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

Uncompensated Services Reporting and Recordkeeping--42 CFR 124,

Subpart F (OMB No. 0915-0077)-- Extension and Revision--Titles VI and

XVI of the PHS Act, commonly known as the Hill-Burton Act, provide for

government grants and loans for construction or renovation of health

care facilities. As a condition of receiving this construction

assistance, facilities are required to provide a ``reasonable volume''

of services to persons unable to pay. Facilities are also required to

provide assurances periodically that the required level of

uncompensated care is being provided, and to follow certain

notification and recordkeeping procedures. These requirements are

referred to as the uncompensated services assurance.

The regulations contain provision for reporting to the government

the amount of free care provided, as well as provisions for following

certain notification and recordkeeping procedures. All of these

regulations are included in this clearance request. The Uncompensated

Services Assurance Report (USAR) (HRSA form 710) is one of the methods

of reporting the amount of free care provided. There are no changes to

the USAR form. There will be a significant reduction in the burden from

the previous request for OMB approval. Fewer facilities are obligated

to report since many have met their obligation. A new Charitable

Facilities Compliance Alternative has been added. Burden estimates are

as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Responses Total

Requirement Number of per Burden per burden

respondents respondent response hours

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclosure Requirements (42 CFR):

Published Notices (124.504(a))......................... 788 1 1 788

Individual Notices (124.504(c))........................ 788 1 59 46,492

Determinations of Eligibility (124.507)................ 788 160 2 252,160

Reporting Requirements (42 CFR)--Uncompensated Services--

HRSA Form 710 (USAR) (124.509(a))......................... 678 1 14 9,492

Complaint Information (124.511(a)):

Individuals............................................ 4 1 .25 1

Facilities............................................. 4 1 .50 2

Application for Compliance Alternative for Public

Facilities (124.513(c))................................... 5 1 6 30

Annual Certification for Public Facilities (124.509(b)).... 355 1 .5 178

Application for Compliance Alternative for Small Obligation

Facilities (124.514(c))................................... 0 0 2 0

Annual Certification for Small Obligation Facilities

(124.509(c)).............................................. 2 1 .5 1

Application for Compliance Alternative for Charitable

Facilities (124.516(c))................................... 2 1 6 12

Annual Certification for Charitable Facilities (124.516(c)) 19 1 .5 10

Subtotal--Reporting and Disclosure--309,166

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recordkeeping Burden is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours/

Requirement (42 CFR) Number of facility/ Recordkeeping

recordkeepers year burden

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nonalternative Facilities

(124.510(a))................ 788 75 59,100

Small Obligation Facilities

(124.510(b))\1\............. 2 0 0

Public Facilities

(124.510(b))\1\............. 355 0 0

Subtotal--Recordkeeping

-59,100

------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Requires facilites under the public facilities compliance

alternative and the small obligation compliance alternative to

maintain qualification documents. These are ordinarily retained by

facilities, so there is no burden.

[[Page 43776]]

Total burden for this project is estimated to be 368,266 hours.

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 20, 1996.

J. Henry Montes,

Associate Administrator for Policy Coordination.

[FR Doc. 96-21650 Filed 8-23-96; 8:45 am]

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