Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 55949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26997]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

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.
    Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection;
    Title of Information Collection: Physician Certifications/
Recertifications in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) Manual 
Instructions and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 424.20;
    Form No.: HCFA-R-5 (OMB #0938-0454);
    Use: The Medicare program requires as a condition for Medicare Part 
A payment for post-hospital skilled nursing facility (SNF) services, 
that a physician must certify and periodically recertify that a 
beneficiary requires a SNF level of care. The physician certification 
and recertification is intended to ensure that the beneficiary's need 
for services has been established and then reviewed and updated at 
appropriate intervals. The documentation is a condition for Medicare 
Part A payment for post-hospital SNF care.;
    Frequency: On occasion;
    Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government, individuals or 
households, business or other for-profit, and not-for-profit 
institutions;
    Number of Respondents: 2,038,248;
    Total Annual Responses: 947,816;
    Total Annual Hours: 417,239.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access HCFA's 
Web Site address at www.hcfa.gov/regs/prdact95.htm, or E-mail 
your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and 
HCFA document identifier, to Paperwork@hcfa.gov, or call the Reports 
Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326. Written comments and 
recommendations for the proposed information collections must be mailed 
within 60 days of this notice directly to the HCFA Paperwork Clearance 
Officer designated at the following address: HCFA, Office of 
Information Services, Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA 
Enterprise Standards; Attention: Dawn Willinghan, Room N2-14-26, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: October 5, 1999.
John Parmigiani,
Manager, HCFA Office of Information Services, Security and Standards 
Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-26997 Filed 10-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P