Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection:

Comment Request

In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on

proposed data collection projects, the Health Resources and Services

Administration (HRSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed

projects being developed for submission to OMB under the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995. To request more information on the proposed

project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and

instruments, call the HRSA Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-1129.

Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information shall have practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways

to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents,

including through the use of automated collection techniques or other

forms of information technology.

Proposed Project

Customer Survey of Entities Eligible To Participate in the Drug Pricing

Program--New

Section 602 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 enacted Section

340B of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, ``Limitation of Prices of

Drugs Purchased by Covered Entities.'' This section provides that a

manufacturer that sells outpatient drugs to covered entities must agree

to charge a price that will not exceed the amount determined under a

statutory formula. The covered entities--certain PHS grantees,

disproportionate share hospitals (DSHs), and other selected entities,

total approximately 11,000 sites. Most of these entities serve the

economically

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disadvantaged or medically uninsured. The legislative intent of Section

340B is ``to enable * * * certain Federally-funded clinics to obtain

lower prices on the drugs that they provide to their patients.''

A customer survey is being developed to collect information by mail

on various aspects of the program, including, for example, whether

information on the program is reaching the covered entities, reasons

some entities are not participating, satisfaction with the savings

realized, and interest in possible modifications to the program. Both

participating and nonparticipating entities will be included in the

survey. The results will be used to improve the design and management

of the program. Burden estimates are as follows:

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Responses Total

Respondents Number of per Burden per burden

respondents respondent response hours

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Covered Entities...................................... 925 1 .25 231.

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Send comments to Patricia Royston, HRSA Reports Clearance Officer,

Room 14-36, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Dated: August 14, 1996.

J. Henry Montes,

Associate Administrator for Policy Coordination.

[FR Doc. 96-21141 Filed 8-19-96; 8:45 am]

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