[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 207 (Friday, October 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63980-63981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25187]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

[Document Identifier HHS-OS-20694-60D]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Public Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of 
Health and Human Services, announces plans to submit an Information 
Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB). The ICR is for extending the use of the approved 
information collection assigned OMB control number 0990-0162, which 
expires on January 31, 2014. Prior to submitting that ICR to OMB, OS 
seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or 
any other aspect of the ICR.

[[Page 63981]]


DATES: Comments on the ICR must be received on or before December 24, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to 
[email protected] or by calling (202) 690-6162.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information Collection Clearance 
staff, [email protected] or (202) 690-6162.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the document identifier HHS-OS-20694-60D 
for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: State Medicaid Fraud Control 
Units' Reports.
    OMB No.: 0990-0162.
    Abstract: Office of Inspector General (OIG) is requesting an 
extension by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of approval for the 
collection of information to comply with the requirements in Title 19 
of the Social Security Act at 1903(q), 42 CFR 1007.15, and 42 CFR 
1007.17, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The 
information collected consists of fifty separate annual reports and 
fifty separate application requests for certification/recertification 
of State Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCU). The collection is 
required by the statute and submitted yearly to OIG by the fifty MFCUs. 
OIG uses the information collected to determine the MFCUs' compliance 
with Federal requirements and eligibility for continued Federal 
financial participation (FFP) under the Federal MFCU grant program.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Public Law 95-142, the 
Medicare-Medicaid Anti-Fraud and Abuse Amendments, was enacted in 1977 
to strengthen the capabilities of Federal and State governments to 
combat and eliminate fraud and abuse in Medicaid, through the 
establishment of the MFCUs. This law amended section 1903 of the Social 
Security Act to establish operating requirements for MFCUs and provide 
FFP to State governments for the cost of establishing MFCUs, training 
State personnel, and keeping the MFCUs operational.
    Under section 1903(q)(7), each MFCU must annually submit to the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) an application and 
annual report containing information that the Secretary determines is 
necessary to certify the MFCU as meeting the requirements for FFP. FFP 
is available only for activities directly related to the investigation 
and prosecution of health care providers suspected of committing 
Medicaid fraud. The MFCUs also review complaints of alleged abuse or 
neglect of patients and the misuse of patients' personal funds in 
health care facilities. OIG reviews the information collected to ensure 
that Federal matching funds are expended by MFCUs only for allowable 
costs. In addition, OIG analyzes each MFCU's submission to determine 
whether there is a need for OIG technical assistance and to establish 
priorities for onsite reviews to further monitor program activities.
    Likely Respondents: State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
    Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the 
information requested. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions, to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information, to train personnel and to be able to respond to 
a collection of information, to search data sources, to complete and 
review the collection of information, and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for 
this ICR are summarized in the table below.

                                    Total Estimated Annualized Burden--Hours
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
        Respondent                  Form             Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)         hours
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MFCU......................  Annual Report.......              50               1              88           4,400
MFCU......................  Annual Report, data               13               1               1              13
                             mining reporting
                             only.
MFCU......................  Recertification                   50               1               5             250
                             Application.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.................  ....................              50               2              94           4,663
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    OS specifically requests comments on (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.

Keith A. Tucker,
Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-25187 Filed 10-24-13; 8:45 am]
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