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

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23847-23848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11151]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-0276]


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

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration, HHS.
    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Health Care Financing 
Administration (HCFA), Department of Health and Human Services, is 
publishing the following summary of proposed collections for public 
comment. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding this 
burden estimate 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.
    We are, however, requesting an emergency review of the information 
collections referenced below. In compliance with the requirement of 
section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we have 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the following 
requirements for emergency review. We are requesting an emergency 
review because the collection of this information is needed before the 
expiration of the normal time limits under OMB's regulations at 5 CFR, 
Part 1320. This is necessary to ensure compliance with the Balanced 
Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33). We cannot reasonably comply with 
the normal clearance procedures because Medicare & You 2000 (HCFA-R-
0276), is mandated to send information to Medicare beneficiaries at 
least 15 days before a required November coordinated election period. 
Therefore, Medicare & You 2000 must be mailed no later than October 15 
to ensure receipt. However, due to the volume (35,000,000) of this 
nationwide mailing, and for the books to be ready for mail by late 
September, they must be at the printers in June 1999. Waiting for the 
regular clearance process would not allow for the feedback cards to be 
printed in conjunction with Medicare & You 2000.
    HCFA is requesting OMB review and approval of this collection 
within 15 working days, with a 180-day approval period. Written 
comments and recommendations will be accepted from the public if 
received by the individuals designated below within (14) working days. 
During this 180-day period, we will publish a separate Federal Register 
notice announcing the initiation of an extensive 60-day agency review 
and public comment period on these requirements. We will submit the 
requirements for OMB review and an extension of this emergency 
approval.
    Type of Information Request: New collection.
    Title of Information Collection: Medicare & You 2000 Feedback 
Postcard.
    HCFA Form Number: Enclosure to HCFA-R-0276 (OMB approval #: 0938-
NEW).
    Use: The purpose of this collection is post-distribution testing. 
This feedback postcard will be printed with Medicare & You 2000. This 
is the primary vehicle for presenting Medicare information to

[[Page 23848]]

beneficiaries. Each household with up to 4 Medicare beneficiaries will 
receive one book. Households with over 4 beneficiaries will have one 
book sent to each beneficiary. (It is assumed these may be nursing 
homes/care facilities.) The beneficiaries have the option of completing 
the postcard, which will provide HCFA with valuable information that 
will assist in improving future versions of the publication.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households, Business or other for-
profit, Not-for-profit institutions, Federal Government, State, Local 
or Tribal Gov.
    Number of Respondents: 35,000,000 cards to be mailed with Medicare 
& You 2000.
    Total Annual Responses: Estimated 5% (1,750,000).
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 145,834.
    We have submitted a copy of this notice to OMB for its review of 
these information collections. A notice will be published in the 
Federal Register when approval is obtained.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, E-mail your 
request, including your address, phone number, and HCFA form number(s) 
referenced above, to Paperwork@hcfa.gov, or call the Reports Clearance 
Office on (410) 786-1326.
    Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the 
burden or any other aspect of these collections of information 
requirements. However, as noted above, comments on these information 
collection and recordkeeping requirements must be mailed and/or faxed 
to the designees referenced below, within (14) working days:

Health Care Financing Administration, Office of Information Services, 
Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards, 
Room N2-14-26, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. Fax 
Number: (410) 786-1415, Attn: Louis Blank HCFA-R-0276
    and,
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 
20503, Fax Number: (202) 395-6974 or (202) 395-5167, Attn: Allison 
Herron Eydt, HCFA Desk Officer.

    Dated: April 26, 1999.
John P. Burke III,
HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, HCFA Office of Information Services, 
Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-11151 Filed 5-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P