[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 13, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20304-20305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-08348]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifiers: CMS-R-138 and CMS-10882]


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 July 14, 2025.

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, 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-R-138 Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board Procedures 
and Criteria
CMS-10882 Part C and Part D Medicare Prescription Payment Plan Model 
Documents

    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.

[[Page 20305]]

Information Collections

    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Reinstatement with 
change of a previously approved collection; Title of Information 
Collection: Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board Procedures 
and Criteria; Use: During the first few years of IPPS, hospitals were 
paid strictly based on their physical geographic location concerning 
the wage index (Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)) and the 
standardized amount (rural, other urban, or large urban). However, a 
growing number of hospitals became concerned that their payment rates 
were not providing accurate compensation. The hospitals argued that 
they were not competing with the hospitals in their own geographic 
area, but instead that they were competing with hospitals in 
neighboring geographic areas.
    At that point, Congress enacted Section 1886(d)(10) of the Act 
which enabled hospitals to apply to be considered part of neighboring 
geographic areas for payment purposes based on certain criteria. The 
application and decision process are administered by the MGCRB which is 
not a part of CMS so that CMS could not be accused of any untoward 
action. However, CMS needs to remain apprised of any potential payment 
changes. Hospitals are required to provide CMS with a copy of any 
applications that they made to the MGCRB. CMS also developed the 
guidelines for the MGCRB that were the interim final issue of the 
Federal Register and must ensure that the MGCRB properly applied the 
guidelines. This check and balance process also contributes to limiting 
the number of hospitals that ultimately need to appeal their MGCRB 
decisions to the CMS Administrator. Form Number: CMS-R-138 (OMB control 
number: 0938-0573); Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: 
Businesses or other for-profits and Not-for-profit institutions; Number 
of Respondents: 850; Total Annual Responses: 850; Total Annual Hours: 
850. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Noel 
Manlove at 410-786-5161.)
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Part C and Part D 
Medicare Prescription Payment Plan Model Documents; Use: Sections 
1860D-2(b)(2)(E)(v)(II)-(IV) of the Act state the requirements for Part 
D plan sponsors in implementing the program, which include the 
processes for outreach to enrollees identified as likely to benefit, 
election, and termination. Subsection II states that any Part D 
enrollee may elect into the program prior to or during the plan year. 
Subsection III details that Part D plan sponsors and MA organizations 
must have a mechanism in place to inform enrollees that they are likely 
to benefit from electing into the program at the point of sale (POS). 
Subsection IV(aa) states that plans must terminate a beneficiary's 
participation in the program when the beneficiary fails to pay the 
amounts owed under this program.
    CMS has developed the seven model notices to provide standardized 
and consistent language for potential and active program participants, 
regardless of which Part D plan they may be enrolled in. The seven 
model notices and their content serve as an example of how to convey 
information on the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to Part D 
enrollees and program participants, as applicable. Though Part D plan 
sponsors are not required to use the model materials and content 
verbatim, use of the model materials will satisfy the communications 
requirements included in Sec.  423.137. If a Part D plan sponsor 
chooses not to use a model material, they must meet the content 
requirements in Sec.  423.137 for the alternate notices they develop. 
CMS notes that the ``Medicare Prescription Payment Plan Likely to 
Benefit Notice,'' is a standardized material that Part D plan sponsors 
are required to use in the form and manner provided by CMS. Form 
Number: CMS-10882 (OMB control number: 0938-1475); Frequency: Yearly; 
Affected Public: Individuals and Households, Private Sector, Federal 
Government, Businesses or other for-profits and Not-for-profit 
institutions; Number of Respondents: 234,227; Total Annual Responses: 
39,514,987; Total Annual Hours: 135,080. (For policy questions 
regarding this collection contact Deven Gosalia at (410) 786-8264 or 
[email protected].)

William N. Parham, III,
Director, Division of Information Collections and Regulatory Impacts, 
Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2025-08348 Filed 5-12-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P