Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.

In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 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.

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Bid Pricing Tool (BPT) for Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP); Use: Under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), and implementing regulations at 42 CFR, Medicare Advantage organizations (MAO) and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) are required to submit an actuarial pricing “bid” for each plan offered to Medicare beneficiaries for approval by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Title I of the MMA established a program to offer prescription drug benefits to Medicare enrollees through Prescription Drug Plans. MMA Title II revised several aspects of the Medicare+Choice program (renamed Medicare Advantage), including the payment methodology and the introduction of “Regional” MA plans. CMS payments to PDPs and MA plans will be on a market-based competitive approach.

MAOs and PDPs use the Bid Pricing Tool (BPT) software to develop their actuarial pricing bid. The information provided in the BPT is the basis for the plan's enrollee premiums and CMS payments for each contract year. The tool collects data such as medical expense development (from claims data and/or manual rating), administrative expenses, profit levels, and projected plan enrollment information. By statute, completed BPTs are due to CMS by the first Monday of June each year.

CMS reviews and analyzes the information provided on the Bid Pricing Tool. Ultimately, CMS decides whether to approve the plan pricing (i.e., payment and premium) proposed by each organization. CMS is requesting to continue its use of the BPT for the collection of information for CY2014 through CY2016. Form Number: CMS-10142 (OCN: 0938-0944); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Private Sector—Business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 555; Total Annual Responses: 4,995; Total Annual Hours: 149,850. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Diane Spitalnic at 410-786-5745. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)

2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Plan Benefit Package (PBP) and Formulary Submission for Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP); Use: Under the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), Medicare Advantage (MA) and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) organizations are required to submit plan benefit packages for all Medicare beneficiaries residing in their service area. The plan benefit package submission consists of the Plan Benefit Package (PBP) software, formulary file, and supporting documentation, as necessary. MA and PDP organizations use the PBP software to describe their organization's plan benefit packages, including information on premiums, cost sharing, authorization rules, and supplemental benefits. They also generate a formulary to describe their list of drugs, including information on prior authorization, step therapy, tiering, and quantity limits. Additionally, CMS uses the PBP and formulary data to review and approve the plan benefit packages proposed by each MA and PDP organization.

After receiving OMB clearance in spring 2000, CMS implemented the PBP as part of the Contract Year (CY) 2001 Adjusted Community Rate Proposal (ACRP) process. In addition, information collected via the PBP and formulary has been used to support the marketing material review process, the National Medicare Education Program, and other program oversight and development activities. For instance, the PBP software automatically generates the standardized sentences for the Summary of Benefits (SB) by using the plan benefit package data entered into the PBP software by the organization's user. These standardized sentences are used by the MA organizations in their SB marketing materials and by CMS to generate plan benefits data for display in the Medicare & You handbook and on the www.medicare.gov Web site.

CMS is requesting to continue its use of the PBP software and formulary submission for the collection of benefits and related information for CY 2014 through CY 2016. CMS estimates that 578 MA organizations and 63 PDP organizations will be required to submit the plan benefit package information in CY 2014. Based on operational changes and policy clarifications to the Medicare program and continued input and feedback by the industry, CMS has made the necessary changes to the plan benefit package submission. Form Number: CMS-R-262 (OCN: 0938-0763); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Private Sector—Business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 641; Total Annual Responses: 6,169; Total Annual Hours: 56,708. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Kristy Holtje at 410-786-2209. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)

To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS' Web Site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ ,PaperworkReductionActof1995,, or Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov, or call the Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326.

In commenting on the proposed information collections please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in one of the following ways by December 4, 2012:

1. Electronically. You may submit 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) 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.