[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 10 (Friday, January 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2689-2690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-736]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10102, CMS-2088-92, CMS-10054, and CMS-10343]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 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 & 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 function; (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: National 
Implementation of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers 
and Systems (HCAHPS); Use: The HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of 
Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey is the first national, 
standardized, publicly reported survey of patients' perspectives of 
hospital care. Also known as the CAHPS [supreg] Hospital Survey, it is 
a survey instrument and data collection methodology for measuring 
patients' perceptions of their hospital experience. While many 
hospitals have collected information on patient satisfaction for their 
own internal use, until HCAHPS there was no national standard for 
collecting and publicly reporting information about patient experience 
of care that allowed valid comparisons to be made across hospitals 
locally, regionally and nationally.
    Publicly reported HCAHPS results are based on four consecutive 
quarters of patient surveys. CMS publishes participating hospitals' 
HCAHPS results on the Hospital Compare Web site four times a year, with 
the oldest quarter of patient surveys rolling off as the most recent 
quarter rolls on. Three broad goals have shaped HCAHPS. First, the 
survey is designed to produce comparable data on the patient's 
perspective on care that allows objective and meaningful comparisons 
between hospitals on domains that are important to consumers. Second, 
public reporting of the survey results is designed to create incentives 
for hospitals to improve their quality of care. Third, public reporting 
serves to enhance public accountability in health care by increasing 
the transparency of the quality of hospital care provided in return for 
the public investment. With these goals in mind, the HCAHPS project has 
taken substantial steps to assure that the survey is credible, useful, 
and practical. This methodology and the information it generates are 
made available to the public. Form Number: CMS-10102 (OMB: 
0938-0981); Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: Private Sector: 
Business or other for-profits and Not-for-profit institutions; and 
Individuals or households; Number of Respondents: 2,483,775; Total 
Annual Responses: 2,480,000; Total Annual Hours: 289,342. (For policy 
questions regarding this collection, contact William Lehman at 410-786-
1037. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Outpatient 
Rehabilitation Provider Cost Report utilized by Community Mental Health 
Centers; Use: In accordance with sections 1815, 1833 and 1861 of the 
Social Security Act, providers of service in the Medicare program are 
required to submit annual information to achieve reimbursement for 
health care services rendered to Medicare beneficiaries. In addition, 
42 CFR 413.20(b) requires that cost reports will be required from 
providers on an annual basis. Such cost reports are required to be 
filed with the provider's Fiscal Intermediary (FI)/Medicare 
Administrative Contractor (MAC).
    The FI/MAC uses the cost report not only to make settlement with 
the provider for the fiscal period covered by the cost report, but also 
in deciding whether to audit the records of the provider. Form Number: 
CMS-2088-92 (OMB: 0938-0037); Frequency: Yearly; Affected 
Public: Private Sector: Business or other for-profits and Not-for-
profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 596; Total Annual 
Responses: 596; Total Annual Hours: 59,600. (For policy questions 
regarding this collection, contact Jill Keplinger at 410-786-4550. For 
all other issues call 410-786-1326.)
    3. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension without change 
of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: 
Recognition of Payment for New Technology Ambulatory Payment 
Classification (APC) Groups under the Outpatient Prospective Payment 
System and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR, Part 419; Use: In the 
April 7, 2000 final rule first implementing the hospital outpatient 
prospective payment system (OPPS), we created a set of New Technology 
ambulatory payment classifications (APCs) to pay for certain new 
technology services under the OPPS. These APCs are intended to pay

[[Page 2690]]

for new technology services that were not covered by the transitional 
pass-through payments provisions authorized by the Balanced Budget 
Refinement Act (BBRA) of 1999. Both the New Technology APC provision 
and the transitional pass-through provisions provide ways for ensuring 
appropriate payment for new technologies for which the use and costs 
are not adequately represented in the base year claims data on which 
the outpatient PPS is constructed.
    CMS needs to keep pace with emerging new technologies and make them 
accessible to Medicare beneficiaries in a timely manner. It is 
necessary that we continue to collect appropriate information from 
interested parties such as hospitals, medical device manufacturers, 
pharmaceutical companies and others that bring to our attention 
specific services that they wish us to evaluate for New Technology APC 
payment. We are making no changes to the information that we collect. 
The information that we seek to continue to collect is necessary to 
determine whether certain new services are eligible for payment in New 
Technology APCs, to determine appropriate coding and to set an 
appropriate payment rate for the new technology service. The intent of 
these provisions is to ensure timely beneficiary access to new and 
appropriate technologies. Form Number: CMS-10054 (OMB: 0938-
0860); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Private sector business or 
other for-profits; Number of Respondents: 15; Total Annual Responses: 
15; Total Annual Hours: 180. (For policy questions regarding this 
collection contact Christina Smith Ritter at 410-786-4636. For all 
other issues call 410-786-1326.)
    4. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of 
Information Collection: State Plan Preprint for Medicaid Recovery Audit 
Contractors (RACs); Use: Under section 1902(a)(42)(B)(i) of the Social 
Security Act, States are required to establish programs to contract 
with one or more Medicaid RACs for the purpose of identifying 
underpayments and recouping overpayments under the State plan and any 
waiver of the State plan with respect to all services for which payment 
is made to any entity under such plan or waiver. Further, the statute 
requires States to establish programs to contract with Medicaid RACs in 
a manner consistent with State law, and generally in the same manner as 
the Secretary contracts with Medicare RACs. State programs contracted 
with Medicaid RACs are not required to be fully operational until after 
December 31, 2010. States may submit, to CMS, a State Plan Amendment 
(SPA) attesting that they will establish a Medicaid RAC program. States 
have broad discretion regarding the Medicaid RAC program design and the 
number of entities with which they elect to contract. Many States 
already have experience utilizing contingency-fee-based Third Party 
Liability recovery contractors; Form Number: CMS-10343 (OMB: 
0938-NEW); Frequency: Once; Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal 
Governments; Number of Respondents: 56; Total Annual Responses: 56; 
Total Annual Hours: 56. (For policy questions regarding this collection 
contact Mary Jo Cook at 410-786-3231 or Eva Tetteyfio at 410-786-3653. 
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 address 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.
    To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations for the 
proposed information collections must be received by the OMB desk 
officer at the address below, no later than 5 p.m. on February 14, 
2011. OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS 
Desk Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395-6974, E-mail: [email protected].

Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Division-B, Office of Strategic 
Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-736 Filed 1-13-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P