Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 73032-73033 [2012-29627]
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73032
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 236 / Friday, December 7, 2012 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[Document Identifier: CMS–10450 and CMS–
10079]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
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: New collection; Title:
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey
for Physician Quality Reporting; Use:
The Physician Quality Reporting System
(PQRS) was established in 2006 as a
voluntary ‘‘pay-for-reporting’’ program
that allows physicians and other eligible
healthcare professionals to report
information to Medicare about the
quality of care provided to beneficiaries
who have certain medical conditions.
PQRS provides incentive payments to
physicians who report quality data.
Since program inception, these results
have not been publicly available for use
by consumers.
The Physician Compare Web site was
launched December 30, 2010, to meet
requirements set forth by Section 10331
of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The
ACA requires CMS to establish a
Physician Compare Web site by January
1, 2011, containing information on
physicians enrolled in the Medicare
program and other eligible professionals
who participate in the Physician Quality
Reporting Initiative. By no later than
January 1, 2013 (and for reporting
periods beginning no earlier than
January 1, 2012), CMS is required to
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implement a plan to make information
on physician performance publicly
available through Physician Compare. A
key component of the reporting
requirements under the ACA is public
reporting on physician performance that
includes patient experience measures.
The collection and reporting of a
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey
for Physician Quality Reporting will
fulfill this requirement.
The U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) has developed
the National Quality Strategy that was
called for under the ACA to create
national aims and priorities to guide
local, state, and national efforts to
improve the quality of health care. This
strategy has established six priorities
that support the three-part aim. The
three-part aim focuses on better care,
better health, and lower costs through
improvement. The six priorities include:
Making care safer by reducing harm
caused by the delivery of care; ensuring
that each person and family are engaged
as partners in their care; promoting
effective communication and
coordination of care; promoting the
most effective prevention and treatment
practices for the leading causes of
mortality, starting with cardiovascular
disease; working with communities to
promote wide use of best practices to
enable healthy living; and making
quality care more affordable for
individuals, families, employers, and
governments by developing and
spreading new health care delivery
models. Because the CAHPS Survey for
Physician Quality Reporting focuses on
patient experience implementation of
the survey supports the six national
priorities for improving care,
particularly engaging patients and
families in care and promoting effective
communication and coordination.
This survey supports the
administration of the Quality
Improvement Organizations Program
(QIO). The Social Security Act, as set
forth in Part B of Title XI—Section
1862(g), established the Utilization and
Quality Control Peer Review
Organization Program, now known as
the QIO Program. The statutory mission
of the QIO Program is to improve the
effectiveness, efficiency, economy, and
quality of services delivered to Medicare
beneficiaries. This survey will provide
patient experience of care data that is an
essential component of assessing the
quality of services delivered to Medicare
beneficiaries. It also would permit
beneficiaries to have this information to
help them choose health care providers
that provide services that meet their
needs and preferences, thus encouraging
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providers to improve quality of care that
Medicare beneficiaries receive. Form
Number: CMS–10450 (OCN: 0938–
New); Frequency: Annual; Affected
Public: Individuals and Households;
Number of Respondents: 234,600 Total
Annual Responses: 117,300; Total
Annual Hours: 39,530. (For policy
questions regarding this collection
contact Regina Chell at 410–786–6551.
For all other issues call 410–786–1326.)
2. Type of Information Collection
Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection;
Title of Information Collection:
Hospital Wage Index Occupational Mix
Survey and Supporting Regulations in
42 CFR, Section 412.64; Use: Section
304(c) of Public Law 106–554 amended
section 1886(d)(3)(E) of the Social
Security Act to require CMS to collect
data every 3 years on the occupational
mix of employees for each short-term,
acute care hospital participating in the
Medicare program, in order to construct
an occupational mix adjustment to the
wage index, for application beginning
October 1, 2004 (the FY 2005 wage
index). The purpose of the occupational
mix adjustment is to control for the
effect of hospitals’ employment choices
on the wage index. Refer to the
summary of changes document for a list
of current changes. Form Number:
CMS–10079 (OMB#: 0938–0907);
Frequency: Reporting—Yearly,
Biennially and Occasionally ; Affected
Public: Private Sector—Business or
other for-profits and Not-for-profit
institutions; Number of Respondents:
3,500; Total Annual Responses: 3,500;
Total Annual Hours: 1,680,000. (For
policy questions regarding this
collection contact Gerry Mondowney at
410–786–1172. For all other issues call
410–786–1326.)
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
Email 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.
