Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 25673-25675 [2016-10084]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 83 / Friday, April 29, 2016 / Notices
eligibility for benefits or premium or
contribution amounts; and (iii) no
genetic information collected or
acquired will be used for underwriting
purposes. The Secretary of Labor or the
Secretary of Health and Human Services
is required to be notified if a group
health plan or health insurance issuer
intends to claim the research exception
permitted under Title I of GINA.
Nonfederal governmental group health
plans and issuers solely in the
individual health insurance market or
Medigap market will be required to file
with the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS). The Notice of
Research Exception under the Genetic
Information Nondiscrimination Act is a
model notice that can be completed by
group health plans and health insurance
issuers and filed with either the
Department of Labor or CMS to comply
with the notification requirement. Form
Number: CMS–10286 (OMB Control
Number 0938–1077); Frequency:
Occasionally; Affected Public: State,
Local, or Tribal Governments; Number
of Respondents: 2; Total Annual
Responses: 2; Total Annual Hours: 0.5.
(For policy questions regarding this
collection contact Russell Tipps at 301–
492–4371).
2. Type of Information Collection
Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of
Information Collection: Consumer
Experience Survey Data Collection; Use:
Section 1311(c)(4) of the Affordable
Care Act requires the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) to
develop an enrollee satisfaction survey
system that assesses consumer
experience with qualified health plans
(QHPs) offered through an Exchange. It
also requires public display of enrollee
satisfaction information by the
Exchange to allow individuals to easily
compare enrollee satisfaction levels
between comparable plans. HHS
established the QHP Enrollee
Experience Survey (QHP Enrollee
Survey) to assess consumer experience
with the QHPs offered through the
Marketplaces. The survey include topics
to assess consumer experience with the
health care system such as
communication skills of providers and
ease of access to health care services.
CMS developed the survey using the
Consumer Assessment of Health
Providers and Systems (CAHPS®)
principles (https://www.cahps.ahrq.gov/
about.htm) and established an
application and approval process for
survey vendors who want to participate
in collecting QHP enrollee experience
data.
The QHP Enrollee Survey, which is
based on the CAHPS® Health Plan
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Survey, will (1) help consumers choose
among competing health plans, (2)
provide actionable information that the
QHPs can use to improve performance,
(3) provide information that regulatory
and accreditation organizations can use
to regulate and accredit plans, and (4)
provide a longitudinal database for
consumer research. CMS completed two
rounds of developmental testing
including 2014 psychometric testing
and 2015 beta testing of the QHP
Enrollee Survey. The psychometric
testing helped determine psychometric
properties and provided an initial
measure of performance for
Marketplaces and QHPs to use for
quality improvement. Based on
psychometric test results, CMS further
refined the questionnaire and sampling
design to conduct the 2015 beta test of
the QHP Enrollee Survey. CMS obtained
clearance for the national
implementation of the QHP Enrollee
Survey which is currently being
conducted in 2016.
At this time, CMS is requesting
approval of adding six disability status
items required by section 4302 of the
Affordable Care Act and that were tested
during the 2014 psychometric testing of
the QHP Enrollee Survey. With the
addition of these six questions, the
revised total estimated annual burden
hours of national implementation of the
QHP Enrollee Survey is 37,823 hours
with 120,000 responses. The revised
total annualized burden over three years
for this requested information collection
is 113,469 hours and the total average
annualized number of responses is
315,045 responses. Form Number:
CMS–10488 (OMB Control Number:
0938–1221); Frequency: Annually;
Affected Public: Public sector
(Individuals and Households), Private
sector (Business or other for-profits and
Not-for-profit institutions); Number of
Respondents: 120,000; Total Annual
Responses: 120,000; Total Annual
Hours: 37,823. (For policy questions
regarding this collection contact Nidhi
Singh Shah at 301–492–5110.)
Dated: April 26, 2016.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office
of Strategic Operations and Regulatory
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016–10083 Filed 4–28–16; 8:45 am]
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25673
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[Document Identifiers: CMS–10406, CMS–
10572 and CMS–P–0015A]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request
ACTION:
Notice.
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
a second opportunity for public
comment on the notice. Interested
persons are invited to send comments
regarding the 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.
DATES: Comments on the collection(s) of
information must be received by the
OMB desk officer by May 31, 2016.
ADDRESSES: When commenting on the
proposed information collections,
please reference the document identifier
or OMB control number. To be assured
consideration, comments and
recommendations must be received by
the OMB desk officer via one of the
following transmissions: OMB, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: CMS Desk Officer, Fax
Number: (202) 395–5806 OR Email:
OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.
