[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 68 (Friday, April 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16400-16401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8224]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-R-205 and CMS-R-206]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
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) 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 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.
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Information 
Collection Requirements Referenced in HIPAA title I for the Individual 
Market, Supporting Regulations at 45 CFR Part 148 (148.120, 148.122, 
148.124, 148.126, and 148.128), Forms and Instructions; Use: The 
provisions of title I of the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) amend the Public Health Service Act 
(PHS Act) and are designed to make it easier for people to get access 
to health care coverage; to reduce the limitations that can be put on 
the coverage; and to make it more difficult for issuers to terminate 
the coverage. The information collection requirements will ensure that 
issuers in the individual market comply with HIPAA title I, provide 
individuals with certificates of creditable coverage necessary to 
demonstrate prior creditable coverage and file documentation with CMS 
for review in a Federal direct enforcement state. Requirements must 
also ensure states' flexibility to implement state alternative 
mechanisms. Form Number: CMS-R-205 (OMB: 0938-0703); 
Frequency: Reporting--Yearly and Occasionally; Affected Public: 
Business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions; Number 
of Respondents: 2,042; Total Annual Responses: 2,979,801; Total Annual 
Hours: 856,384. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact 
Louis Blank at 410-786-5511. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Information 
Collection Requirements in HIPAA title I for the Group Market, 
Supporting Regulations 45 CFR 146 (146.111, 146.115, 146.117, 146.150, 
146.152, 146.160 and 146.180) Forms and Instructions; Use: The 
provisions of title I of the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) are designed to make it easier for 
people to get access to health care coverage and to reduce the 
limitations that can be put on the coverage. This collection pertains 
to notices issued by group health insurance issuers and self-funded 
non-Federal governmental plans as required by 45 CFR 146. These notices 
are triggered by the issuance of certificates

[[Page 16401]]

of creditable coverage; notification of preexisting condition 
exclusions; notification of special enrollment rights; and State review 
of issuers' filings of group market products or similar Federal review 
in cases in which a State is not enforcing a HIPAA group market 
provision. Form Number: CMS-R-206 (OMB: 0938-0702); Frequency: 
Reporting--Yearly; Affected Public: Private sector; business or other 
for-profits and not-for-profit institutions, and State, local, or 
tribal governments; Number of Respondents: 8,050; Total Annual 
Responses: 37,002,217; Total Annual Hours: 2,920,012. (For policy 
questions regarding this collection contact Louis Blank at 410-786-
5511. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS' 
Web site 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.
    In commenting on the proposed information collections please 
reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured 
consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in one of 
the following ways by June 9, 2009:
    1. Electronically. You may submit your comments electronically to 
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for ``Comment or 
Submission'' or ``More Search Options'' to find the information 
collection document(s) accepting comments.
    2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following 
address: CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs, 
Division of Regulations Development, Attention: Document Identifier/OMB 
Control Number ------, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: April 3, 2009.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. E9-8224 Filed 4-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P