[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 236 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71179-71180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20679]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10209, CMS-R-282, CMS-10197, and CMS-R-240]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; 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), 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: New collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Chronic Care Improvement Program (CCIP) and 
Medicare Advantage Quality Improvement Project (QIP); Use: 42 CFR 
422.152 requires each Medicare Advantage Organization (MAOs) (other 
than Medicare Advantage (MA) private fee for service and Medical 
Savings Account (MSA) plans) that offers one or more MA plan to have an 
ongoing quality assessment and performance improvement program. 
Information collected in the QIP and CCIP Reporting Templates will be 
an integral resource for oversight, monitoring compliance and auditing 
activities necessary to ensure high quality provision of general health 
services and chronic care services to Medicare beneficiaries. Form 
Number: CMS-10209 (OMB: 0938-New); Frequency: Recordkeeping, 
and Reporting--Annually; Affected Public: Business or other for-profits 
and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 426; Total 
Annual Responses: 852; Total Annual Hours: 38,050.
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare Health 
Plan Appeals and Grievance Data Collection and Reporting Requirements, 
Data Disclosure Requirements Sec.  422.111; Use: Medicare Advantage 
(MA) organizations and demonstrations are required to disclose 
information pertaining to the number of disputes, and their disposition 
in the aggregate. Organizations provide appeals and grievance 
information to individuals eligible to elect an MA organization, or 
persons or entities making the request on behalf of the individuals who 
request this information. MA eligible individuals will use this 
information to help them make informed decisions about their 
organization's performance in the area of appeals and grievances. Form 
Number: CMS-R-0282 (OMB: 0938-0778); Frequency: Recordkeeping, 
Third Party Disclosure and Reporting--Semi-annually; Affected Public: 
Business or other for-profits and Not-for-profit institutions; Number 
of Respondents: 434; Total Annual Responses: 868; Total Annual Hours: 
876.
    3. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Evaluation of the Medicare National Competitive 
Bidding Program for DME; Use: Section 302(b) of The Medicare 
Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) 
requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to begin 
a program of competitive bidding for durable medical equipment (DME), 
supplies, certain orthotics, and enteral nutrients and related 
equipment and supplies. Section 303(d) of the MMA requires a Report to 
Congress on the program, covering program savings, reductions in cost 
sharing, impacts on access to and quality of affected goods and 
services, and beneficiary satisfaction. This project's purpose is to 
provide information for this Report to Congress. Form Number: CMS-10197 
(OMB: 0938-New); Frequency: Reporting--Other: Baseline and 
Follow-up; Affected Public: Individuals or Households, Business or 
other for-profit, Federal Government and Not-for-profit institutions; 
Number of Respondents: 12,671; Total Annual Responses: 12,671; Total 
Annual Hours: 6,557.
    4. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Provider-based 
Status Regulations in 42 CFR 413.24 and 413.65; Use: Section 1833(t) of 
the Social Security Act (of the Act), as amended by section 4523 of the 
Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (the BBA) requires the Secretary to 
establish a prospective payment system (PPS) for hospital outpatient 
services. Successful implementation of an outpatient PPS requires that 
CMS distinguish facilities or organizations that function as 
departments of hospitals from those that are freestanding, so that CMS 
can determine which services should be paid under the PPS. Regulations 
found at 42 CFR 413.65(b)( 3) and (c) require the submission of the 
information CMS needs to make the determination of whether an 
organization functions as a department of a hospital or functions as

[[Page 71180]]

a freestanding facility. In addition, section 1866(b)(2) of the Act 
authorizes hospitals and other providers to impose deductible and 
coinsurance charges for facility services, but does not allow such 
charges by facilities or organizations which are not provider-based. 
Implementation of this provision requires that CMS have information 
from the required reports, so it can determine which facilities are 
provider-based. Form Number: CMS-R-240 (OMB: 0938-0798); 
Frequency: Recordkeeping--On occasion; Affected Public: Business or 
other for-profit, Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 
750; Total Annual Responses: 872; Total Annual Hours: 26,063.
    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: November 30, 2006.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
 [FR Doc. E6-20679 Filed 12-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P