To obtain copies of a supporting
statement and any related forms for the
proposed collection(s) summarized in
this notice, you may make your request
using one of following:
1. Access CMS’ Web site address at
https://www.cms.hhs.gov/
PaperworkReductionActof1995.
2. Email your request, including your
address, phone number, OMB number,
SUMMARY:
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asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
25674
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 83 / Friday, April 29, 2016 / Notices
and CMS document identifier, to
Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov.
3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at
(410) 786–1326.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786–
1326.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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 (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)) requires federal agencies
to publish a 30-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 that summarizes
the following proposed collection(s) of
information for public comment:
1. Type of Information Collection
Request: Extension of a currently
approved information collection; Title:
Probable Fraud Measurement Pilot; Use:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) is seeking Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
approval of the collections required for
a probable fraud measurement pilot.
The probable fraud measurement pilot
would establish a baseline estimate of
probable fraud in payments for home
health care services in the fee-forservice Medicare program. CMS and its
agents will collect information from
home health agencies, the referring
physicians and Medicare beneficiaries
selected in a national random sample of
home health claims. The pilot will rely
on the information collected along with
a summary of the service history of the
HHA, the referring provider, and the
beneficiary to estimate the percentage of
total payments that are associated with
probable fraud and the percentage of all
claims that are associated with probable
fraud for Medicare fee-for-service home
health. Form Number: CMS–10406
(OMB control number: 0938–1192);
Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public:
Individual and Private Sector—Business
or other for-profits; Number of
Respondents: 6,000; Total Annual
Responses: 6,000; Total Annual Hours:
7,500. (For policy questions regarding
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this collection contact Cecilia Franco at
(786) 313–0737.)
2. Type of Information Collection
Request: New collection (Request for a
new OMB control number); Title
Information Collection: Information
Collection for Transparency in Coverage
Reporting by Qualified Health Plan
Issuers; Use: Section 1311(e)(3) of the
Affordable Care Act requires issuers of
Qualified Health Plans (QHPs), to make
available and submit transparency in
coverage data. This data collection
would collect certain information from
QHP issuers in Federally-facilitated
Exchanges and State-based Exchanges
that rely on the federal IT platform (i.e.,
HealthCare.gov). HHS anticipates that
consumers may use this information to
inform plan selection.
Although this proposed data
collection is limited to certain QHP
issuers, HHS intends to phase in
implementation for other entities over
time. As stated in the final rule Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act;
Establishment of Exchanges and
Qualified Health Plans; Exchange
Standards for Employers (77 FR 18310;
March 27, 2012), broader
implementation (including under Public
Health Service Act (PHS Act) 2715A),
will continue to be addressed in
separate rulemaking issued by HHS, the
Department of Labor, and the
Department of the Treasury (the
Departments). For State-based
Exchanges not addressed in the current
proposal, standards will be proposed
later.
Consistent with PHS Act section
2715A, which largely extends the
transparency reporting provisions set
forth in section 1311(e)(3) to nongrandfathered group health plans
(including large group and self-insured
health plans) and health insurance
issuers offering group and individual
health insurance coverage (non-QHP
issuers), the Departments intend to
propose other transparency reporting
requirements, through a separate
rulemaking, for non-QHP issuers and
non-grandfathered group health plans.
Those proposed reporting requirements
may differ from those prescribed in the
HHS proposal under section 1311(e)(3),
and will take into account differences in
markets and other relevant factors.
Importantly, the Departments intend to
streamline reporting under multiple
reporting provisions and reduce
unnecessary duplication. The
Departments intend to implement any
transparency reporting requirements
applicable to non-QHP issuers and nongrandfathered group health plans only
after notice and comment, and after
giving those issuers and plans sufficient
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time, following the publication of final
rules, to come into compliance with
those requirements.
CMS received a total of 13 comments
during the 60-day comment period
(August 12, 2015, 80 FR 48320). Form
Number: CMS–10572 (OMB control
number: 0938–NEW); Frequency:
Annually; Affected Public: Private
Sector; Number of Respondents: 475;
Number of Responses: 475; Total
Annual Hours: 16,150. (For questions
regarding this collection, contact
Valisha Price at (301) 492–4343.)
3. Type of Information Collection
Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of
Information Collection: Medicare
Current Beneficiary Survey; Use: CMS is
the largest single payer of health care in
the United States. With full
implementation of the Affordable Care
Act of 2010 (ACA), the agency will play
a direct or indirect role in administering
health insurance coverage for more than
120 million people across the Medicare,
Medicaid, CHIP, and Exchange
populations. One of our critical aims is
to be an effective steward, major force,
and trustworthy partner in leading the
transformation of the health care
system. We also aim to provide
Americans with high quality care and
better health at lower costs through
improvement. At the forefront of these
initiatives is the newly formed Center
for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
(CMMI).
