Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review, 43157-43158 [E6-12218]

Download as PDF sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 146 / Monday, July 31, 2006 / Notices The Complaint The allegations of the complaint are summarized below. PRAE is a nonprofit corporation, organized, existing, and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (‘‘Commonwealth’’ or ‘‘Puerto Rico’’), with its office and principal place of business in San Juan, Puerto Rico. PRAE has approximately 30 member endodontists, who are engaged in the business of providing professional services to patients throughout Puerto Rico. PRAE membership includes all or almost all of those professionals who are licensed practicing endodontists in the Commonwealth. Except to the extent that competition has been restrained, member endodontists of PRAE have been, and are now, in competition with each other for the provision of endodontic services. In January 2003, PRAE formed a PrePayments Committee, which then began negotiating with payors on behalf of PRAE members in order to secure higher reimbursement rates for PRAE members. By March 2003, the PRAE Pre-Payments Committee had met with representatives of two payors and convinced those payors to increase the rates paid to PRAE members. Also in March 2003, PRAE sent a letter to at least four insurance companies requesting a meeting ‘‘with the intention of revising the fees paid to Endodontists’’ that participate in the insurer’s dental plan. Thereafter, the Pre-Payments Committee contacted these payors to urge them to raise their rates. In one such discussion, the payor representative informed the Committee member that the Committee’s negotiation on behalf of PRAE members was illegal under the antitrust laws. In response, the PRAE representative informed the payor that other payors had been disinclined to accede to the rate increases proposed by the PRAE, and that those payors now were facing potential problems with their networks. PRAE’s efforts to negotiate higher rates from payors for its members succeeded. In response to the various efforts of PRAE’s Pre-Payment Committee, in 2003 at least five payors raised the rates that they paid PRAE members. In early 2004, PRAE’s Pre-Payment Committee began a campaign to raise rates again, this time by seeking to end the payors’ ban on balance billing.2 PRAE sought this change in contract terms to permit its members to raise the prices directly paid by patients and to avoid the cost-containment function of a ban on balance billing. In furtherance of this plan, in early 2004, the PRAE Pre-Payments Committee contacted several payors to request that the payors waive their ban on balance billing. The Committee followed those discussions with a letter in June 2004, which the Committee sent to at least seven payors. The letter urges each payor to eliminate their ban on balance billing so that the payor did not have to absorb the price increase that the PRAE members desired. The letter states that waiver of the ban ‘‘could result in all Endodontists in Puerto Rice becoming dental participants of your Dental Plan since there would be no financial discrepancies. This could be of great usefulness in your marketing strategy.’’ To emphasize the collective nature of the demand being made by the PRAE, and the potential risk to payors of failing to acquiesce to that demand, twenty-three members of PRAE cosigned the letter. The Pre-Payments Committee followed the letter with repeated phone calls to the payors urging an end to ban on balance billing. Thus far, the payors pressured by PRAE to end the ban on balance billing have resisted the coordinated action of PRAE. PRAE engaged in no efficiencyenhancing integration sufficient to justify joint negotiation of fees or other terms. By the acts set forth in the Complaint, PRAE violated Section 5 of the FTC Act. 2 Endodontists entering into contracts with payors often agree to accept, as payment in full for services rendered, an agreed upon fee from the payor and co-payment from the subscriber. Where such a term is included in the payor-endodontist contract, the endodontist agrees not to ‘‘balance bill’’ the patient for any balance or difference between the agreed upon payments and the endodontist’s desired rate. Agreements not to balance bill reduce the cost of endodontic care to patients. VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:34 Jul 28, 2006 Jkt 208001 The Proposed Consent Order The proposed order is designed to remedy the illegal conduct charged in the complaint and prevent its recurrence. The proposed order is similar to recent consent orders that the Commission has issued to settle charges that physician groups engaged in unlawful agreements to raise fees they receive from health plans. The proposed order’s specific provisions are as follows: Paragraph II.A prohibits PRAE from entering into or facilitating agreements among endodontists: (1) To negotiate on behalf of any endodontist with any payor; (2) to deal, refuse to deal, or threaten to refuse to deal with any payor; (3) regarding any term upon which any endodontist deals, or is willing to deal, with any payor; and (4) not to deal individually with any payor PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 43157 or through any arrangement other than PRAE. Other parts of Paragraph II reinforce these general prohibitions. Paragraph II.B prohibits PRAE from exchanging or facilitating the transfer of information among endodontists concerning any endodontist’s willingness to deal with a payor, or the terms or conditions, including price terms, on which the endodontist is willing to deal. Paragraph II.C prohibits PRAE from attempting to engage in any action prohibited by Paragraphs II.A or II.B. Paragraph II.D prohibits PRAE from encouraging, pressuring or attempting