Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-200]

Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements

Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

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 (DHHS),

has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the

following request for Emergency review. We are requesting an emergency

review because the collection of this information is needed prior to

the expiration of the normal time limits under OMB's regulations at 5

C.F.R., Part 1320. The collection of HEDIS 3.0 performance measures,

including the Health of Seniors and Consumer Assessment of Health Plans

Study surveys is necessary for HCFA to obtain the information necessary

for the proper oversight and administration of the Medicare Managed

Care Program. The Agency cannot reasonably comply with the normal

clearance procedures because public harm is likely to result due to the

delay in reporting of health care quality measures. If emergency

clearance is not provided HCFA will be forced to postpone the

collection of this data for eighteen months due to the timing of

contract cycles.

HCFA is requesting OMB review and approval of this collection by

12/31/96, with a 180-day approval period. During this 180-day period

HCFA will publish a separate Federal Register notice announcing the

initiation of an extensive 60-day agency review and public comment

period on these requirements. Then HCFA will submit the requirements

for OMB review and an extension of this emergency approval.

Type of Information Request: New collection; Title of Information

Collection: HEDIS 3.0 (Health Plan Data and Information Set), including

the Health of Seniors and Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study

(CAHPS) surveys and supporting regulations 42 CFR 417.470, and 42 CFR

417.126; Form Number: HCFA-R-200; Use: HEDIS will be used for 3

purposes: (1) to provide summary comparative data to the Medicare

beneficiary to assist them in choosing among health plans; (2) to

provide information to health plans for internal quality improvement

activity; and (3) to provide HCFA, as purchaser, information useful for

monitoring quality of and access to care provided by the plans;

Frequency: annually; Affected Public: Individuals or Households, non-

profit and for profit HMOs which contract with HCFA to provide managed

health care to Medicare beneficiaries; Number of Respondents: 438,674;

Total Annual Responses: 438,674 Total Annual Hours Requested: 671,000.

To request copies of the proposed paperwork collections referenced

above, call the Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1325. Written

comments and recommendations for the proposed information collections

should be sent by 12/31/96 directly to the OMB Desk Officer designated

at the following address: OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch;

Attention: Allison Eydt, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235,

Washington, D.C. 20503.

Dated: December 17, 1996.

Edwin J. Glatzel,

Director, Management Analysis and Planning Staff, Office of Financial

and Human Resources, Health Care Financing Administration.

[FR Doc. 96-32687 Filed 12-20-96; 8:45 am]

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