[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 249 (Monday, December 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74296-74297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-25383]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Document Identifier: OS-0990-New]


Agency Information Collection Request. 60-Day Public Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.
    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), 
Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following 
summary of a proposed information collection request 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. To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any 
related forms for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, 
e-mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, 
and OS document identifier, to [email protected], or call 
the Reports Clearance Office on (202) 690-6162. Written comments and 
recommendations for the proposed information collections must be 
directed to the OS Paperwork Clearance Officer at the above email 
address within 60 days.
    Proposed Project--Annual Appellant Climate Survey--0990-NEW--Office 
of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA).
    Abstract: The first annual OMHA Appellant Climate Survey is a 
survey of Medicare beneficiaries, providers, and suppliers who had a 
hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the Office of 
Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA). Appellants dissatisfied with the 
outcome of their Level 2 appeal may request a hearing before an OMHA 
ALJ. The Appellant Climate Survey will be used to measure appellant 
satisfaction with their OMHA appeals experience, as opposed to their 
satisfaction with a specific ruling.
    OMHA was established by the Medicare Prescription Drug, 
Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-173) and 
became operational on July 1, 2005. The MMA legislation and 
implementing regulations issued on March 8, 2007 instituted a number of 
changes in the appeals process. The MMA legislation also directed the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to consider the 
feasibility of conducting hearings using telephone or video-
teleconference technologies. In carrying out this mandate, OMHA makes 
extensive use of video-teleconferencing to provide appellants with a 
vast nationwide network of access points for hearings close to their 
homes. The survey will gauge appellants' satisfaction with this new 
service along with the overall appeals experience. The OMHA survey will 
be conducted annually over a three-year period, beginning in FY08. 
Results from the surveys will be used to gauge progress made in 
increasing satisfaction among appellants.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Table
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                                                                                      Average
                                     Type of         Number of       Number of     burden hours    Total burden
             Forms                 respondent       respondents    responses per   per response        hours
                                                                    respondent      (in hours)
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OMHA Appellant Climate Survey.  Appellants......             400               1           11/60              73
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[[Page 74297]]

    Dated: November 26, 2007.
Terri Nicolosi,
Office of the Secretary, Paperwork Reduction Act Reports Clearance 
Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-25383 Filed 12-28-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-46-P