In commenting on the proposed
information collections please reference
the document identifier or OMB control
number. To be assured consideration,
comments and recommendations must
be submitted in one of the following
ways by February 5, 2013:
1. Electronically. You may submit
your comments electronically to https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for ‘‘Comment or
E:\FR\FM\07DEN1.SGM
07DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 236 / Friday, December 7, 2012 / Notices
Submission’’ or ‘‘More Search Options’’
to find the information collection
document(s) 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.
Dated: December 4, 2012.
Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group,
Division B, Office of Strategic Operations and
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2012–29627 Filed 12–6–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[Document Identifiers: CMS–10333 and
CMS–10381]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request
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), Department of Health
and Human Services, 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 function;
(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: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title: Consumer
Assistance Program Grants Use: Section
1002 of the Affordable Care Act
provides for the establishment of
consumer assistance (or ombudsman)
programs, starting in FY 2010. Federal
grants will support these programs.
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These programs will assist consumers
with filing complaints and appeals,
assist consumers with enrollment into
health coverage, collect data on
consumer inquiries and complaints to
identify problems in the marketplace,
educate consumers on their rights and
responsibilities, and with the
establishment of the new Exchange
marketplaces, resolve problems with
premium credits for Exchange coverage.
Importantly, these programs must
provide detailed reporting on the types
of problems and questions consumers
may experience with health coverage,
and how these problems and questions
are resolved. In order to strengthen
oversight, the law requires programs to
report data to the Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS). ‘‘As a condition of
receiving a grant under subsection (a),
an office of health insurance consumer
assistance or ombudsman program shall
be required to collect and report data to
the Secretary on the types of problems
and inquiries encountered by
consumers’’ (Sec. 2793 (d)). Analysis of
this data reporting will help identify
patterns of practice in the insurance
marketplaces and uncover suspected
patterns of noncompliance. HHS must
share program data reports with the
Departments of Labor and Treasury, and
state regulators. Program data also can
offer CCIIO one indication of the
effectiveness of state enforcement,
affording opportunities to provide
technical assistance and support to state
insurance regulators and, in extreme
cases, inform the need to trigger federal
enforcement.
The 60-day Federal Register notice
published on July 27, 2012, and the
comment period ended September 25,
2012. We received a total of 21
comments. All comments were
summarized, consolidated (where
overlap existed), and addressed. The
majority of comments involved feedback
on providing CAPs with more flexibility
in collecting and reporting data. The
implementation of a new progress report
will allow CAPs to provide more
information about their progress and
activities. In addition, CMS received
comments suggesting that collection of
all of the CMS-required data elements is
difficult and that adjustments to preexisting databases is too expensive and
laborious. CMS recognizes these
concerns and acknowledges that CAPs
are in the best situation to determine the
level of information that is able to be
collected for any given consumer. CMS
also received comments suggesting that
CMS provide guidance to CAPs on how
to accurately measure savings to
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73033
consumers. CMS has provided CAPs
with suggestions on ways to calculate
recovered benefits and will explore
whether more comprehensive guidance
is necessary. The comments received in
response to the 60-day notice have not
resulted in a change in burden
estimates. Form Number: CMS–10333
(OCN: 0938–1097); Frequency:
Quarterly and Annual; Affected Public:
Private Sector: State, Local, or Tribal
Governments; Number of Respondents:
56; Total Annual Responses: 504; Total
Annual Hours: 261 hours. (For policy
questions regarding this collection
contact Eliza Bangit at 301–492–4219.
For all other issues call 410–786–1326.)
2. Type of Information Collection
Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title: ICD–10
Industry Readiness Assessment; Use:
The Congress addressed the need for a
consistent framework for electronic
transactions and other administrative
simplification issues in the Health
Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA),
Public Law 104–191, enacted on August
21, 1996. Through subtitle F of title II
of HIPAA, the Congress added to title XI
of the Social Security Act (the Act) a
new Part C, entitled ‘‘Administrative
Simplification.’’ Part C of title XI of the
Act now consists of sections 1171
through 1180, which define various
terms and impose several requirements
on HHS, health plans, health care
clearinghouses, and certain health care
providers concerning the transmission
of health information. Specifically,
HIPAA requires the Secretary of HHS to
adopt standards that covered entities are
required to use in conducting certain
health care administrative transactions,
such as claims, remittance, eligibility,
and claims status requests and
responses. Findings from the ICD–10
industry readiness assessment will be
used by CMS to understand each
sector’s progress toward compliance and
to determine what communication and
educational efforts can best help
affected entities obtain the tools and
resources they need to achieve timely
compliance with ICD–10. Insights
gleaned from the proposed research will
be valid for education and outreach
purposes only, and will not be used for
policy purposes. Form Number: CMS–
10381 (OMB#: 0938–1149); Frequency:
Annual; Affected Public: Private
Sector—Business or other for-profits,
Not-for-profits; Number of Respondents:
1,200; Total Annual Responses: 1,200;
Total Annual Hours: 204. (For policy
questions regarding this collection
contact Rosali Topper at 410–786–7260.
