completeness and will 
forward these forms to central office for compilation of error rate 
charts for projected quarterly withholdings and/or fiscal 
disallowances. Form Number: CMS-301 (OMB: 0938-0246); 
Frequency: Recordkeeping and reporting--semi-annually; Affected Public: 
State, local or tribal governments; Number of Respondents: 51; Total 
Annual Responses: 102; Total Annual Hours: 22,515.
    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 December 26, 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 October 19, 2006.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. E6-17910 Filed 10-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P