Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on an information collection concerning CMS' Healthy Indiana Program (HIP) 2.0 Beneficiaries Survey. We are also announcing that the proposed information collection had been submitted to OMB and was approved under control number 0938-1300 through September 30, 2016. In accordance with the implementing regulations of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) we requested emergency review under 5 CFR 1320.13(a)(2)(i) because public harm is reasonably likely to result if the regular clearance procedures were followed. More specifically, the regular PRA clearance process would jeopardize the timely completion of CMS' evaluation of the State's upcoming non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) waiver and other important waivers. Most importantly, it would potentially cause significant harm by depriving Medicaid beneficiaries--especially those affected by the NEMT waiver--of appropriate medical services and needed care. Although we have already received OMB approval to test/develop the survey instruments, we are now soliciting public comment for 30-days prior to implementing the survey in order to meet the conditions of OMB's Terms of Clearance that were issued on March 21, 2016. Under the PRA, federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed information collection request (ICR). Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this ICR, including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility of the proposed ICR 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.