Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 28 (Thursday, February 11, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6905-6906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3396]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-0255, HCFA-R-0260, and HCFA-R-0274]


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.
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Suggestion Program on Methods to Improve 
Medicare Efficiency and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 420.410; Form 
No.: HCFA-R-0255 (OMB# 0938-new); Use: The HCFA-4000 regulation 
establishes a program to encourage individuals to submit suggestions 
that could improve the efficiency of the Medicare program. Suggestions 
must contain a description of an existing problem or need; a suggested 
method for solving the problem or filling the need; and, if known, an 
estimate of the

[[Page 6906]]

savings potential that could result from implementing the suggestion. 
If the suggestion is adopted, a payment amount will be determined based 
either on the actual first-year net savings, or the average annual net 
savings expected to be realized over a period of not more than three 
years.; Frequency: On occasion; Affected Public: Individuals or 
Households, Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit institutions, 
Farms, and State, Local or Tribal government; Number of Respondents: 
400; Total Annual Responses: 400; Total Annual Hours: 134.
    2. Type of Information Request: Extension of a currently approved 
collection; Title of Information Collection: Quality Improvement System 
for Managed Care (QISMC); Form Number: HCFA-R-0260 (OMB approval 
#:0938-0745); Use: The primary purpose of the QISMC standards and 
guidelines is to implement regulatory requirements relating to Medicare 
and Medicaid managed care organizations' operation and performance in 
the areas of quality measurement and improvement, delivery of health 
care, and enrollee services. For Medicare, the QISMC document is 
equivalent to a program manual. For Medicaid, the standards and 
guidelines are tools for States to use at their discretion in ensuring 
the quality of managed care organizations with Medicaid contracts. 
These standards parallel many of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 
quality assurance provisions. Frequency:. Annual; Affected Public: 
Business or other for-profit; Number of Respondents: 952; Total Annual 
Responses: 952; Total Annual Hours Requested: 1 hour.
    3. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of 
Information Collection: Evaluation of Medicare+Choice (M+C) Medical 
Savings Account (MSA) Demonstration, Insurer Survey Component; Form 
No.: HCFA-R-0274 (OMB #0938-new); Use: This survey instrument is 
designed for insurers to determine their marketing plans regarding high 
deductible health insurance plans for Medicare beneficiaries to be used 
in conjunction with MSA. The Insurer Survey is part of a larger 
evaluation of the M+C MSA demonstration mandated by the Balanced Budget 
Act of 1997. The overall evaluation plan includes collecting data on 
use of and payment for medical services from Medicare MSA enrollees 
through an addition to the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey sample, 
collecting data from beneficiaries who disenroll from M+C MSA plans, 
and collecting data from insurers about their reactions to the M+C MSA 
demonstration.; Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Business or other 
for-profit, and Not-for-profit institutions.; Number of Respondents: 
350; Total Annual Responses: 350; Total Annual Hours: 155.
    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: Louis Blank, Room N2-14-26, 7500 
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

    Dated: February 4, 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. 99-3396 Filed 2-10-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-P