to induce any person to engage in any action that would be prohibited by Paragraphs II.A through II.C. Paragraphs III.A and B require PRAE to distribute the complaint and order to its members, payors with which it has been in contact since the beginning of 2001, and specified others. Paragraphs IV, V, and VI of the proposed order impose various obligations on PRAE to report or provide access to information to the Commission to facilitate monitoring PRAE’s compliance with the order. The proposed order will expire in 20 years. By direction of the Commission. Donald S. Clark, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6–12253 Filed 7–28–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6750–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [30Day–06–0513] Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a list of information collection requests under review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639–5960 or send an email to omb@cdc.gov. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 395–6974. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice. Proposed Project The second Injury Control and Risk Survey (ICARIS–2)—Phase 2— E:\FR\FM\31JYN1.SGM 31JYN1 43158 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 146 / Monday, July 31, 2006 / Notices Reinstatement with change—The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Background and Brief Description Injuries are a major cause of premature death and disability with associated economic costs of over 150 billion dollars in lifetime costs for persons injured each year. This project will use data from a telephone survey to measure injury-related risk factors and guide injury prevention and control priorities including those identified as priorities in Healthy People 2010 objectives for the nation. This project will build on previous efforts. The first Injury Control and Risk Survey (ICARIS), conducted in 1994, was a random digit dial telephone survey that collected injury risk factor and demographic data on 5,238 Englishand Spanish-speaking adults (greater than or equal to 18 years old) in the were previously unable to explore fully. Data will be collected on new aspects of topics covered in Phase-1 (such as firearm ownership and access, and suicide), and new questions will be introduced in areas that were not previously addressed, such as older adult mobility, the supervision of children, injury and disability, and the incidence of traumatic brain injury. The Phase-2 data will be analyzed in conjunction with ICARIS–2 Phase-1 data and the data from the original baseline ICARIS survey to measure changes in risk factors and to gauge the impact of injury prevention policies. The ICARIS–2 Phase-2 survey may also serve as the only readily available source of data to measure several of the Healthy People 2010 injury prevention objectives. There are no costs to respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized burden is 620 hours. United States. Proxy data were collected on 3,541 children <15 years old. More than a dozen peer-reviewed scientific reports have been published from the ICARIS data on subjects including dog bites, bicycle helmet use, residential smoke detector usage and fire escape practices, attitudes toward violence, suicidal ideation and behavior, and compliance with pediatric injury prevention counseling. The ICARIS survey was followed by the ICARIS–2 Phase-1 survey, which was initiated as a means for monitoring the injury risk factor status of the nation at the start of the millennium. ICARIS– 2 Phase-1 was also conducted as a national telephone survey. Data collection on almost 10,000 respondents was completed in early 2003, and analyses are still ongoing. The planned ICARIS–2 Phase-2 survey will be implemented to expand knowledge in areas that investigators ESTIMATE OF ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS Type of respondent Number of respondents Form name Ineligible .......................................................... Unknown or unverified eligibility ..................... Eligible but unable to reach ............................ Eligible non-respondent .................................. Partial interview ............................................... Completed interview ....................................... Dated: July 13, 2006. Joan F. Karr, Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. E6–12218 Filed 7–28–06; 8:45 am] Screening Screening Screening Screening Screening Screening ....................................................... ....................................................... ....................................................... ....................................................... and CATI ....................................... and CATI ....................................... [CMS–1530–N] fiscal year (FY) 2007. Annual updates to the PPS rates are required by section 1888(e) of the Social Security Act (the Act), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (the BBRA), the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (the BIPA), and the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (the MMA), relating to Medicare payments and consolidated billing for SNFs. RIN 0938–AM46 DATES: BILLING CODE 4163–18–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities— Update—Notice Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. ACTION: Notice. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice updates the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), for VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:34 Jul 28, 2006 Jkt 208001 Effective Date: This notice is effective on October 1, 2006. