[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 81 (Friday, April 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21023-21024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7954]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10108, CMS-10219, CMS-10097]


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: Medicaid Managed 
Care Regulations for 42 CFR 438.6, 438.8, 438.10, 438.12, 438.50, 
438.56, 438.102, 438.114, 438.202, 438.204, 438.206, 438.207, 438.240, 
438.242, 438.402, 438.404, 438.406, 438.408, 438.410, 438.414, 438.416, 
438.604, 437.710, 438.722, 438.724, and 438.810; Use: These information 
collection requirements implement regulations that allow States greater 
flexibility to implement mandatory managed care program, implement new 
beneficiary protections, and eliminate certain requirements viewed by 
State agencies as impediments to the growth of managed care programs. 
Information collected includes information about managed care programs, 
grievances and appeals, enrollment broker contracts, and managed care 
organizational capacity to provide health care services. Form Number: 
CMS-10108 (OMB: 0938-0920); Frequency: Reporting: 
Occasionally; Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Government; 
Number of Respondents: 39,114,558; Total Annual Responses: 4,640,344; 
Total Annual Hours: 3,930,093.5.
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set 
(HEDIS[supreg]); Use: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
(CMS) collects quality performance measures in order to hold the 
Medicare managed care industry accountable for the care being 
delivered, to enable quality improvement, and to provide quality 
information to Medicare beneficiaries in order to promote an informed 
choice. It is critical to CMS' mission that we collect and disseminate 
information that will help beneficiaries choose among health plans, 
contribute to improved quality of care through identification of 
improvement opportunities, and assist CMS in carrying out its oversight 
and purchasing responsibilities.
    In December 1997, OMB approved the request from CMS for the 
information collections under HEDIS[supreg] and assigned the agency 
form number CMS-R-200. The collections approved under that request 
included the HEDIS[supreg] collection (following the technical 
specifications contained in Volume 2, published by the National 
Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA); the Health of Seniors/Health 
Outcomes Survey (HOS); and the Medicare CAHPS[supreg] survey. Since 
that approval there has been a change in the statutory authority as a 
result of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. During the latter part of 
2000, CMS instituted several policy changes regarding this collection 
which reduced burden substantially on the part of the managed care 
organizations and the process for finalizing and publishing that policy 
delayed the request for OMB approval. In addition, the renewal of OMB 
authority for the Medicare CAHPS survey was completed as a separate 
request. The HOS renewal was also submitted separately. This request is 
solely for the approval of the HEDIS collection, which is now a stand 
alone collection. Form Number: CMS-10219 (OMB: 0938-NEW); 
Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Business or other for-profit and 
Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 705; Total Annual 
Responses: 705; Total Annual Hours: 33,840.
    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 Medicare providers via a survey 
about

[[Page 21024]]

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.
    Due to changes in CMS' reporting needs, CMS is requesting a 
potential increase in the number of completed surveys. This increase 
will allow CMS to have not only Contractor-specific, but also 
jurisdiction and state-specific data which, in turn, will enable 
Contractors to increase and implement performance improvement 
activities within their organizations. This increase will affect the 
2008 and 2009 administrations of the survey. Frequency: Reporting--
Annually; Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
institutions; Number of Respondents: 24,279; Total Annual Responses: 
24,279; Total Annual Hours: 8,346.
    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: April 20, 2007.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. E7-7954 Filed 4-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P