[Federal Register: November 14, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 221)]
[Notices]               
[Page 67518-67519]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14no08-91]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-R-74, CMS-R-107, CMS-2786U, CMS-R-285 and 
CMS-R-245]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.
    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services (CMS) 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: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Income and 
Eligibility Verification System; Use: This collection is necessary to 
verify income and eligibility requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries, 
as required by Section 1137 of the Social Security Act. Form Number: 
CMS-R-74 (OMB

[[Page 67519]]

0938-0467); Frequency: Monthly; Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal 
Governments; Number of Respondents: 54; Total Annual Responses: 54; 
Total Annual Hours: 124,054.
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicaid-
Determining Third Party Liability (TPL) State Plan Preprint and 
Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 433.138; Use: The information 
collected from Medicaid applicants and beneficiaries as well as from 
State and local agencies is necessary to determine the legal liability 
of third parties to pay for medical services in lieu of Medicaid 
payment. Form Number: CMS-R-107 (OMB 0938-0502); Frequency: On 
occasion; Affected Public: Individuals or households and State, Local 
or Tribal Government; Number of Respondents: 2,900,000; Total Annual 
Responses: 2,900,000; Total Annual Hours: 510,968.
    3. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Fire Safety 
Survey Reports; Use: The Life Safety Code (LSC) is a compilation of 
fire safety requirements for new and existing buildings and is updated 
and published every 3 years by the National Fire Protection Association 
(NFPA), a private, non-profit organization dedicated to reducing loss 
of life due to fire. The Medicare regulations have historically 
incorporated by reference these requirements along with Secretarial 
waiver authority. The statutory basis for incorporating NFPA's LSC for 
our providers is under the Secretary's general rulemaking authority at 
Sections 1102 and 1871 of the Social Security Act. These forms are used 
by the State Agencies to record data collected to determine compliance 
with standards specified in 416.44(b) for ambulatory surgical centers 
(ASCs), and 494.60(e) for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) facilities. 
The Medicare Health Insurance Program is authorized by Title XVIII of 
the Social Security Act. The CMS-2786U form is being revised to include 
ESRD information. Form Number: 2786U (OMB 0938-0242); 
Frequency: Weekly; Affected Public: Individuals or households and 
State, Local or Tribal Government; Number of Respondents: 54; Total 
Annual Responses: 2442; Total Annual Hours: 4884.
    4. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Request For 
Retirement Benefit Information; Use: Section 1818 of the Social 
Security Act provides that former State and local government employees 
who are age 65 or older, that have been entitled to Premium Part A for 
at least 7 years, and did not have the premium paid for by a State or a 
political subdivision of a State, may have the Part A premium reduced 
to zero. This collection will assist in determining whether individuals 
currently paying a monthly premium for Medicare Part A coverage are 
eligible to have their premium reduced to zero. Form Number: CMS-R-285 
(OMB 0938-0769); Frequency: Monthly; Affected Public: State, 
Local or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 1,500; Total Annual 
Responses: 1,500; Total Annual Hours: 375.
    5. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare and 
Medicaid Programs OASIS Collection Requirements as Part of the CoPs for 
HHAs and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR, Sections 484.55, 484.205, 
484.245, 484.250; Use: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 
is requesting OMB approval to modify the Outcome and Assessment 
Information Set (OASIS) data set that home health agencies (HHAs) are 
required to collect in order to participate in the Medicare program. 
Proposed revisions to the OASIS data set include: (1) Issues raised by 
stakeholders, including removing items that are not currently used by 
CMS for payment or quality, adding items to address clinical domains 
not currently covered, and modifying item wording or response 
categories for selected items; and (2) the addition of process items 
that support measurement of evidence-based practices. Proposed 
revisions to OASIS items address issues raised by stakeholders, 
including removing items that are not currently used by CMS for payment 
or quality, adding items to address clinical domains not currently 
covered, and modifying item wording or response categories for selected 
items. These changes and item deletions are and considered to be high 
priority by CMS and have implications for outcome measurement, risk 
adjustment of outcome reports, case mix adjustment for prospective 
payment, data submission procedures and specifications, reporting 
systems, and provider paperwork burden.
    In addition, adopting measures of efficient and high-quality care 
is central to the direction that CMS would like to take in its Quality 
Initiative. In concordance with long-standing federal objectives, CMS 
ultimately plans to create a standard patient assessment instrument 
that can be used across all post-acute care settings. The revision of 
the OASIS instrument is an opportunity to consider various components 
of quality care and how patients might be better served as they (and 
information about them and their care) move among health care settings. 
For this reason, the OASIS C includes process items that support 
measurement of evidence-based practices across the post-acute care 
spectrum that have been shown to prevent exacerbation of serious 
conditions, can improve care received by individual patients, and can 
provide guidance to agencies on how to improve care and avoid adverse 
events. Form Number: CMS-R-245 (OMB 0938-0760); Frequency: 
Occasionally; Affected Public: Business or other for-profit and not-
for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 10,170; Total Annual 
Responses: 14,960,070; Total Annual Hours: 15,590,610.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS' 
Web Site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995, or E-
mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, 
and CMS document identifier, to Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov, or call the 
Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326.
    In commenting on the proposed information collections please 
reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured 
consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in one of 
the following ways by January 13, 2009:
    1. Electronically. You may submit 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) 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.

    Dated: November 6, 2008.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. E8-27060 Filed 11-13-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4120-01-P