The CMMI is authorized by Section
1115A of the Social Security Act, as
established by section 3021 of the ACA
and was established to ‘‘test innovative
payment and service delivery models to
reduce program expenditures while
preserving or enhancing the quality of
care furnished’’ to Medicare, Medicaid
and CHIP beneficiaries. Implicit across
all of CMMI activities is an emphasis on
diffusion—finding and validating
innovative models that have the
potential to scale, facilitating rapid
adoption, and letting them take root in
organizations, health systems, and
communities across America.
The Medicare Current Beneficiary
Survey (MCBS) is the most
comprehensive and complete survey
available on the Medicare population
and is essential in capturing data not
otherwise collected through our
operations. The MCBS is an in-person,
nationally-representative, longitudinal
survey of Medicare beneficiaries that we
sponsor and is directed by the Office of
Enterprise Data and Analytics (OEDA)
in partnership with the CMMI. The
survey captures beneficiary information
whether aged or disabled, living in the
community or facility, or serviced by
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 83 / Friday, April 29, 2016 / Notices
managed care or fee-for-service. Data
produced as part of the MCBS are
enhanced with our administrative data
(e.g. fee-for-service claims, prescription
drug event data, enrollment, etc.) to
provide users with more accurate and
complete estimates of total health care
costs and utilization. The MCBS has
been continuously fielded for more than
20 years (encompassing over 1 million
interviews), and consists of three annual
interviews per survey participant.
The MCBS continues to provide
unique insight into the Medicare
program and helps CMS and our
external stakeholders better understand
and evaluate the impact of existing
programs and significant new policy
initiatives. In the past, MCBS data have
been used to assess potential changes to
the Medicare program. For example, the
MCBS was instrumental in supporting
the development and implementation of
the Medicare prescription drug benefit
by providing a means to evaluate
prescription drug costs and out-ofpocket burden for these drugs to
Medicare beneficiaries. The revision
will streamline some questionnaire
sections, add a few new measures, and
update the wording of questions and
response categories. Most of the revised
questions reflect an effort to bring the
MCBS questionnaire in line with other
national surveys that have more current
wording of questions and response
categories with well-established
measures. As a whole, these revisions
do not change the respondent burden;
there is a small increase in overall
burden reflecting a program change to
oversample small population groups.
Form Number: CMS–P–0015A (OMB
control number: 0938–0568); Frequency:
Occasionally; Affected Public:
Individuals or Households; Number of
Respondents: 16,071; Total Annual
Responses: 43,199; Total Annual Hours:
60,103. (For policy questions regarding
this collection contact William Long at
410–786–7927.)
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Dated: April 26, 2016.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office
of Strategic Operations and Regulatory
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016–10084 Filed 4–28–16; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[CMS–3329–FN]
Medicare and Medicaid Programs;
Approval of the Institute for Medical
Quality’s Ambulatory Surgical Center
Accreditation Program
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, HHS.
ACTION: Final notice.
AGENCY:
This final notice announces
our decision to approve the Institute for
Medical Quality (IMQ) for recognition
as a national accrediting organization
for ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs)
that wish to participate in the Medicare
or Medicaid programs. An ASC that
participates in Medicaid must also meet
the Medicare conditions for coverage
(CfCs) as required under our regulations.
DATES: This final notice is effective
April 29, 2016 through April 29 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lillian Williams, (410) 786–8636.
Monda Shaver, (410) 786–3410.
Patricia Chmielewski, (410) 786–6899.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. Background
Under the Medicare program, eligible
beneficiaries may receive covered
services in an Ambulatory Surgical
Center (ASC) provided certain
requirements are met. Section
1832(a)(2)(F)(i) of the Social Security
Act (the Act) establishes distinct criteria
for facilities seeking designation as an
ASC. Regulations concerning provider
agreements are at 42 CFR part 489 and
those pertaining to activities relating to
the survey and certification of facilities
are at 42 CFR part 488. The regulations
at 42 CFR part 416 specify the
conditions that an ASC must meet in
order to participate in the Medicare
program, the scope of covered services
and the conditions for Medicare
payment for ASCs.
Generally, to enter into a Medicare
provider agreement, an ASC must first
be certified as complying with the
conditions set forth in part 416 and be
recommended to the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for
participation by a state survey agency.
Thereafter, the ASC is subject to
periodic surveys by a state survey
agency to determine whether it
continues to meet these conditions.
However, there is an alternative to
certification surveys by state agencies.
