[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 213 (Tuesday, November 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65400-65401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26041]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10527]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

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 (the 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 60 days for public 
comment on the proposed action. Interested persons are invited to send 
comments regarding our burden estimates 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

[[Page 65401]]

be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology to minimize the information 
collection burden.

DATES: Comments must be received by January 5, 2015.

ADDRESSES: When commenting, please reference the document identifier or 
OMB control number (OCN). To be assured consideration, comments and 
recommendations must be submitted in any one of the following ways:
    1. Electronically. You may send your comments electronically to  
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for ``Comment or 
Submission'' or ``More Search Options'' to find the information 
collection document(s) that are 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.
    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: 

Contents

    This notice sets out a summary of the use and burden associated 
with the following information collections. More detailed information 
can be found in each collection's supporting statement and associated 
materials (see ADDRESSES).

CMS-10527 Annual Eligibility Redetermination, Product Discontinuation 
and Renewal Notices

    Under the 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 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 requires federal agencies 
to publish a 60-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.

Information Collection

    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Annual 
Eligibility Redetermination, Product Discontinuation and Renewal 
Notices; Use: Section 1411(f)(1)(B) of the Affordable Care Act directs 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish 
procedures to redetermine the eligibility of individuals on a periodic 
basis in appropriate circumstances. Section 1321(a) of the Affordable 
Care Act provides authority for the Secretary to establish standards 
and regulations to implement the statutory requirements related to 
Exchanges, QHPs and other components of title I of the Affordable Care 
Act. Under section 2703 of the PHS Act, as added by the Affordable Care 
Act, and sections 2712 and 2741 of the PHS Act, enacted by the Health 
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, health insurance 
issuers in the group and individual markets must guarantee the 
renewability of coverage unless an exception applies.
    The final rule ``Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Annual 
Eligibility Redeterminations for Exchange Participation and Insurance 
Affordability Programs; Health Insurance Issuer Standards Under the 
Affordable Care Act, Including Standards Related to Exchanges'' (79 FR 
52994), provides that an Exchange may choose to conduct the annual 
redetermination process for a plan year (1) in accordance with the 
existing procedures described in 45 CFR 155.335; (2) in accordance with 
procedures described in guidance issued by the Secretary for the 
coverage year; or (3) using an alternative proposed by the Exchange and 
approved by the Secretary. The guidance document ``Guidance on Annual 
Redeterminations for Coverage for 2015'' contains the procedures that 
the Secretary is specifying for the 2015 coverage year, as noted in (2) 
above. These procedures will be adopted by the Federally-facilitated 
Exchange. Under this option, the Exchange will provide three notices. 
These notices may be combined.
    The final rule also amends the requirements for product renewal and 
re-enrollment (or non-renewal) notices to be sent by Qualified Health 
Plan (QHP) issuers in the Exchanges and specifies content for these 
notices. The accompanying guidance document ``Form and Manner of 
Notices When Discontinuing or Renewing a Product in the Group or 
Individual Market'' provides standard notices for product 
discontinuation and renewal to be sent by issuers of individual market 
QHPs and issuers in the individual market. Issuers in the small group 
market may use the draft Federal standard small group notices released 
in the June 26, 2014 bulletin ``Draft Standard Notices When 
Discontinuing or Renewing a Product in the Small Group or Individual 
Market,'' or any forms of the notice otherwise permitted by applicable 
laws and regulations. States that are enforcing the Affordable Care Act 
may develop their own standard notices, for product discontinuances, 
renewals, or both, provided the State-developed notices are at least as 
protective as the Federal standard notices. Form Number: CMS-10527; 
Frequency: Annual; Affected Public: Private Sector, State Governments; 
Number of Respondents: 2,945; Number of Responses: 12,224; Total Annual 
Hours: 149,186. (For policy questions regarding this collection, 
contact Usree Bandyopadhyay at 410-786-6650.)

    Dated: October 29, 2014.
Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-26041 Filed 11-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P