[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 370-371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31298]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10310]


Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements 
Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

AGENCY: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS.

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare and 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 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

[[Page 371]]

other forms of information technology to minimize the information 
collection burden.
    We are, however, requesting an emergency review of the information 
collection referenced below. In compliance with the requirement of 
section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we have 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the following 
requirements for emergency review. We are requesting an emergency 
review because the collection of this information is needed before the 
expiration of the normal time limits under OMB's regulations at 5 CFR 
1320(a)(2)(ii). This is necessary to ensure compliance with an 
initiative of the Administration. We cannot reasonably comply with the 
normal clearance procedures due to an unexpected event as stated in 5 
CFR 1320.13(a). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is 
requesting that an information collection request (ICR) for Consumer 
Research on Public Reporting of Hospital Outpatient Measures be 
processed under the emergency clearance process. Approval of this 
package is essential in order to comply with Section 1833(t) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(17)).
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Consumer Research on Public Reporting of 
Hospital Outpatient Measures Use: The Medicare Improvements and 
Extension Act under Division B of Title I of the Tax Relief and Health 
Care Act (MIEA-TRHCA) of 2006, enacted in December of 2006, made 
changes in the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). 
Consequently, CMS is now statutorily required to establish a program 
under which hospitals will report data on the quality of hospital 
outpatient care using standardized measures to receive the full annual 
update to the OPPS payment rate. This will be effective for payments 
beginning in calendar year (CY) 2009. The program established under 
these amendments is the Hospital Outpatient Quality Data Reporting 
Program (HOP QDRP). The measures will expand as additional priority 
areas for quality improvement in hospital outpatient settings are 
identified and will be designed to evaluate the diversity of services 
and clinical topics provided to adult patients in hospital outpatient 
settings.
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services contracted with L&M 
Policy Research, LLC (L&M) and its subcontractors, Mathematica Policy 
Research, Inc. (MPR) and McGee & Evers Consulting (M&E), to conduct 
exploratory or formative research around the new Hospital Outpatient 
Measures. Concepts and topics were presented to groups of consumers and 
caregivers, and to individual physicians. Subsequent to this 
exploratory or formative research, the research team designed mock-ups 
of the planned measures, utilizing feedback from the measure 
developers, the website programmers, plain language experts, and other 
CMS staff and contractors. The goals of the mock-ups were to integrate 
the measures into an existing website using the display devices similar 
to those used for extant measures, but presenting the measures clearly 
and in such a way that consumers and professionals could draw accurate 
and useful inferences from the data. The research team and CMS remain 
concerned about a number of issues in the displays and would like to 
conduct additional Web site research with consumers, caregivers and 
professionals to fine tune the recommendations to the website owners 
and programmers. The team proposes to conduct cognitive interviews with 
mock-ups and protocols in January 2010 in order to meet Agency 
deadlines for presentation of the data by June 2010. Form Number: CMS-
10310 (OMB: 0938-New); Frequency: Once; Affected Public: 
Individuals or Households; Number of Respondents: 104; Total Annual 
Responses: 104; Total Annual Hours: 41. (For policy questions regarding 
this collection contact David Miranda 410-786-7819. For all other 
issues call 410-786-1326.)
    CMS is requesting OMB review and approval of this collection by 
January 15, 2010, with a 180-day approval period. Written comments and 
recommendations will be considered from the public if received by the 
individuals designated below by January 13, 2010.
    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/regulations/pra 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.
    Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the 
burden or any other aspect of these collections of information 
requirements. However, as noted above, comments on these information 
collection and recordkeeping requirements must be mailed and/or faxed 
to the designees referenced below by January 13, 2010.
    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.
    3. By Facsimile or E-mail to OMB. OMB, Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS Desk Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395-
6974, E-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: December 22, 2009.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. E9-31298 Filed 1-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P