Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[Document Identifier: HCFA-R-264, A-F]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

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.

Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently

approved collection;

Title of Information Collection: Medicare DMEPOS Competitive

Bidding Demonstration;

Form No.: HCFA-R-0264, A-F;

Use: Section 4319 of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) mandates HCFA to

implement demonstration projects under which competitive acquisition

areas are established for contract award purposes for the furnishing of

Part B items and services, except for physician's services. The first

of these demonstration projects implements competitive bidding of

categories of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and

supplies (DMEPOS). Under the law, suppliers can receive payments from

Medicare for items and services covered by the demonstration only if

their bids are competitive in terms of quality and price. Each

demonstration project may be conducted in up to three metropolitan

areas for a three year period. Authority for the demonstration expires

on December 31, 2002. The schedule for the demonstration anticipates

about a six month period required between mailing the bidding forms to

potential bidders and the start of payments for DMEPOS under the

demonstration. HCFA intends to operate the demonstration in two rounds,

the first of two years, and the second of one year. HCFA has announced

that it intends to operate its first demonstration in Polk County,

Florida, which is the Lakeland-Winter Haven Metropolitan Area.

There are six forms that are required for the demonstration. The

first, HCFA-R-0264A, will be filled out by suppliers to describe the

attributes of their organization, including quality of services and

financial data. Form HCFA-R-0264B will be filled out by suppliers for

each of the categories of DMEPOS for which they bid, and includes

information about their supply of that category of equipment or

supplies, and the prices that they bid for each item in that category.

Form HCFA-R-0264C will be used by site inspectors who gather

information at the facilities of bidders. Form HCFA-R-0264D is used to

gather data by telephone from referral sources of business for the

bidding suppliers, form HCFA-R-0264E is used to gather data by

telephone from banks and other financial institutions for financial and

business references. Form HCFA-R-0264F is used by suppliers to provide

data on their financial charaacteristics and soundness.

The competitive bidding demonstration for DMEPOS has the following

objectives:

Test the policies and implementation methods of

competitive bidding to determine whether or not it should be expanded

as a Medicare Program.

Reduce the price that Medicare pays for medical equipment

and supplies.

Limit beneficiary out-of-pocket expenditures for

copayments.

Improve beneficiary access to high quality medical

equipment and supplies.

Prevent business transactions with suppliers who engage in

fraudulent practices.

HCFA plans to mail the bidding package, including the referenced

forms A and B, to potential bidders at the first demonstration sites in

Polk County, Florida and to use the remaining forms to gather

information on only those bidders in the competitive range. The

remaining forms C, D, E, and F will be used for inspections and

reference checking in the three months following the bid submissions.

These forms will be used by HCFA or its agents to gather information

regarding bidders who have made financially attractive bids and are

being evaluated for quality, financial stability, and other attributes

for consideration as demonstration suppliers.

Frequency: Two times at each demonstration site;

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

institutions;

Number of Respondents: 2,040;

Total Annual Responses: 2,040;

Total Annual Hours: 24,780.

To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms

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, phone number, OMB number, and

HCFA document identifier, to P[email protected], or call the Reports

Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326. Written comments and

[[Page 9162]]

recommendations for the proposed information collections must be mailed

within 60 days of this notice directly to the HCFA Paperwork Clearance

Officer designated at the following address: HCFA, Office of

Information Services, Security and Standards Group, Division of HCFA

Enterprise Standards, Attention: Dawn Willinghan, Room N2-14-26, 7500

Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

Dated: February 16, 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. 99-4489 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4120-03-P