[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17280-17281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06573]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-R-5]


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

[[Page 17281]]

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 5, 2026.

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).
    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: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Physician 
Certifications/Recertifications in Skilled Nursing Facilities Manual 
Instruction; Use: Section 1814(a) of the Social Security Act (the Act) 
requires specific certifications in order for Medicare payments to be 
made for certain services. Before the enactment of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1989 (OBRA1989, Pub. L. 101-239), section 
1814(a)(2) of the Act required that, in the case of posthospital 
extended care services, a physician certify that the services are or 
were required to be given because the individual needs or needed, on a 
daily basis, skilled nursing care (provided directly by or requiring 
the supervision of skilled nursing personnel) or other skilled 
rehabilitation services that, as a practical matter, can only be 
provided in a SNF on an inpatient basis.
    The Medicare program requires, as a condition for Medicare Part A 
payment for posthospital skilled nursing facility (SNF) services, that 
a physician or other authorized practitioner must certify and 
periodically recertify that a beneficiary requires an SNF level of 
care. The physician certification and recertification is intended to 
ensure that the beneficiary's need for services has been established 
and then reviewed and updated at appropriate intervals. The 
documentation is a condition for Medicare Part A payment for post-
hospital SNF care. Form Number: CMS-R-5 (OMB control number 0938-0454); 
Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: Private Sector (Business or 
other for-profits); Number of Respondents: 3,882,413; Number of 
Responses: 3,882,413; Total Annual Hours: 480,957. (For policy 
questions regarding this collection contact Patricia Taft at 410-786-
4561).

William N. Parham, III,
Director, Division of Information Collections and Regulatory Impacts, 
Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2026-06573 Filed 4-3-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P