Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
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 Pap...
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health and Human 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 (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 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 October 26, 2026.
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
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.
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
).
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.
Information Collections
1.
Type of Information Collection Request:
New collection (Request for a new OMB control number);
Title of Information Collection:
Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH) Quantity, Intensity, and Mix of Services (QIMS) Data Collection Tool;
Use:
This is a new information collection request. The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2026 Section 6210(c) requires CMS to evaluate care provided to patients served through the Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH) initiative, including the quantity, intensity, and mix of services (QIMS) furnished. This includes, but not limited to, the number of clinician visits, food services, and pharmacy services provided to patients while on the hospital-at-home service.
To participate in the AHCAH initiative hospitals are granted individual waivers at the CMS Certification Number (CCN) level. The AHCAH initiative waives specific Hospital Conditions of Participation (CoPs), 42 CFR 483, which require nursing services to be provided on premises 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and the immediate availability of a registered nurse for care of any patient.
In-patient healthcare services are provided to patients served under the AHCAH initiative. CMS has developed a tool to quantify the mix and intensity of the services for the purposes of analysis as required by CAA 2026. CMS is seeking OMB approval for information collection via this tool.
CMS will use this information to describe the quantity, mix, and intensity of services (QIMS) provided to patients in the AHCAH initiative. This includes patients admitted from an emergency department (ED) and patients transferred from an inpatient hospital unit. CMS will use this data to report to Congress.
Form Number:
CMS-10971 (OMB control number: 0938-NEW);
Frequency:
Annually;
Affected Public:
Individuals and Households; Private Sector—Not-for-profit institutions and Business or other for-profits; Federal Government and State, Local or Tribal Governments;
Number of Respondents:
365;
Total Annual Responses:
13,000;
Total Annual Hours:
13,000. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Cheryl Lehane at (617) 461-4888.)
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Division of Information Collections and Regulatory Impacts, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
www.regulations.gov
www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing
44 U.S.C. 3501-3520
5 CFR 1320.3(c)