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: New collection.

Title of Information Collection: Conflict of Interest and Ownership and Control Information.

Form No.: HCFA-R-312 (OMB# 0938-NEW).

Use: This Conflict of Interest questionnaire is sent to all Medicare Fiscal Intermediaries (FIs) and Carriers to collect full and complete information on any entity's or individual's ownership interest (defined as a 5 per centum or more) in an organization that may present a potential conflict of interest in their role as a Medicare FI or Carrier. The information gathered is used to ensure that all potential, apparent and actual conflicts of interest involving Medicare contracts are appropriately mitigated and that employees of the contractors, including officers, directors, trustees and members of their immediate families, do not utilize their positions with the contractor for their own private business interest to the detriment of the Medicare program.

Frequency: Annually.

Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions and business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 42.

Total Annual Responses: 42.

Total Annual Hours: 126.

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 http://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, MD 21244-1850.