[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39311-39312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15571]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Document Identifier: OS-0990-0223; 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

[[Page 39312]]

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: Evaluation of the Cash and Counseling 
Demonstration--OMB No. 0990-0223--Reinstatement with Changes--Assistant 
Secretary of Planning and Evaluation (ASPE).
    Abstract: The original evaluation of the national Cash and 
Counseling Demonstration was intended to include three groups: self-
directing consumers, a control group, and non-participants. When 
funding was not available to survey all groups, the non-participant 
sample was removed. The subsequent evaluations showed that self-
directing consumers were more satisfied with their supportive services, 
reported fewer unmet needs, and enjoyed greater well-being than other 
Medicaid programs. Still, despite these apparent benefits, relatively 
few of the beneficiaries who were eligible to participate in Cash and 
Counseling demonstrations elected to do so (8 to 15 percent). Since 
that time, the Cash and Counseling program has been expanded under the 
1915(j)(2) Section of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and beginning 
January 1, 2007, states were permitted to offer the program to Medicaid 
recipients without demonstrating budget neutrality and without a 
requirement for periodic renewal of the state plan amendment as 
required for ``1115'' or ``1915'' (c) waivers.
    This study involves drawing a sample from Medicaid beneficiaries in 
New Jersey who are eligible to enroll in the state's Cash and 
Counseling program. The qualifications for enrollment have not changed 
since the original research. This study will include only individuals 
who did not enroll (non-participants) who will be compared to those who 
did enroll (and about whom data were collected) during the original 
demonstration/evaluation data collection as well as those who have 
enrolled since (about whom the state of New Jersey collects descriptive 
data for Medicaid program administrative purposes). The government will 
conduct 600 one-time telephone interviews over a three-month period. 
The survey includes questions asked in the original evaluation of the 
Cash and Counseling demonstration surveys, as well as original 
questions designed to measure factors related to nonparticipation. 
These questions will allow comparisons between participants and non-
participants of the Cash and Counseling demonstration.

                                                            Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                                            Number       Average burden
               Type of respondent                              Form name                 Number of      responses per     per response     Total burden
                                                                                        respondents       respondent       (in hours)         hours
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Non-Participants (or Proxies)...................  Telephone Interview...............             600                1            27/60              270
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Mary Oliver-Anderson,
Office of the Secretary, Paperwork Reduction Act Reports Clearance 
Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-15571 Filed 7-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-05-P