Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 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 (the 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 June 24, 2019.

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 http://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.

To obtain copies of a supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed collection(s) summarized in this notice, you may make your request using one of following:

1. Access CMS' website address at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.html.

2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov.

3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William N. Parham at (410) 786-4669.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Contents

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).

CMS-10261 Part C Medicare Advantage Reporting Requirements and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 422.516(a)

CMS-10079 Hospital Wage Index Occupational Mix Survey

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 Collection

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision with change of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Part C Medicare Advantage Reporting Requirements and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 422.516(a); Use: Section 1852(m) of the Social Security Act (the Act) and CMS regulations at 42 CFR 422.135 allow Medicare Advantage (MA) plans the ability to provide “additional telehealth benefits” to enrollees starting in plan year 2020 and treat them as basic benefits. MA additional telehealth benefits are limited to services for which benefits are available under Medicare Part B but which are not payable under section 1834(m) of the Act. In addition, MA additional telehealth benefits are services that been identified by the MA plan for the applicable year as clinically appropriate to furnish through electronic information and telecommunications technology (or “electronic exchange”) when the physician (as defined in section 1861(r) of the Act) or practitioner (as defined in section 1842(b)(18)(C) of the Act) providing the service is not in the same location as the enrollee. Per § 422.135(d), MA plans may only furnish MA additional telehealth benefits using contracted providers.

The changes for the 2020 Reporting Requirements will require plans to report Telehealth benefits. The data collected in this measure will provide CMS with a better understanding of the number of organizations utilizing Telehealth per contract and to also capture those specialties used for both in-person and Telehealth. This data will allow CMS to improve its policy and process surrounding Telehealth. In addition, the specialist and facility data we are collecting aligns with some of the provider and facility specialty types that organizations are required to include in their networks and to submit on their HSD tables in the Network Management Module in Health Plan Management System. Form Number: CMS-10261 (OMB control number: 0938-1054); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 594; Total Annual Responses: 4,752; Total Annual Hours: 187,926. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Mark Smith at 410-786-8015.)

2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Hospital Wage Index Occupational Mix Survey; Use: Section 304(c) of Public Law 106-554 mandates an occupational mix adjustment to the wage index, requiring the collection of data every 3 years on the occupational mix of employees for each short-term, acute care hospital participating in the Medicare program. The proposed data collection that is included in this submission complies with this statutory requirement. The purpose of the occupational mix adjustment is to control for the effect of hospitals' employment choices on the wage index. For example, hospitals may choose to employ different combinations of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nursing aides, and medical assistants for the purpose of providing nursing care to their patients. The varying labor costs associated with these choices reflect hospital management decisions rather than geographic differences in the costs of labor. Form Number: CMS-10079 (OMB control number: 0938-0907); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Business or Other for-Profits, Not-for-Profit Institutions; Number of Respondents: 3,300; Total Annual Responses: 3,300; Total Annual Hours: 1,584,000. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Tehila Lipschutz at 410-786-1344.)