[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70186-70187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27835]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

[Document Identifier: HHS-OS-0990-0330-30D]


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

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

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 extending the use of the 
approved information collection assigned OMB control number 0990-0330, 
scheduled to expire on 12/31/14. 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 December 26, 
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 OMB control number  and document 
identifier HHS-OS-0990-0330 30D for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: Annual Appellant Climate 
Survey- Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA).
    OMB No.: 0990-0330.
    Abstract: The annual OMHA Appellant Climate Survey is a survey of 
Medicare beneficiaries, providers, suppliers, or their representatives 
who participated in a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) 
from the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA). Appellants 
dissatisfied with the outcome of their Level 2 Medicare appeal may 
request a hearing before an OMHA ALJ. The Appellant Climate Survey will 
be used to measure appellant satisfaction with their OMHA appeals 
experience, as opposed to their satisfaction with a specific ruling.
    OMHA was established by the Medicare Prescription Drug, 
Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-173) and 
became operational on July 1, 2005. The MMA legislation and 
implementing regulations issued on March 8, 2007 instituted a number of 
changes in the appeals process. The MMA legislation also directed the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to consider the 
feasibility of conducting hearings using telephone or video-
teleconference (VTC) technologies. In carrying out this mandate, OMHA 
makes use of VTC to provide appellants with a vast nationwide network 
of access points for hearings close to their homes. The first three-
year administration cycle of the OMHA survey began in FY08 and a second 
three-year cycle began in FY12. The survey will continue to be 
conducted annually over a three-year period, beginning in FY15.
    Likely Respondents: Survey respondents will consist of Medicare 
beneficiaries, providers, suppliers, or their representatives who 
participated in a hearing before an OMHA ALJ. OMHA will draw a 
representative, non-redundant sample of appellants whose cases have 
been closed in the last six months.

[[Page 70187]]



                                    Total Estimated Annualized Burden--Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of        Number        burden per     Total  burden
      Type of  respondent           Form name       respondents    responses per   response  (in       hours
                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charged at rate of Healthcare   Form A..........             240               1           11/60              44
 Providers and Suppliers.
Charged at rate of              Form A..........             160               1           11/60              29
 Beneficiaries.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................             400               1           11/60              73
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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.

Darius Taylor,
Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-27835 Filed 11-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-46-P