For all other issues call 410–786–1326.)
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 236 (Friday, December 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73032-73033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29627]
[[Page 73032]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[Document Identifier: CMS-10450 and CMS-10079]
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: New collection; Title:
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey
for Physician Quality Reporting; Use: The Physician Quality Reporting
System (PQRS) was established in 2006 as a voluntary ``pay-for-
reporting'' program that allows physicians and other eligible
healthcare professionals to report information to Medicare about the
quality of care provided to beneficiaries who have certain medical
conditions. PQRS provides incentive payments to physicians who report
quality data. Since program inception, these results have not been
publicly available for use by consumers.
The Physician Compare Web site was launched December 30, 2010, to
meet requirements set forth by Section 10331 of the Affordable Care Act
(ACA). The ACA requires CMS to establish a Physician Compare Web site
by January 1, 2011, containing information on physicians enrolled in
the Medicare program and other eligible professionals who participate
in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative. By no later than January
1, 2013 (and for reporting periods beginning no earlier than January 1,
2012), CMS is required to implement a plan to make information on
physician performance publicly available through Physician Compare. A
key component of the reporting requirements under the ACA is public
reporting on physician performance that includes patient experience
measures. The collection and reporting of a Consumer Assessment of
Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey for Physician Quality
Reporting will fulfill this requirement.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has
developed the National Quality Strategy that was called for under the
ACA to create national aims and priorities to guide local, state, and
national efforts to improve the quality of health care. This strategy
has established six priorities that support the three-part aim. The
three-part aim focuses on better care, better health, and lower costs
through improvement. The six priorities include: Making care safer by
reducing harm caused by the delivery of care; ensuring that each person
and family are engaged as partners in their care; promoting effective
communication and coordination of care; promoting the most effective
prevention and treatment practices for the leading causes of mortality,
starting with cardiovascular disease; working with communities to
promote wide use of best practices to enable healthy living; and making
quality care more affordable for individuals, families, employers, and
governments by developing and spreading new health care delivery
models. Because the CAHPS Survey for Physician Quality Reporting
focuses on patient experience implementation of the survey supports the
six national priorities for improving care, particularly engaging
patients and families in care and promoting effective communication and
coordination.
This survey supports the administration of the Quality Improvement
Organizations Program (QIO). The Social Security Act, as set forth in
Part B of Title XI--Section 1862(g), established the Utilization and
Quality Control Peer Review Organization Program, now known as the QIO
Program. The statutory mission of the QIO Program is to improve the
effectiveness, efficiency, economy, and quality of services delivered
to Medicare beneficiaries. This survey will provide patient experience
of care data that is an essential component of assessing the quality of
services delivered to Medicare beneficiaries. It also would permit
beneficiaries to have this information to help them choose health care
providers that provide services that meet their needs and preferences,
thus encouraging providers to improve quality of care that Medicare
beneficiaries receive. Form Number: CMS-10450 (OCN: 0938-New);
Frequency: Annual; Affected Public: Individuals and Households; Number
of Respondents: 234,600 Total Annual Responses: 117,300; Total Annual
Hours: 39,530. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact
Regina Chell at 410-786-6551. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)
2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection;
Title of Information Collection: Hospital Wage Index Occupational
Mix Survey and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR, Section 412.64; Use:
Section 304(c) of Public Law 106-554 amended section 1886(d)(3)(E) of
the Social Security Act to require CMS to collect data every 3 years on
the occupational mix of employees for each short-term, acute care
hospital participating in the Medicare program, in order to construct
an occupational mix adjustment to the wage index, for application
beginning October 1, 2004 (the FY 2005 wage index). The purpose of the
occupational mix adjustment is to control for the effect of hospitals'
employment choices on the wage index. Refer to the summary of changes
document for a list of current changes. Form Number: CMS-10079
(OMB: 0938-0907); Frequency: Reporting--Yearly, Biennially and
Occasionally ; Affected Public: Private Sector--Business or other for-
profits and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 3,500;
Total Annual Responses: 3,500; Total Annual Hours: 1,680,000. (For
policy questions regarding this collection contact Gerry Mondowney at
410-786-1172. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)
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 Email 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.
In commenting on the proposed information collections please
reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured
consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in one of
the following ways by February 5, 2013:
1. Electronically. You may submit your comments electronically to
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for ``Comment or
[[Page 73033]]
Submission'' or ``More Search Options'' to find the information
collection document(s) 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.
Dated: December 4, 2012.
Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Division B, Office of
Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2012-29627 Filed 12-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