Accreditation by a nationally recognized
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25675
Medicare accreditation program
approved by CMS may substitute for
both initial and ongoing state review.
Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides
that if the Secretary of the Department
of Health and Human Services finds that
accreditation of a provider entity by an
approved national accrediting
organization meets or exceeds all
applicable Medicare conditions, we may
treat the provider entity as having met
those conditions, that is, we may
‘‘deem’’ the provider entity to be in
compliance. Accreditation by an
accrediting organization is voluntary
and is not required for Medicare
participation.
Part 488 subpart A, implements the
provisions of section 1865 of the Act
and requires that a national accrediting
organization applying for approval of its
Medicare accreditation program must
provide CMS with reasonable assurance
that the accrediting organization
requires its accredited provider entities
to meet requirements that are at least as
stringent as the Medicare conditions.
Our regulations concerning the approval
of accrediting organizations are set forth
at § 488.5.
II. Application Approval Process
Section 1865(a)(3)(A) of the Act
provides a statutory timetable to ensure
that our review of applications for CMSapproval of an accreditation program is
conducted in a timely manner. The Act
provides us 210 days after the date of
receipt of a complete application, with
any documentation necessary to make
the determination, to complete our
survey activities and application
process. Within 60 days after receiving
a complete application, we must
publish a notice in the Federal Register
that identifies the national accrediting
body making the request, describes the
request, and provides no less than a 30day public comment period. At the end
of the 210-day period, we must publish
a notice in the Federal Register
approving or denying the application.
III. Provisions of the Proposed Notice
In the December 04, 2015 Federal
Register (80 FR 75866), we published a
proposed notice announcing the
Institute for Medical Quality’s (IMQ’s)
request for initial approval of its
Medicare ASC accreditation program. In
the December 04, 2015 proposed notice,
we detailed our evaluation criteria.
Under section 1865(a)(2) of the Act and
in our regulations at § 488.5, we
conducted a review of IMQ’s Medicare
ASC accreditation application in
accordance with the criteria specified by
our regulations, which include, but are
not limited to the following:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 83 (Friday, April 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25673-25675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10084]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[Document Identifiers: CMS-10406, CMS-10572 and CMS-P-0015A]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 a second opportunity
for public comment on the notice. Interested persons are invited to
send comments regarding the 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.
DATES: Comments on the collection(s) of information must be received by
the OMB desk officer by May 31, 2016.
ADDRESSES: When commenting on the proposed information collections,
please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be
assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be received by
the OMB desk officer via one of the following transmissions: OMB,
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS Desk
Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395-5806 OR Email:
OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.
To obtain copies of a supporting statement and any related forms
for the proposed collection(s) summarized in this notice, you may make
your request using one of following:
1. Access CMS' Web site address at https://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995.
2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB
number,
[[Page 25674]]
and CMS document identifier, to Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov.
3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-
1326.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(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 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires
federal agencies to publish a 30-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 that
summarizes the following proposed collection(s) of information for
public comment:
1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently
approved information collection; Title: Probable Fraud Measurement
Pilot; Use: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is
seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the
collections required for a probable fraud measurement pilot. The
probable fraud measurement pilot would establish a baseline estimate of
probable fraud in payments for home health care services in the fee-
for-service Medicare program. CMS and its agents will collect
information from home health agencies, the referring physicians and
Medicare beneficiaries selected in a national random sample of home
health claims. The pilot will rely on the information collected along
with a summary of the service history of the HHA, the referring
provider, and the beneficiary to estimate the percentage of total
payments that are associated with probable fraud and the percentage of
all claims that are associated with probable fraud for Medicare fee-
for-service home health. Form Number: CMS-10406 (OMB control number:
0938-1192); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Individual and Private
Sector--Business or other for-profits; Number of Respondents: 6,000;
Total Annual Responses: 6,000; Total Annual Hours: 7,500. (For policy
questions regarding this collection contact Cecilia Franco at (786)
313-0737.)
2. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection (Request
for a new OMB control number); Title Information Collection:
Information Collection for Transparency in Coverage Reporting by
Qualified Health Plan Issuers; Use: Section 1311(e)(3) of the
Affordable Care Act requires issuers of Qualified Health Plans (QHPs),
to make available and submit transparency in coverage data. This data
collection would collect certain information from QHP issuers in
Federally-facilitated Exchanges and State-based Exchanges that rely on
the federal IT platform (i.e., HealthCare.gov). HHS anticipates that
consumers may use this information to inform plan selection.
