Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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Federal RegisterOct 9, 2024
89 Fed. Reg. 81917 (Oct. 9, 2024)
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    Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
  • [Document Identifiers: CMS-10142 and CMS-10203]
  • AGENCY:

    Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health and Human 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 (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 December 9, 2024.

    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, please access the CMS PRA website by copying and pasting the following web address into your web browser: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.

    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-10142 Bid Pricing Tool (BPT) for Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP)

    CMS-10203 Medicare Health Outcomes Survey

    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 Collections

    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: 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 CMS. The MAOs and PDPs use the Bid Pricing Tool (BPT) software to develop their actuarial pricing bid. The competitive bidding process defined by the “The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act” (MMA) applies to both the MA and Part D programs. It is an annual process that encompasses the release of the MA rate book in April, the bid's that plans submit to CMS in June, and the release of the Part D and RPPO benchmarks, which typically occurs in August. Form Number: CMS-10142 (OMB control number: 0938-0944); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Private sector—Business or other for-profit and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 460; Total Annual Responses: 11,700; Total Annual Hours: 406,000. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Rachel Shevland at 410-786-3026 or rachel.shevland@cms.hhs.gov.)

    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare Health Outcomes Survey; Use: The HOS is a longitudinal patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) that assesses self-reported beneficiary quality of life and daily functioning. As a PROM, the HOS measures the impact of services provided by MAOs, whereas process and patient experience measures only provide a snapshot of activities or experiences at a specific point in time. PROM data collected by the HOS allows CMS to continue to assess the health of the Medicare Advantage population. This older population is at increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including chronic diseases and mobility impairments that may significantly hamper quality of life. The HOS supports CMS's commitment to improve health outcomes for beneficiaries while reducing burden on providers. CMS accomplishes this by focusing on high-priority areas for quality measurement and improvement established in the agency's Meaningful Measures Framework. The HOS uses quality measures that ask beneficiaries about health outcomes related to specific mental and Physical Conditions. Form Number: CMS-10203 (OMB control number: 0938-0701); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Individuals and Households; Number of Respondents: 1,275; Total Annual Responses: 663,150; Total Annual Hours: 212,208. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Alyssa Rosen at 410-786-8559 or Alyssa.Rosen@cms.hhs.gov.)

    William N. Parham III,

    Director, Division of Information Collections and Regulatory Impacts, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.

    [FR Doc. 2024-23395 Filed 10-8-24; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 4120-01-P