[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 76 (Thursday, April 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27764-27766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08223]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10891 and CMS-R-285]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health and Human 
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 (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 
information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 17, 2024.

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

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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, please access 
the CMS PRA website by copying and pasting the following web address 
into your web browser: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William N. 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-10891 Medicaid Program; Medicare Savings Program Application and 
Eligibility Determinations
CMS-R-285 Medicare Request for Retirement Benefit Information

    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: 
Medicaid Program; Medicare Savings Program Application and Eligibility 
Determinations; Use: The provisions in this collection of information 
request are necessary for helping to enroll individuals into the 
Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) as directed by the Medicare 
Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) and for 
implementing the September 21, 2023 (88 FR 65230) final rule entitled, 
``Streamlining Medicaid: Medicare Savings Program Eligibility 
Determination and Enrollment'' (hereinafter ``MSP final rule'') (CMS-
2421-F; RIN 0938-AU00).
    CMS did not previously estimate several costs for implementing the 
provisions of MIPPA related to MSPs as well as costs related to MSPs 
that were longstanding costs inherent to the Medicaid program that 
predated MIPPA. To address that oversight, we estimate such burden in 
this collection of information request. We also estimate burden and 
savings associated with the provisions in the MSP final rule. Such 
burden was set out in the Regulatory Impact Analysis section of the 
final rule.
    The MSPs are essential to the health and well-being of those 
enrolled, promoting access to care and helping free up individuals' 
limited income for food, housing, and other life necessities. Through 
the MSPs, Medicaid pays Medicare Part B premiums each month for over 10 
million individuals and Part A premiums for over 700,000 individuals. 
State Medicaid agencies receive applications and adjudicate eligibility 
for MSP coverage.
    MIPPA created new requirements for states to leverage the Medicare 
Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program to help enroll likely-eligible 
individuals in MSPs, and the MSP final rule expanded those 
requirements. States use information collected by the Social Security 
Administration on the LIS application (transmitted to states with the 
consent of an individual completing an application) to determine 
eligibility for the MSPs. Under the MSP final rule, the state Medicaid 
agency accepts and verifies the information provided on the LIS 
application (to the extent allowable under the MSP final rule); 
communicates with the applicant or the authorized representative about 
any additional information needed to make an MSP determination; makes 
the MSP eligibility determination; enrolls the individual in an MSP, if 
eligible; and informs the individual about the rights and 
responsibilities for applying for full Medicaid eligibility. Applicants 
include anyone who chooses to apply for LIS and provides consent for 
their application to be considered for MSPs.
    In addition to building on MIPPA and strengthening the LIS pathway 
for enrolling in MSPs, the MSP final rule streamlined MSP eligibility 
and enrollment processes, reduced administrative burden on states and 
applicants, and increased enrollment and retention of eligible 
individuals.
    Form Number: CMS-10891 (OMB control number: 0938-TBD); Frequency: 
Occasionally; Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Governments and 
Individuals or households; Number of Respondents: 3,460,750; Total 
Annual Responses: 3,460,750; Total Annual Hours: 3,255,668. (For policy 
questions regarding this collection contact: Melissa Heitt at 410-786-
2484.)
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension without change 
of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: 
Medicare Request for Retirement Benefit Information; Use: Medicare 
Premium Part A is a voluntary program that is financed from premium 
payments by enrollees together with contributions from funds 
appropriated by the Federal Government. Form CMS-R-285, ``Medicare 
Request for Retirement Benefit Information,'' is used to obtain 
information regarding whether a beneficiary currently purchasing 
Medicare Premium Part A coverage is receiving retirement payments based 
on State or local government employment, how long the claimant worked 
for the State or local government employer, and whether the former 
employer or pension plan is subsidizing the individual's Part A 
premium.
    Form CMS-R-285 provides the necessary information regarding the 
prior state or local government employment to process the individual's 
request for premium Part A reduction based on their employment by a 
state or local government. The form is completed by the state or local 
government employer on behalf of the individual seeking the Medicare 
premium reduction. The SSA, CMS' agent for processing Medicare 
enrollments and premium amount determinations, will use this 
information to help determine whether a beneficiary meets the 
requirements for reduction of the Part A premium. The form is owned by 
CMS but not completed by CMS staff. Form Number: CMS-R-285 (OMB control 
number: 0938-0769); Frequency: Once; Affected Public: State, Local, or 
Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 500; Total Annual Responses: 
500; Total Annual Hours: 125. (For policy questions regarding this 
collection

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contact Candace Carter at 410-786-8446.)

William N. Parham, III,
Director, Division of Information Collections and Regulatory Impacts, 
Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2024-08223 Filed 4-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P