[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18554-18555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07402]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifiers: CMS-10209 and CMS-10379]


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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is 
announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention 
to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in 
the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of 
information, including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an 
existing collection of information, and to allow a second opportunity 
for public comment on the notice. Interested persons are invited to 
send comments regarding the 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.

DATES: Comments on the collection(s) of information must be received by 
the OMB desk officer by May 2, 2014.

ADDRESSES: When commenting on the proposed information collections, 
please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be 
assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be received by 
the OMB desk officer via one of the following transmissions: OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS Desk 
Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395-5806 or Email: [email protected].
    To obtain copies of a supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed collection(s) summarized in this notice, you may make 
your request using one of following:
    1. Access CMS' Web site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995.
    2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB 
number, and CMS document identifier, to [email protected].
    3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-
1326.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. The term ``collection of 
information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and 
includes agency requests or

[[Page 18555]]

requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, 
or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires federal agencies to publish a 
30-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed 
collection of information, including each proposed extension or 
reinstatement of an existing collection of information, before 
submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this 
requirement, CMS is publishing this notice that summarizes the 
following proposed collection(s) of information for public comment:
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare 
Advantage Chronic Care Improvement Program (CCIP) and Quality 
Improvement (QI) Project Reporting Tools; Use: Medicare Advantage 
Organizations (MAOs) are required to have an ongoing quality 
improvement (QI) program that meets our requirements and includes at 
least one chronic care improvement program (CCIP) and one QI project. 
Every MAO must have a QI program that monitors and identifies areas 
where implementing appropriate interventions would improve patient 
outcomes and patient safety. Information collected using the CCIP and 
QIP reporting tools is an integral resource for oversight, monitoring, 
compliance, and auditing activities necessary to ensure high quality 
value-based health care for Medicare beneficiaries. Form Number: CMS-
10209 (OCN: 0938-1023); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Private 
sector (business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions); 
Number of Respondents: 1,904; Total Annual Responses: 1,904; Total 
Annual Hours: 28,560. (For policy questions regarding this collection 
contact Ellen Dieujuste at 410-786-2191).
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Reinstatement with 
change of a previously approved information collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Rate Increase Disclosure and Review Reporting 
Requirements; Use: Section 1003 of the Affordable Care Act adds a new 
section 2794 of the PHS Act which directs the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary), in conjunction 
with the states, to establish a process for the annual review of 
``unreasonable increases in premiums for health insurance coverage.'' 
The statute provides that health insurance issuers must submit to the 
Secretary and the applicable state justifications for unreasonable 
premium increases prior to the implementation of the increases. Section 
2794 also specifies that beginning with plan years beginning in 2014, 
the Secretary, in conjunction with the states, shall monitor premium 
increases of health insurance coverage offered through an Exchange and 
outside of an Exchange.
    Section 2794 directs the Secretary to ensure the public disclosure 
of information and justification relating to unreasonable rate 
increases. The regulation therefore develops a process to ensure the 
public disclosure of all such information and justification. Section 
2794 requires that health insurance issuers submit justification for an 
unreasonable rate increase to CMS and the relevant state prior to its 
implementation. Additionally, section 2794 requires that rate increases 
effective in 2014 (submitted for review in 2013) be monitored by the 
Secretary, in conjunction with the states. To those ends the regulation 
establishes various reporting requirements for health insurance 
issuers, including a Preliminary Justification for a proposed rate 
increase, a Final Justification for any rate increase determined by a 
state or CMS to be unreasonable, and a notification requirement for 
unreasonable rate increases which the issuer will not implement.
    On November 14, 2013, CMS issued a letter to State Insurance 
Commissioners outlining transitional policy for non-grandfathered 
coverage in the small group and individual health insurance markets. If 
permitted by applicable State authorities, health insurance issuers may 
choose to continue coverage that would otherwise be terminated or 
cancelled, and affected individuals and small businesses may choose to 
re-enroll in such coverage. Under this transitional policy, non-
grandfathered health insurance coverage in the individual or small 
group market that is renewed for a policy year starting between January 
1, 2014, and October 1, 2014, will not be considered to be out of 
compliance with certain market reforms if certain specific conditions 
are met. These transitional plans continue to be subject to the 
requirements of section 2794, but are not subject to 2701 (market 
rating rules), 2702 (guaranteed availability), 2704 (prohibition on 
health status rating), 2705 (prohibition on health status 
discrimination) and 2707 (requirements of essential health benefits) 
and the because the single risk pool (1311(e)) is dependent on all of 
the aforementioned sections (2701, 2702, 2704, 2705 and 2707), the 
transitional plans are also exempt from the single risk pool. The 
Unified Rate Review Template and system are exclusively designed for 
use with the single risk pool plan, and any attempt to include non-
single risk pool plans in the Unified Rate Review template or system 
will create errors, inaccuracies and limitations on submissions that 
would prevent the effectiveness of reviews of both sets of non-
grandfathered plans (single risk pool and transitional). For these many 
reasons, CMS is requiring issuers with transitional plans that 
experience rate increases subject to review to use the Rate Review 
Justification system and templates which were required and utilized 
prior to April 1, 2013. Form Number: CMS-10379 (OCN: 0938-1141); 
Frequency: Annual; Affected Public: Private sector, State Governments; 
Number of Respondents: 81; Total Annual Responses: 358; Total Annual 
Hours: 1,879. (For policy questions regarding this collection, contact 
Doug Pennington at (410) 786-1553.)

    Dated: March 28, 2014.
Martique Jones,
Deputy Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic 
Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-07402 Filed 4-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P