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Gay, (410) 786–4528 (for information related to the case-mix classification methodology). Jeanette Kranacs, (410) 786–9385 (for information related to the development of the payment rates). Bill Ullman, (410) 786–5667 (for information related to level of care determinations, consolidated billing, and general information). PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 500 900 200 450 75 2,000 Number of responses per respondent Average burden per response (in hours) 1 1 4 1 1 1 1/60 0.5/60 6/60 1.5/60 10/60 15/60 To assist readers in referencing sections contained in this document, we are providing the following Table of Contents. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table of Contents I. Background A. Current System for Payment of SNF Services Under Part A of the Medicare Program B. Requirements of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) for Updating the Prospective Payment System for Skilled Nursing Facilities C. The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA) D. The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA) E. The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) F. Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment—General Overview 1. Payment Provisions—Federal Rate 2. Rate Updates Using the Skilled Nursing Facility Market Basket Index II. Annual Update of Payment Rates Under the Prospective Payment System for Skilled Nursing Facilities E:\FR\FM\31JYN1.SGM 31JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 146 (Monday, July 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43157-43158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12218]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-06-0513]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639-5960 or send an e-mail 
to omb@cdc.gov. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of 
Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 395-6974. 
Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    The second Injury Control and Risk Survey (ICARIS-2)--Phase 2--

[[Page 43158]]

Reinstatement with change--The National Center for Injury Prevention 
and Control (NCIPC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Injuries are a major cause of premature death and disability with 
associated economic costs of over 150 billion dollars in lifetime costs 
for persons injured each year. This project will use data from a 
telephone survey to measure injury-related risk factors and guide 
injury prevention and control priorities including those identified as 
priorities in Healthy People 2010 objectives for the nation. This 
project will build on previous efforts.
    The first Injury Control and Risk Survey (ICARIS), conducted in 
1994, was a random digit dial telephone survey that collected injury 
risk factor and demographic data on 5,238 English- and Spanish-speaking 
adults (greater than or equal to 18 years old) in the United States. 
Proxy data were collected on 3,541 children <15 years old. More than a 
dozen peer-reviewed scientific reports have been published from the 
ICARIS data on subjects including dog bites, bicycle helmet use, 
residential smoke detector usage and fire escape practices, attitudes 
toward violence, suicidal ideation and behavior, and compliance with 
pediatric injury prevention counseling.
    The ICARIS survey was followed by the ICARIS-2 Phase-1 survey, 
which was initiated as a means for monitoring the injury risk factor 
status of the nation at the start of the millennium. ICARIS-2 Phase-1 
was also conducted as a national telephone survey. Data collection on 
almost 10,000 respondents was completed in early 2003, and analyses are 
still ongoing.
    The planned ICARIS-2 Phase-2 survey will be implemented to expand 
knowledge in areas that investigators were previously unable to explore 
fully. Data will be collected on new aspects of topics covered in 
Phase-1 (such as firearm ownership and access, and suicide), and new 
questions will be introduced in areas that were not previously 
addressed, such as older adult mobility, the supervision of children, 
injury and disability, and the incidence of traumatic brain injury. The 
Phase-2 data will be analyzed in conjunction with ICARIS-2 Phase-1 data 
and the data from the original baseline ICARIS survey to measure 
changes in risk factors and to gauge the impact of injury prevention 
policies. The ICARIS-2 Phase-2 survey may also serve as the only 
readily available source of data to measure several of the Healthy 
People 2010 injury prevention objectives. There are no costs to 
respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized 
burden is 620 hours.

                                       Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Average
                                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per
          Type of respondent                    Form name           respondents    responses per   response (in
                                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ineligible............................  Screening...............             500               1            1/60
Unknown or unverified eligibility.....  Screening...............             900               1          0.5/60
Eligible but unable to reach..........  Screening...............             200               4            6/60
Eligible non-respondent...............  Screening...............             450               1          1.5/60
Partial interview.....................  Screening and CATI......              75               1           10/60
Completed interview...................  Screening and CATI......           2,000               1           15/60
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: July 13, 2006.
Joan F. Karr,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
 [FR Doc. E6-12218 Filed 7-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.