80 FR 23556 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 81 (April 28, 2015)

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 (the 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 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.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23556-23557]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09850]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier CMS-10488]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

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 (the 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 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 must be received by June 29, 2015.

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, you may make 
your request using one of following:
    1. Access CMS' Web site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995.
    2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB 
number, and CMS document identifier, to [email protected].
    3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-
1326.

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).

CMS-10488--Health Insurance Marketplace Consumer Experience Surveys: 
Qualified Health Plan Enrollee Experience Survey

    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.

[[Page 23557]]

Information Collection

    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved collection. Title of Information Collection: Health Insurance 
Marketplace Consumer Experience Surveys: Qualified Health Plan Enrollee 
Experience Survey; Use: Section 1311(c)(4) of the Affordable Care Act 
(ACA) 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 Marketplace Survey and the QHP Enrollee Experience Survey (QHP 
Enrollee Survey) to assess consumer experience with the Marketplaces 
and the QHPs offered through the Marketplaces. The surveys include 
topics to assess consumer experience with the Marketplace such as 
enrollment and customer service, as well as experience with the health 
care system such as communication skills of providers and ease of 
access to health care services. CMS developed the surveys using the 
Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems (CAHPS[supreg]) 
principles (http://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 Marketplace Survey will provide (1) actionable information that 
the Marketplaces can use to improve performance, (2) information that 
CMS and state regulatory organizations can use for oversight, and (3) a 
longitudinal database for future Marketplace research. The 
CAHPS[supreg] family of instruments does not have a survey that 
assesses entities similar to Marketplaces, so the Marketplace Survey 
items were generated by the project team. The QHP Enrollee Survey, 
which is based on the CAHPS[supreg] Health Plan 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 is completing two rounds of developmental testing for the 
surveys. The 2014 survey psychometric tests 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 questionnaires and 
sampling designs to conduct the 2015 beta test of each survey. CMS 
requests clearance for the national implementation of the QHP Enrollee 
Survey, beginning in 2016. The total estimated annual burden hours of 
national implementation of the QHP Enrollee Survey is 39,623 hours with 
120,015 responses. The total annualized burden over three years for 
this requested information collection is 118,869 hours and the total 
average annualized number of responses is 360,045 responses. Form 
Number: CMS-10488 (0938-1221); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: 
Individuals and Households, Private sector (Business or other for-
profits and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 
120,015; Total Annual Responses: 120,015; Total Annual Hours: 39,623 
hours. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Nidhi 
Singh Shah at 301-492-5110.)

    Dated: April 23, 2015.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and 
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-09850 Filed 4-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P