Although this proposed data collection is limited to certain QHP
issuers, HHS intends to phase in implementation for other entities over
time. As stated in the final rule Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act; Establishment of Exchanges and Qualified Health Plans;
Exchange Standards for Employers (77 FR 18310; March 27, 2012), broader
implementation (including under Public Health Service Act (PHS Act)
2715A), will continue to be addressed in separate rulemaking issued by
HHS, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury (the
Departments). For State-based Exchanges not addressed in the current
proposal, standards will be proposed later.
Consistent with PHS Act section 2715A, which largely extends the
transparency reporting provisions set forth in section 1311(e)(3) to
non-grandfathered group health plans (including large group and self-
insured health plans) and health insurance issuers offering group and
individual health insurance coverage (non-QHP issuers), the Departments
intend to propose other transparency reporting requirements, through a
separate rulemaking, for non-QHP issuers and non-grandfathered group
health plans. Those proposed reporting requirements may differ from
those prescribed in the HHS proposal under section 1311(e)(3), and will
take into account differences in markets and other relevant factors.
Importantly, the Departments intend to streamline reporting under
multiple reporting provisions and reduce unnecessary duplication. The
Departments intend to implement any transparency reporting requirements
applicable to non-QHP issuers and non-grandfathered group health plans
only after notice and comment, and after giving those issuers and plans
sufficient time, following the publication of final rules, to come into
compliance with those requirements.
CMS received a total of 13 comments during the 60-day comment
period (August 12, 2015, 80 FR 48320). Form Number: CMS-10572 (OMB
control number: 0938-NEW); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public:
Private Sector; Number of Respondents: 475; Number of Responses: 475;
Total Annual Hours: 16,150. (For questions regarding this collection,
contact Valisha Price at (301) 492-4343.)
3. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare Current
Beneficiary Survey; Use: CMS is the largest single payer of health care
in the United States. With full implementation of the Affordable Care
Act of 2010 (ACA), the agency will play a direct or indirect role in
administering health insurance coverage for more than 120 million
people across the Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Exchange populations.
One of our critical aims is to be an effective steward, major force,
and trustworthy partner in leading the transformation of the health
care system. We also aim to provide Americans with high quality care
and better health at lower costs through improvement. At the forefront
of these initiatives is the newly formed Center for Medicare and
Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).
The CMMI is authorized by Section 1115A of the Social Security Act,
as established by section 3021 of the ACA and was established to ``test
innovative payment and service delivery models to reduce program
expenditures while preserving or enhancing the quality of care
furnished'' to Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries. Implicit
across all of CMMI activities is an emphasis on diffusion--finding and
validating innovative models that have the potential to scale,
facilitating rapid adoption, and letting them take root in
organizations, health systems, and communities across America.
The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) is the most
comprehensive and complete survey available on the Medicare population
and is essential in capturing data not otherwise collected through our
operations. The MCBS is an in-person, nationally-representative,
longitudinal survey of Medicare beneficiaries that we sponsor and is
directed by the Office of Enterprise Data and Analytics (OEDA) in
partnership with the CMMI. The survey captures beneficiary information
whether aged or disabled, living in the community or facility, or
serviced by
[[Page 25675]]
managed care or fee-for-service. Data produced as part of the MCBS are
enhanced with our administrative data (e.g. fee-for-service claims,
prescription drug event data, enrollment, etc.) to provide users with
more accurate and complete estimates of total health care costs and
utilization. The MCBS has been continuously fielded for more than 20
years (encompassing over 1 million interviews), and consists of three
annual interviews per survey participant.
The MCBS continues to provide unique insight into the Medicare
program and helps CMS and our external stakeholders better understand
and evaluate the impact of existing programs and significant new policy
initiatives. In the past, MCBS data have been used to assess potential
changes to the Medicare program. For example, the MCBS was instrumental
in supporting the development and implementation of the Medicare
prescription drug benefit by providing a means to evaluate prescription
drug costs and out-of-pocket burden for these drugs to Medicare
beneficiaries. The revision will streamline some questionnaire
sections, add a few new measures, and update the wording of questions
and response categories. Most of the revised questions reflect an
effort to bring the MCBS questionnaire in line with other national
surveys that have more current wording of questions and response
categories with well-established measures. As a whole, these revisions
do not change the respondent burden; there is a small increase in
overall burden reflecting a program change to oversample small
population groups. Form Number: CMS-P-0015A (OMB control number: 0938-
0568); Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: Individuals or
Households; Number of Respondents: 16,071; Total Annual Responses:
43,199; Total Annual Hours: 60,103. (For policy questions regarding
this collection contact William Long at 410-786-7927.)
Dated: April 26, 2016.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-10084 Filed 4-28-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
