[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 236 (Friday, December 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73032-73033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29627]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10450 and CMS-10079]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
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) 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: New collection; Title: 
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey 
for Physician Quality Reporting; Use: The Physician Quality Reporting 
System (PQRS) was established in 2006 as a voluntary ``pay-for-
reporting'' program that allows physicians and other eligible 
healthcare professionals to report information to Medicare about the 
quality of care provided to beneficiaries who have certain medical 
conditions. PQRS provides incentive payments to physicians who report 
quality data. Since program inception, these results have not been 
publicly available for use by consumers.
    The Physician Compare Web site was launched December 30, 2010, to 
meet requirements set forth by Section 10331 of the Affordable Care Act 
(ACA). The ACA requires CMS to establish a Physician Compare Web site 
by January 1, 2011, containing information on physicians enrolled in 
the Medicare program and other eligible professionals who participate 
in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative. By no later than January 
1, 2013 (and for reporting periods beginning no earlier than January 1, 
2012), CMS is required to implement a plan to make information on 
physician performance publicly available through Physician Compare. A 
key component of the reporting requirements under the ACA is public 
reporting on physician performance that includes patient experience 
measures. The collection and reporting of a Consumer Assessment of 
Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey for Physician Quality 
Reporting will fulfill this requirement.
    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has 
developed the National Quality Strategy that was called for under the 
ACA to create national aims and priorities to guide local, state, and 
national efforts to improve the quality of health care. This strategy 
has established six priorities that support the three-part aim. The 
three-part aim focuses on better care, better health, and lower costs 
through improvement. The six priorities include: Making care safer by 
reducing harm caused by the delivery of care; ensuring that each person 
and family are engaged as partners in their care; promoting effective 
communication and coordination of care; promoting the most effective 
prevention and treatment practices for the leading causes of mortality, 
starting with cardiovascular disease; working with communities to 
promote wide use of best practices to enable healthy living; and making 
quality care more affordable for individuals, families, employers, and 
governments by developing and spreading new health care delivery 
models. Because the CAHPS Survey for Physician Quality Reporting 
focuses on patient experience implementation of the survey supports the 
six national priorities for improving care, particularly engaging 
patients and families in care and promoting effective communication and 
coordination.
    This survey supports the administration of the Quality Improvement 
Organizations Program (QIO). The Social Security Act, as set forth in 
Part B of Title XI--Section 1862(g), established the Utilization and 
Quality Control Peer Review Organization Program, now known as the QIO 
Program. The statutory mission of the QIO Program is to improve the 
effectiveness, efficiency, economy, and quality of services delivered 
to Medicare beneficiaries. This survey will provide patient experience 
of care data that is an essential component of assessing the quality of 
services delivered to Medicare beneficiaries. It also would permit 
beneficiaries to have this information to help them choose health care 
providers that provide services that meet their needs and preferences, 
thus encouraging providers to improve quality of care that Medicare 
beneficiaries receive. Form Number: CMS-10450 (OCN: 0938-New); 
Frequency: Annual; Affected Public: Individuals and Households; Number 
of Respondents: 234,600 Total Annual Responses: 117,300; Total Annual 
Hours: 39,530. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact 
Regina Chell at 410-786-6551. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved collection;
    Title of Information Collection: Hospital Wage Index Occupational 
Mix Survey and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR, Section 412.64; Use: 
Section 304(c) of Public Law 106-554 amended section 1886(d)(3)(E) of 
the Social Security Act to require CMS to collect data every 3 years on 
the occupational mix of employees for each short-term, acute care 
hospital participating in the Medicare program, in order to construct 
an occupational mix adjustment to the wage index, for application 
beginning October 1, 2004 (the FY 2005 wage index). The purpose of the 
occupational mix adjustment is to control for the effect of hospitals' 
employment choices on the wage index. Refer to the summary of changes 
document for a list of current changes. Form Number: CMS-10079 
(OMB: 0938-0907); Frequency: Reporting--Yearly, Biennially and 
Occasionally ; Affected Public: Private Sector--Business or other for-
profits and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 3,500; 
Total Annual Responses: 3,500; Total Annual Hours: 1,680,000. (For 
policy questions regarding this collection contact Gerry Mondowney at 
410-786-1172. 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 Email 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 February 5, 2013:
    1. Electronically. You may submit your comments electronically to 
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for ``Comment or

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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: December 4, 2012.
Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Division B, Office of 
Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2012-29627 Filed 12-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P