[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 70 (Thursday, April 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 19504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7611]



[[Page 19504]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Document Identifier: OS-0990-New; 30-day Notice]


Agency Information Collection Request; 30-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 collection 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) 690-5683. Written comments and 
recommendations for the proposed information collections must be 
received within 30 days of this notice directly to the OS OMB Desk 
Officer all comments must be faxed to OMB at 202-395-6974.
    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-
conference 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 amongst appellants.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Table
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of        Number        burden per     Total burden
       Type of respondent           Form name       respondents    responses per   response  (in       hours
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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Healthcare Practitioners and     Form A.........              60               1           11/60              11
 Technical Occupations.
Bill and Account Collectors....  Form A.........             340               1           11/60              62
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................                              400               1           11/60              73
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Seleda Perryman,
Office of the Secretary, Paperwork Reduction Act Reports Clearance 
Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-7611 Filed 4-9-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-46-P