[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 248 (Friday, December 27, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71427-71428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27926]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier CMS-10701, CMS-10191 and CMS-10142]


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

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 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 January 27, 2020.

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' website address at website address at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.html.
    1. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB 
number, and CMS document identifier, to [email protected].
    2. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Parham at (410) 786-4669.

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 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: New collection (Request 
for a new OMB control number); Title of Information Collection: 
Medicare Beneficiary Experiences with Care Survey System; Use: The 
MBECS system is designed to conduct 1-2 surveys per year on priority 
groups of interest, thereby allowing CMS OMH to respond quickly to the 
data needs of stakeholders with interests in these underrepresented 
groups. Data collected through the MBECS system will be used to better 
understand--and thus serve the needs of--Medicare beneficiaries in 
minority populations. The core questionnaire will collect information 
on communication with medical professionals, coordination of health 
care, experiences getting needed health care, experiences with personal 
doctors and specialists, and key demographics. Data will be compared to 
benchmarks from the FFS CAHPS, MA CAHPS, and

[[Page 71428]]

NAM CAHPS surveys. The population-specific questionnaire module will 
collect information about issues most relevant for particular minority 
groups; population-specific modules will be described in individual 
information collection requests. These data will be compared to 
benchmarks from the relevant CAHPS source surveys when available.
    Collection of these data from people who have been identified 
through CMS administrative data and administrative flags as part of 
specific minority populations will also serve as a critical validation 
step of this method for identifying difficult-to-study populations, 
thus making it easier to study beneficiaries in these groups in the 
future. Form Number: CMS-10701 (OMB control number: 0938-NEW); 
Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal 
Governments; Number of Respondents: 10,000; Total Annual Responses: 
10,000; Total Annual Hours: 3,333. (For policy questions regarding this 
collection contact Luis Perez at 410-786-8557.)
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision with change of 
a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: 
Medicare Parts C and D Program Audit Protocols and Data Requests; Use: 
Under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization 
Act of 2003 and implementing regulations at 42 CFR parts 422 and 423, 
Medicare Part D plan sponsors and Medicare Advantage organizations are 
required to comply with all Medicare Parts C and D program 
requirements. CMS' annual audit plan ensures that we evaluate 
sponsoring organizations' compliance with these requirements. CMS 
program audits focus on high-risk areas that have the greatest 
potential for beneficiary harm. As such, CMS has developed several 
audit protocols that are included within the program area data request 
documents and that are posted to the CMS website each year for use by 
sponsoring organizations to prepare for their audit. As part of a 
robust audit process, CMS also requires sponsoring organizations who 
have been audited and found to have deficiencies to undergo a 
validation audit to ensure correction. The validation audit utilizes 
the same audit protocols, but only tests the elements where 
deficiencies were found, as opposed to re-administering the entire 
audit.
    Currently CMS utilizes the following 5 protocols to audit 
sponsoring organization performance: Part D Formulary and Benefit 
Administration (FA); Part D Coverage Determinations, Appeals, and 
Grievances (CDAG); Part C Organization Determinations, Appeals, and 
Grievances (ODAG); Special Needs Model of Care (SNP-MOC) (only 
administered on organizations who operate SNPs); and, Compliance 
Program Effectiveness (CPE). The data collected is detailed in each of 
these protocols and the exact fields are located in the record layouts, 
at the end of each protocol. In addition, this collection request 
includes a pre-audit issue summary, three CPE questionnaires, one CPE 
organizational structure presentation template, one FA impact analysis 
template, two CDAG impact analysis templates, four ODAG impact analysis 
templates, three SNP-MOC impact analysis templates, and a SNP-MOC 
questionnaire.
    The information gathered during this audit will be used by the 
Medicare Parts C and D Oversight and Enforcement Group (MOEG) within 
the Center for Medicare (CM) and CMS Regional Offices to assess 
sponsoring organizations' compliance with Medicare program 
requirements. If outliers or other data anomalies are detected, 
Regional Offices will work in collaboration with MOEG and other 
divisions within CMS for follow-up and resolution. Additionally, MA and 
Part D organizations will receive the audit results and will be 
required to implement corrective action to correct any identified 
deficiencies. Form Number: CMS-10191 (OMB control number: 0938-1000); 
Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal 
Governments; Number of Respondents: 201; Total Annual Responses: 207; 
Total Annual Hours: 39,456. (For policy questions regarding this 
collection contact Brenda Hudson at 443-743-9299.)
    3. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision with change of 
a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Bid 
Pricing Tool (BPT) for Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans and Prescription 
Drug Plans (PDP); Use: Under the Medicare Prescription Drug, 
Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), and implementing 
regulations at 42 CFR, Medicare Advantage organizations (MAOs) and 
Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) are required to submit an actuarial 
pricing ``bid'' for each plan offered to Medicare beneficiaries for 
approval by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
    Medicare Advantage organizations (MAO) and Prescription Drug Plans 
(PDP) are required to submit an actuarial pricing ``bid'' for each plan 
offered to Medicare beneficiaries for approval by CMS. The MAOs and 
PDPs use the Bid Pricing Tool (BPT) software to develop their actuarial 
pricing bid. The competitive bidding process defined by the ``The 
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act'' (MMA) 
applies to both the MA and Part D programs. It is an annual process 
that encompasses the release of the MA rate book in April, the bid's 
that plans submit to CMS in June, and the release of the Part D and 
RPPO benchmarks, which typically occurs in August. Form Number: CMS-
10142 (OMB control number: 0938-0944); Frequency: Yearly; Affected 
Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 
555; Total Annual Responses: 4995; Total Annual Hours: 149,850. (For 
policy questions regarding this collection contact Rachel Shevland at 
410-786-3026.)

    Dated: December 20, 2019.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and 
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2019-27926 Filed 12-26-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P