80 FR 44131 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

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

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 142 (July 24, 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 (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: The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions; the accuracy of the estimated burden; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44131-44133]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18198]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-437A & CMS-437B and CMS-10488]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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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: The 
necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the 
proper performance of the agency's functions; the accuracy of

[[Page 44132]]

the estimated burden; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and 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 August 24, 2015.

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: 
[email protected].
    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: 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: Revision of a currently 
approved collection. Title of Information Collection: State Agency 
Sheets for Verifying Exclusions from the Inpatient Prospective Payment 
System and Supporting Regulations; Use: For first time verification 
requests for exclusion from the Inpatient Prospective Payment System 
(IPPS), a hospital/unit must notify the Regional Office (RO) servicing 
the State in which it is located that it believes it meets the criteria 
for exclusion from the IPPS. Currently, all new inpatient 
rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) must provide written certification 
that the inpatient population it intends to serve will meet the 
requirements of the IPPS exclusion criteria for IRFs. They must also 
complete the Form CMS-437A if they are a rehabilitation unit or 
complete Form CMS-437B if they are a rehabilitation hospital. This 
information is submitted to the State Agency (SA) no later than 5 
months before the date the hospital/unit would become subject to IRF-
PPS.
    We propose to continue to use the Criteria Worksheets (Forms CMS-
437A and CMS-437B) for verifying first-time exclusions from the IPPS, 
for complaint surveys, for its annual 5 percent validation sample, and 
for facility self-attestation. These forms are related to the survey 
and certification and Medicare approval of the IPPS-excluded 
rehabilitation units and rehabilitation hospitals.
    For rehabilitation hospitals and rehabilitation units already 
excluded from the IPPS, annual onsite re-verification surveys by the SA 
are not required. These hospitals and units will be provided with a 
copy of the appropriate CMS-437 Worksheet at least 5-months prior to 
the beginning of its cost reporting period, so that the hospital/unit 
official may complete and sign an attestation statement and complete 
and return the appropriate CMS-437A or CMS-437B at least 5-months prior 
to the beginning of its cost reporting period. Fiscal Intermediaries 
will continue to verify, on an annual basis, compliance with the 60 
percent rule (42 CFR 412.29(b)(2)) for rehabilitation hospitals and 
rehabilitation units through a sample of medical records and the SA 
will verify the medical director requirement.
    The SA will maintain the documents unless instructed otherwise by 
the RO. The SA will notify the RO at least 60 days prior to the end of 
the rehabilitation hospital's/unit's cost reporting period of the IRF's 
compliance or non-compliance with the payment requirements. The 
information collected on these forms, along with other information 
submitted by the IRF is necessary for determining exclusion from the 
IPPS. Hospitals and units that have already been excluded need not 
reapply for exclusion. These facilities will automatically be 
reevaluated yearly to determine whether they continue to meet the 
exclusion criteria. Form Number: CMS-437A and CMS-437B (OMB Control 
Number: 0938-0986); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Private sector 
(Business or other for-profits); Number of Respondents: 478; Total 
Annual Responses: 478; Total Annual Hours: 120. (For policy questions 
regarding this collection contact James Cowher at 410-786-1948)
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved information collection; Title of Information Collection: 
Consumer Experience Survey Data Collection; 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. The 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. The 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,

[[Page 44133]]

(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.
    We are 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. We are 
requesting clearance for the national implementation of the QHP 
Enrollee Survey, beginning in 2016. Form Number: CMS-10488 (OMB control 
number: 0938-1221); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Private 
sector (Business or other for-profits and Not-for-profit institutions), 
Public sector (Individuals and Households); Number of Respondents: 
120,015; Total Annual Responses: 120,015; Total Annual Hours: 29,623. 
(For policy questions regarding this collection contact Nidhi Singh-
Shah at 301-492-5110.)

    Dated: July 21, 2015.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and 
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-18198 Filed 7-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P