[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51843-51844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24305]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10653]


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 the necessity and utility of the 
proposed information collection for the proper performance of the 
agency's functions, the accuracy of the estimated burden, ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected, and the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of

[[Page 51844]]

information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

DATES: Comments must be received by January 8, 2018.

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: William Parham at (410) 786-4669.

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-10653 Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable 
Care Act

    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.
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Coverage of 
Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act; Use: The 
2017 interim final regulations titled ``Religious Exemptions and 
Accommodations for Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the 
Affordable Care Act'' and ``Moral Exemptions and Accommodations for 
Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act'' 
expand exemptions for religious beliefs and moral convictions for 
certain entities or individuals whose health plans may otherwise be 
subject to a mandate of contraceptive coverage through guidance issued 
pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The interim 
final rules extend the exemption to health insurance issuers that hold 
religious or moral objections in certain circumstances. The interim 
final rules also allow plan participants and enrollees with sincerely 
held religious or moral objections to request coverage that does not 
include contraceptive services.
    The interim final rules also leave the accommodation process in 
place as an optional process for objecting entities who wish to use it 
voluntarily. To avoid contracting, arranging, paying, or referring for 
contraceptive coverage, an organization seeking to be treated as an 
eligible organization may self-certify (by using EBSA Form 700), prior 
to the beginning of the first plan year to which an accommodation is to 
apply, that it meets the definition of an eligible organization. The 
eligible organization must provide a copy of its self-certification to 
each health insurance issuer that would otherwise provide such coverage 
in connection with the health plan (for insured group health plans or 
student health insurance coverage). The issuer that receives the self-
certification must provide separate payments for contraceptive services 
for plan participants and beneficiaries (or students and dependents). 
For a self-insured group health plan, the self-certification must be 
provided to its third party administrator. An eligible organization may 
alternatively submit a notification to HHS as an alternative to 
submitting the EBSA Form 700 to the eligible organization's health 
insurance issuer or third party administrator. A health insurance 
issuer or third party administrator providing or arranging payments for 
contraceptive services for participants and beneficiaries in plans (or 
student enrollees and covered dependents in student health insurance 
coverage) of eligible organizations must provide a written notice to 
such plan participants and beneficiaries (or such student enrollees and 
covered dependents) informing them of the availability of such 
payments.
    Eligible organizations can revoke at any time the accommodation 
process if participants and beneficiaries receive written notice of 
such revocation from the issuer or third party administrator in 
accordance with guidance issued by the Secretary, and if the 
accommodation process is currently being utilized, such revocation will 
be effective on the first day of the first plan year that begins on or 
after thirty days after the date of revocation. Form Number: CMS-10653 
(OMB control number 0938-1344); Frequency: On Occasion; Affected 
Public: Private Sector; Number of Respondents: 110; Number of 
Responses: 274,629; Total Annual Hours: 181. (For policy questions 
regarding this collection contact Usree Bandyopadhyay at 410-786-6650. 
For all other issues call (410) 786-1326.)

    Dated: November 3, 2017.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and 
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-24305 Filed 11-7-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P