Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 10765-10766 [E7-4235]

Agencies

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 46 (Friday, March 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10765-10766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4235]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-265-94 and CMS-460]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.
    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services (CMS) is publishing the following summary of proposed 
collections for public comment. Interested persons are invited to send 
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this 
collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (1) 
The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for 
the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology to minimize the information collection burden.
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Independent Renal 
Dialysis Facility Cost Report and supporting regulations 42 CFR 413.20 
and 42 CFR 413.24; Form No.: CMS-265-94 (OMB 0938-0236); Use: 
Providers of services participating in the Medicare program are 
required under sections 1815(a), 1833(e), 1861(v)(1)(A) and 
1881(b)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act to submit annual information 
to achieve reimbursement for health care services rendered to Medicare 
beneficiaries. The Form CMS-265-94 cost report is needed to determine 
the amount of reasonable cost due to the providers for furnishing 
medical services to Medicare beneficiaries.
    The data collected will be used for the following additional 
purposes: (a) Determination of reimbursements rates for renal dialysis 
treatments, self-dialysis training, and other reasonable and medically 
necessary services rendered in connection with these treatments; (b) 
justification of requests for adjustments or exceptions in the 
reimbursements rates; and, (c) accumulation of data for overall 
evaluation. Worksheet B, Worksheet C

[[Page 10766]]

and Worksheet D have been modified to implement provisions of the 
Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. 
On Worksheet B, the allocation of Administrative and General cost to 
Separately Billable Drugs was eliminated. On Worksheet C, two columns 
were sub-divided to identify services before, on or after 4/1/2005. A 
line was added to Worksheet D to report bad debts for dual eligible 
beneficiaries. None of these changes request new information; rather, 
the changes require reporting of data in greater detail than was 
previously reported. Frequency: Reporting--Annually; Affected Public: 
Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit institutions; Number of 
Respondents: 4,885; Total Annual Responses: 4,885; Total Annual Hours: 
957,460.
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare 
Participating Physician or Supplier Agreement; Form No.: CMS-460 
(OMB 0938-0373); Use: The CMS-460 is the agreement a 
physician, supplier or their authorized official signs to participate 
in Medicare Part B. By signing the agreement to participate in 
Medicare, the physician, supplier or their authorized official agrees 
to accept the Medicare-determined payment for Medicare covered services 
as payment in full and to charge the Medicare Part B beneficiary no 
more than the applicable deductible or coinsurance for the covered 
services. For purposes of this explanation, the term a supplier means 
any person or entity that may bill Medicare for Part B services (e.g. 
DME supplier, nurse practitioner, supplier of diagnostic tests) except 
a Medicare provider of services (e.g. hospital), which must participate 
to be paid by Medicare for covered care.
    There are additional benefits associated with payment for services 
paid under the Medicare fee schedule. Payments made under the Medicare 
fee schedule for physician services to participating physicians and 
suppliers are based on 100 percent of the Medicare fee schedule amount, 
while the Medicare fee schedule payment for physician services by 
nonparticipating physicians and suppliers is based on 95 percent of the 
fee schedule amount. Physicians and suppliers who do not participate in 
Medicare are subject to limits on their actual charges for unassigned 
claims for physician services. These limits, known as limiting charges, 
cannot exceed 115 percent of the non-participant fee schedule, which is 
set at 95 percent of the full fee schedule amount. In addition, if a 
physician or supplier does not accept assignment on a claim for 
Medicare payment, the physician or supplier must collect payment from 
the beneficiary. If the physician or supplier accepts assignment on the 
claim, Medicare pays its share of the payment directly to the physician 
or supplier, resulting in faster and more certain payment. Frequency: 
Reporting, Other--when starting a new business; Affected Public: 
Business or other for-profit; Number of Respondents: 6000; Total Annual 
Responses: 6000; Total Annual Hours: 1500.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS' 
Web site address at https://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995, 
or E-mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB 
number, and CMS document identifier, to Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov, or call 
the Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326.
    To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations for the 
proposed information collections must be received at the address below, 
no later than 5 p.m. on May 8, 2007. CMS, Office of Strategic 
Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Division of Regulations 
Development--B, Attention: William N. Parham, III, Room C4-26-05, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: March 2, 2007.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. E7-4235 Filed 3-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P