Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifier: HCFA-9042]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB

Review; Comment Request

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, has

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

proposal for the collection of information. Interested persons are

invited to send comments regarding the 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.

Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently

approved collection;

Title of Information Collection: Request for Accelerated Payments

and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR, Section 412.116 & 413.64;

Form No.: HCFA-9042;

[[Page 54030]]

Use: Medicare reimbursements are usually arranged through a fiscal

intermediary who serves as the Secretary's agent for reviewing claims

and making payments equal to the provider's reasonable costs. When a

delay in Medicare payment by a fiscal intermediary, for covered

services, causes financial difficulties for a provider, the provider

may request an accelerated payment. An accelerated payment may also be

made in highly exceptional situations where a provider has incurred a

temporary delay in its bill processing beyond the provider's normal

billing cycle. An accelerated payment can be requested by a provider

that is not receiving periodic interim payments. These forms are used

by fiscal intermediaries to access a provider's eligibility for

accelerated payments.

Frequency: On occasion;

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, and Not for-profit

institutions;

Number of Respondents: 890;

Total Annual Responses: 890;

Total Annual Hours Requested: 445.

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. Written comments and

recommendations for the proposed information collections must be mailed

within 30 days of this notice 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: September 20, 1999.

John P. Burke III,

HCFA Reports Clearance Officer, HCFA, Office of Information Services,

Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA Enterprise Standards.

[FR Doc. 99-25833 Filed 10-4-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4120-03-P