[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95614-95615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31183]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10633]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

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 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 February 27, 2017.

ADDRESSES: When commenting, please reference the document identifier or 
OMB control number. 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: 

[[Page 95615]]

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-10633 QIC Demonstration Evaluation Contractor (QDEC): Analyze 
Medicare Appeals To Conduct Formal Discussions and Reopenings With 
Suppliers

    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: New Collection (Request 
for a new OMB control number); Title of Information Collection: QIC 
Demonstration Evaluation Contractor (QDEC): Analyze Medicare Appeals to 
Conduct Formal Discussions and Reopenings with Suppliers; Use: The 
Formal Telephone Discussions Demonstration is designed to improve the 
efficiency of Medicare's five-level appeals system for fee-for-service 
(FFS) claims, which currently is experiencing a backlog. In the 
Demonstration, the Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) provides 
education through a formal telephone discussion process to improve 
suppliers' understanding of the reasons for claim denials, and 
ultimately improve the quality of future claims submissions. CMS is 
interested in determining whether engagement between suppliers and the 
QIC will improve the understanding of the cause of Level 2 appeal 
denials, and over time, whether this results in increased submission of 
accurate and complete claims at the Medicare Administrative Contractor 
(MAC) level. The evaluation of the Demonstration will use both 
quantitative and qualitative techniques to analyze the outcomes and 
impact of the Demonstration. Claims analysis, a web-based supplier 
survey, and supplier key informant interviews will inform the 
evaluation, and: (1) Focus specifically on outcomes including supplier 
satisfaction with the discussions, the rate of claims denials, and the 
number of claims that go through appeals Levels 2 and 3; (2) seek to 
determine whether further engagement between suppliers and the QIC 
improves understanding of the reasons for claim denials; and (3) 
support CMS in assessing the QIC's effectiveness in meeting a number of 
criteria established by CMS, including how satisfied participating 
suppliers were with the formal telephone discussion process. Form 
Number: CMS-10633 (OMB control number: 0938-NEW); Frequency: Monthly; 
Affected Public: Private Sector Business or other for-profits, Not-for-
Profit Institutions; Number of Respondents: 10,560; Total Annual 
Responses: 2,640; Total Annual Hours: 473.3. (For policy questions 
regarding this collection contact Lynnsie Doty at 410-786-2175.)

    Dated: December 21, 2016.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and 
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-31183 Filed 12-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P