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-228]

Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements

Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration.

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

collections 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. We are requesting an emergency

review because training of respondents to complete the collection of

information will be required before the expiration of the normal time

limits under OMB's regulations at 5 CFR, Part 1320. This collection is

necessary to ensure compliance with section 1854 of the Balanced Budget

Act. Under Part C of the Social Security Act and 42 CFR 422.306 of the

regulations, a Medicare+Choice (M+C) organization is required to submit

an Adjusted Community Rate (ACR) proposal prior to 05/01/99, which is

used by M+C organizations to price its benefit packages (M+C plan).

Without emergency approval entities interested in participating in the

M+C program will not be afforded enough time to thoroughly understand

the requirements and submit the required application prior to the 05/

01/99 deadline. A training session is being scheduled for November 1998

to provide interested parties sufficient information to properly

complete the ACR. These organizations may need to develop alternate

methods to accumulate data to include in their ACR submissions. Without

the training session, some organizations may submit ACRs that are not

complete, timely, or accurate. HCFA has the authority to impose

sanctions or may choose not to renew the organization's contract. As a

result, public harm is likely to result because eligible individuals

may not receive the M+C health insurance options stipulated by the BBA.

HCFA is requesting OMB review and approval of this collection

within eleven working days, with a 180-day approval period. Written

comments and recommendations will be accepted from the public if

received by the individuals designated below within ten working days.

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: Managed Care Adjusted Community

Rate (ACR) Proposal.

Form Number: HCFA-R-228 (OMB approval #: 0938-NEW).

Use: This collection effort will be used to price the M+C plan

offered to Medicare beneficiaries by an M+C organization. Organizations

submitting the Adjusted Community Rate form would include all M+C

organizations plus any organization intending to contract with HCFA as

a M+C organization. These current M+C organization contractors will be

required to submit this form no later than May 1, 1999 for the calendar

year 2000.

Frequency: Annually.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for profit, Not-for-profit

institutions.

Number of Respondents: 400.

Total Annual Responses: 400.

Total Annual Hours Requested: 40,000.

[[Page 49701]]

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 ten working days:

Health Care Financing Administration, Office of Information Services,

Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards,

Room N2-14-26, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, Fax

Number: (410) 786-0262, Attn: John Rudolph HCFA-R-228

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: September 10, 1998.

John P. Burke III,

HCFA Reports Clearance Officer,

HCFA, Office of Information Services, Security and Standards Group,

Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.

[FR Doc. 98-24933 Filed 9-16-98; 8:45 am]

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