Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health and Human 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 (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 a second opportunity for public comment on the notice. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the burden estimate 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 on the collection(s) of information must be received by the OMB desk officer by June 7, 2021

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William Parham at (410) 786-4669.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires federal agencies to publish a 30-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 that summarizes the following proposed collection(s) of information for public comment:

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare Health Outcomes Survey; Use: The HOS is a longitudinal patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) that assesses self-reported beneficiary quality of life and daily functioning. As a PROM, the HOS measures the impact of services provided by MAOs, whereas process and patient experience measures only provide a snapshot of activities or experiences at a specific point in time. PROM data collected by the HOS allows CMS to continue to assess the health of the Medicare Advantage population. This older population is at increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including chronic diseases and mobility impairments that may significantly hamper quality of life. The HOS supports CMS's commitment to improve health outcomes for beneficiaries while reducing burden on providers. CMS accomplishes this by focusing on high-priority areas for quality measurement and improvement established in the agency's Meaningful Measures Framework. The HOS uses quality measures that ask beneficiaries about health outcomes related to specific mental and Physical Conditions. Form Number: CMS-10203 (OMB control number: 0938-0701); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Individuals and Households; Number of Respondents: 1,485; Total Annual Responses: 629,280; Total Annual Hours: 201,370. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Debra Start at 410-786-6646.)

2. Type of Information Collection Request: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Evaluating Coverage to Care in Communities; Use: The purpose of this study is to extend our understanding from RAND Corporation's prior study of how C2C materials are used. This will be accomplished by assessing what materials best serve partners in their efforts to activate, engage, and empower consumers and how consumers engage with or respond to C2C materials. These data collection efforts will also serve the goals of informing future consumer messaging and creating a long-term feedback loop for maintaining a relevant, successful, and engaging C2C initiative. Initial survey results will be available in early 2022, which may help to fine-tune the strategy for the 2022 relaunch of C2C and will influence strategies and techniques going forward. Further, this study opens the door for a feedback loop that may include future consumer testing to adjust and improve C2C outreach strategies to meet the changing needs of various targeted populations.

The C2C Logic Model serves as the basis of this package. The goal of C2C is to improve the health of all populations, especially vulnerable and newly insured populations, by helping consumers understand their health insurance coverage and connecting individuals to primary care and preventive services. The urgency of achieving this goal is underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has discouraged patients from seeking preventive care and hampered patients from properly managing chronic conditions at a time when preserving emergency room and hospital bed capacity is paramount.

There are three main paths of information dissemination covered by the C2C Logic Model (see Exhibit 1): (a) A direct path to the consumer, (b) a path to the consumer through a partner, and (c) a role for performance measurement in improving performance (i.e., desired effect and how C2C can improve). The partner and consumer surveys in the present evaluation build upon RAND's earlier study by adapting their questions to the C2C Logic Model and using similar survey methodologies in three to four targeted geographic areas known to have received a high volume of C2C materials and messages. These research questions and sub-questions correspond to the short-term and intermediate-term outcomes on the C2C Logic Model. Thus, the foregoing is a reformulation of questions answered by RAND and a consideration of additional questions. Form Number: CMS-10632 (OMB control number: 0938-1342); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Individuals and Households, Business or other for-profits, Not-for-profits institutions; Number of Respondents: 460; Total Annual Responses: 460; Total Annual Hours: 152. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Ashley Peddicord-Auston at 410-786-0757.)