[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 56 (Monday, March 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16001-16002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06267]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

[Document Identifier: HHS-OS-21138-30D]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Public Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

[[Page 16002]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of 
Health and Human Services, has submitted an Information Collection 
Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. The ICR is for renewal of the approved 
information collection assigned OMB control number 0945-0006, scheduled 
to expire on March 31, 2014. Comments submitted during the first public 
review of this ICR will be provided to OMB. OMB will accept further 
comments from the public on this ICR during the review and approval 
period.

DATES: Comments on the ICR must be received on or before April 23, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or via 
facsimile to (202) 395-5806.

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-21138-30D 
for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: The Civil Rights Information 
Request Form.
    OMB No.: 0945-0006.
    Abstract: This request for OMB approval of The Civil Rights 
Information Request Form is for a 3 year extension. The Civil Rights 
Information Request Form is designed to collect data from health care 
providers who have requested certification to participate in the 
Medicare Part A program. As part of the Medicare certification process, 
health care facilities must receive a civil rights clearance from the 
Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR uses the information to determine 
compliance with civil rights statutes and regulations. The civil rights 
information is requested only when a health care provider applies for 
Medicare Part A certification; it is not necessary on a regular yearly 
basis. Entities that are affected by the Civil Rights Information 
Request Form are: Health care providers applying for Medicare 
certification, and individuals who, as a result of civil rights 
clearances, should be granted equal access to quality health care, 
regardless of race, color, national origin, disability, age and sex.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: To ensure adherence to 
the statutory requirements, compliance reviews are requested when 
health care providers, such as hospitals, nursing homes and home health 
agencies, apply to participate in the Medicare Part A program. When a 
provider seeks Medicare certification, OCR conducts a compliance review 
to determine whether the provider will be able to comply with Title VI, 
Section 504, and the Age Discrimination Act. Such reviews are an 
effective means of working with health care providers because potential 
civil rights concerns can be identified prior to receipt of Federal 
financial assistance. The technical assistance available to recipients 
on the OCR Web site helps providers take steps to comply with their 
obligations to refrain from prohibited discrimination.
    Likely Respondents: Healthcare providers.
    Burden Statement: In conducting a complaint investigation or 
compliance review of a health care or social service provider, OCR 
determines whether a compliance review was performed by OCR. In many 
instances, the procedure decreases the burden on the recipient since 
the compliance review and corrective actions, as necessary, may reduce 
or eliminate the need for a formal investigation involving interviews, 
examination of records, collection and submission of data associated 
with issues already addressed through a recent compliance review 
certification process. To further reduce provider burden in completing 
the compliance review process, OCR has developed several Corporate 
Agreements with health care corporations. These Agreements are designed 
to expedite the civil rights compliance review process by implementing 
a practice whereby all of a corporation's national policies and 
procedures are reviewed and approved at OCR's headquarters' level. 
Subsequent to such approval, only local facility-specific information 
is reviewed by OCR for civil rights compliance during the review 
process.

                                    Total Estimated Annualized Burden--Hours
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                                                                  Number of     Average  burden
                  Form name                      Number of      responses per    per  response     Total burden
                                                respondents       respondent       (in hours)         hours
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The Civil Rights Information Request Form...            2900                1                8           23,200
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Darius Taylor,
Deputy, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-06267 Filed 3-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4153-01-P