82 FR 20481 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 83 (May 2, 2017)

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 including 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 82, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20481-20482]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08848]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier CMS-10418]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

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 (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 
including 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.

DATES: Comments must be received by July 3, 2017.

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 https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.html.
    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-10418 Medical Loss Ratio Annual Reports, MLR Notices, and 
Recordkeeping Requirements

    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.
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Annual MLR and 
Rebate Calculation Report and MLR Rebate Notices; Use: Under Section 
2718 of the Affordable Care Act and implementing regulation at 45 CFR 
part 158, a health insurance issuer (issuer) offering group or 
individual health insurance coverage must submit a report to the 
Secretary concerning the amount the issuer spends each year on claims, 
quality improvement expenses, non-claims costs, Federal and State taxes 
and licensing and regulatory fees, the amount of earned premium, and 
beginning with the 2014 reporting year, the amounts related to the 
transitional reinsurance, risk corridors, and risk adjustment programs 
established under sections 1341, 1342, and 1343, respectively, of the 
Affordable Care Act. An issuer must provide an annual rebate if the 
amount it spends on certain costs compared to its premium revenue 
(excluding Federal and States taxes and licensing and regulatory fees) 
does not meet a certain ratio, referred to as the medical loss ratio 
(MLR). Each issuer is required to submit annually MLR data, including 
information about any rebates it must provide, on a form prescribed by 
CMS, for each State in which the issuer conducts business. Each issuer 
is also required to provide a rebate notice to each policyholder that 
is owed a rebate and each subscriber of policyholders that are owed a 
rebate for any given MLR reporting year. Additionally, each issuer is 
required to maintain for a period of seven years all documents, records 
and other evidence that support the data included in each issuer's 
annual report to the Secretary. Under Section 1342 of the Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act and implementing regulation at 45 
CFR part 153, issuers of qualified health plans (QHPs) must participate 
in a risk corridors program. A QHP issuer will pay risk corridors 
charges or be eligible to receive payments based on the ratio of the 
issuer's allowable costs to the target amount. Each QHP issuer is 
required to submit an annual report to CMS concerning the issuer's 
allowable costs, allowable administrative costs, premium, and 
proportion of market premium in QHPs. Risk corridors premium 
information that is specific to an issuer's QHPs is collected through a 
separate plan-level data form, which is included in this information 
collection. Additionally, each QHP issuer is required to maintain for a 
period of ten years all documents, records and other evidence 
sufficient to enable the evaluation of the issuer's compliance with 
applicable risk corridors standards.
    Based upon CMS' experience in the MLR data collection and 
evaluation process, CMS is updating its annual

[[Page 20482]]

burden hour estimates to reflect the actual numbers of submissions, 
rebates and rebate notices.
    The 2016 MLR Reporting Form and Instructions reflect changes for 
the 2016 reporting/benefit year and beyond. In 2017, it is expected 
that issuers will submit fewer reports and send fewer notices and 
rebate checks in the mail to policyholders and subscribers, which will 
reduce burden on issuers. It is estimated that there will be a net 
reduction in total burden from 235,148 to 200,597. Form Number: CMS-
10418 (OMB Control Number: 0938-1164); Frequency: Annually; Affected 
Public: Private Sector, Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit 
institutions; Number of Respondents: 545; Number of Responses: 2,532; 
Total Annual Hours: 200,597. (For policy questions regarding this 
collection contact Christina Whitefield at 301-492-4172.)

    Dated: April 27, 2017.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and 
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-08848 Filed 5-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P