Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information (including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information) and to allow 60 days for public comment on the proposed action. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, the accuracy of the estimated burden, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

DATES:

Comments must be received by March 25, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

When commenting, please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in any one of the following ways:

1. Electronically. You may send your comments electronically to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for “Comment or Submission” or “More Search Options” to find the information collection document(s) that are accepting comments.

2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following address: CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs Division of Regulations Development, Attention: Document Identifier/OMB Control Number __, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

To obtain copies of a supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed collection(s) summarized in this notice, you may make your request using one of following:

1. Access CMS' website address at website address at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.html .

2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov.

3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William N. Parham at (410) 786-4669.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Contents

This notice sets out a summary of the use and burden associated with the following information collections. More detailed information can be found in each collection's supporting statement and associated materials (see ADDRESSES).

CMS-10379 Rate Increase Disclosure and Review Requirements (45 CFR part 154)

Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. The term “collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA requires federal agencies to publish a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, CMS is publishing this notice.

Information Collection

Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a previously approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Rate Increase Disclosure and Review Requirements (45 CFR part 154); Use: 45 CFR part 154 implements the annual review of unreasonable increases in premiums for health insurance coverage called for by section 2794. The regulation established a rate review program to ensure that all rate increases that meet or exceed an established threshold are reviewed by a state or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine whether the rate increases are unreasonable. Accordingly, issuers offering non-grandfathered health insurance coverage in the individual and/or small group markets are required to submit Rate Filing Justifications to CMS. Section 154.103(b) exempts grandfathered health plan coverage as defined in 45 CFR 147.140 and excepted benefits as described in section 2791(c) of the PHS Act. In the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2019 (2019 Payment Notice) (83 FR 74, April 17, 2018), Section 154.103 was modified so that student health insurance coverage, as defined in § 147.145, is also exempted from Federal rate review requirements for plans beginning on or after July 1, 2018.

Section 154.200(a)(1) previously provided that a rate increase for single risk pool coverage beginning on or after January 1, 2017 was subject to a reasonableness review if: (1) The average increase, including premium rating factors described in § 147.102, for all enrollees, weighted by premium volume for any plan within the product, meets or exceeds 10 percent; or (2) the increase exceeds a state-specific threshold approved by the Secretary. In the 2019 Payment Notice, this provision was amended to establish a 15 percent federal default threshold for reasonableness review beginning with single risk pool rate filings submitted by issuers for plan or policy years beginning on or after January 1, 2019.

The Rate Filing Justification consists of three parts. All issuers must continue to submit a Uniform Rate Review Template (URRT) (Part I of the Rate Filing Justification) for all single risk pool plans. Issuers that submit a rate filing that includes a plan that meets or exceeds the threshold must include a written description justifying the rate increase, also known as the consumer justification narrative (Part II of the Rate Filing Justification). We note that the threshold set by CMS constitutes a minimum standard and most states currently employ stricter rate review standards and may continue to do so. Issuers offering a QHP or any single risk pool submission containing a rate increase of any size must continue to submit an actuarial memorandum (Part III of the Rate Filing Justification). Form Number: CMS-10379 (OMB control number: 0938-1141); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for-profits, Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 589; Number of Responses: 18; Total Annual Hours: 20,240. For policy questions regarding this collection, contact Lisa Cuozzo at 410-786-1746.