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-251]

Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements

Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration, HHS.

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, 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.

We are, however, requesting an emergency review of the information

collection referenced below. In compliance with the requirement of

section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we have

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

requirements for emergency review. Due to an unanticipated event and

the fact that this collection of this information is needed before the

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

Part 1320, we are requesting an emergency review.

With the creation of the Medicare+Choice program, as required by

the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33), Medicare beneficiaries'

health care options were expanded to include coordinated care plans

such as Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider

Organizations, Provider sponsored Organizations, as well as Private Fee

for Service Plans and Medical Savings Accounts. While the new options

bring more flexibility for health care decisions for people with

Medicare, they also necessitate the need for a carefully planned,

extensive education campaign to assure that Medicare Beneficiaries have

understanding of how Medicare offers more health plan choices and how

to use HCFA-developed information tools that will be available through

an annual publication and the World Wide Web.

The purpose of this submission is to request approval of the

Medicare & You bounce back survey form that will be used to collect

information from Internet users accessing the Medicare & You,

Medicare+Choice Handbook, on the Medicare.gov Web site. This web-based

survey will provide critical feedback from our agents, partners,

regional offices, congressional offices, and beneficiaries who use the

Medicare & You, Medicare+Choice Handbook. The information will be used

by HCFA to identify parts of Medicare & You that need to be revised to

further enhance HCFA's, Medicare+Choice information strategies and

related tools.

HCFA is requesting OMB review and approval of this collection

within 6 working days of publication of this notice in the Federal

Register, with a 180-day approval period. Written comments and

recommendations will be accepted from the public if received by the

individuals designated below by 5 working days of the publication of

this notice. During this 180-day period, we will publish a separate

Federal Register notice announcing the initiation of an extensive 60-

day agency review and public comment period on these requirements. We

will submit the requirements for OMB review and an extension of this

emergency approval.

Type of Information Request: New Collection.

Title of Information Collection: Medicare & You Bounce Back Survey

Form.

Form Number: HCFA-R-251 (OMB approval #: 0938-NEW).

Use: The primary purpose of the bounce back form is to provide HCFA

feedback from users of the Medicare+Choice handbook. The information

collected through the bounce back form will be used in conjunction with

other information collected in the States piloting Medicare & You to

make revisions for future publications of the Medicare & You,

Medicare+Choice handbook.

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Individuals or Households, Businesses or other

For-profit.

Number of Respondents: 9,855.

Total Annual Responses: 9,855.

Total Annual Hours Requested: 986.

To obtain copies of the supporting statement for the proposed

paperwork collections referenced above, access HCFA's WEB SITE ADDRESS

at http://www.hcfa.gov/regs/prdact95.htm, or E-mail your request,

including your address and phone number, to P[email protected], or call

the Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326.

Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the

burden or any other aspect of these collections of information

requirements. However, as noted above, comments on these information

collection and recordkeeping requirements must be mailed and/or faxed

to the designees referenced below within 5 working days of the

publication of this notice in the Federal Register:

Health Care Financing Administration, Office of Information Services,

Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards,

Room N2-14-20, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. Fax

Number: (410) 786-0262 Attn: John Rudolph HCFA-R-251 and, Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,

Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503, Fax

Number: (202) 395-6974 or (202) 395-5167 Attn: Allison Herron Eydt,

HCFA Desk Officer.

Dated: August 6, 1998.

John P. Burke III,

HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, Office of Information Services,

Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.

[FR Doc. 98-21773 Filed 8-12-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4120-03-P