Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; 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 (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 a second opportunity for public comment on the notice. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the burden estimate 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 on the collection(s) of information must be received by the OMB desk officer by April 15, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

When commenting on the proposed information collections, please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be received by the OMB desk officer via one of the following transmissions: OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS Desk Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395-5806 OR, Email: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.

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 .

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

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William Parham at (410) 786-4669.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires federal agencies to publish a 30-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 that summarizes the following proposed collection(s) of information for public comment:

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: National Implementation of the Hospital CAHPS Survey; Use: The HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) Survey, also known as the CAHPS® Hospital Survey or Hospital CAHPS®, is a standardized survey instrument and data collection methodology that has been in use since 2006 to measure patients' perspectives of hospital care. While many hospitals collect information on patient satisfaction, HCAHPS created a national standard for the collection and public reporting of information that enables valid comparisons to be made across all hospitals to support consumer choice.

In the FY 2018 IPPS/LTCH PPS final rule (82 FR 38328 through 38342), out of an abundance of caution, in the face of a nationwide epidemic of opioid over prescription, we finalized a refinement to the HCAHPS Survey measure as used in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program by removing the previously adopted Pain Management questions and incorporating new Communication About Pain questions beginning with patients discharged in January 2018. As discussed in the CY 2019 OPPS/ASC proposed rule (83 FR 37218), since finalization of the Communication About Pain questions, we have received feedback that some stakeholders are concerned that, although the revised questions focus on communications with patients about their pain and treatment of that pain, rather than how well their pain was controlled, the questions still could potentially impose pressure on hospital staff to prescribe more opioids in order to achieve higher scores on the HCAHPS Survey.

In response to stakeholder feedback, recommendations from the President's Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, to comply with the requirements of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act (Pub. L. 115-271), and to avoid any potential unintended consequences under the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program, CMS is revising the HCAHPS survey by removing the three recently revised pain communication questions. The removal of these questions is effective with October 2019 discharges. At that point, the HCAHPS survey will consist of 29 questions which will result in a burden decrease. Form Number: CMS-10102 (OMB control number 0938-0981); Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: Private sector (Business or other for-profits and Not-for-profit institutions); Number of Respondents: 4,200; Total Annual Responses: 3,104,200; Total Annual Hours: 379,290. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact William Lehrman at 410-786-1037.)

2. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection (Request for a new OMB control number); Title of Information Collection: Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Incident Management Survey; Use: The Survey will be disseminated to all 51 state Medicaid agencies (including the District of Columbia) to assess incident management systems in 1915(c) waivers. States will be surveyed to identify methods and promising practices for identifying, reporting, tracking, and resolving incidents of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The survey results will also be used to review the strengths and weaknesses of each state's incident management system and will inform guidance to help ensure compliance with sections 1902(a)(30(A) and 1915(c)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act. Form Number: CMS-10692 (OMB control number: 0938-TBD); Frequency: Once and on occasion; Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 51; Total Annual Responses: 102; Total Annual Hours: 153. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Ryan Shannahan at 410-786-0295.)

3. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection (Request for a new OMB control number); Title of Information Collection: The State Flexibility to Stabilize the Market Grant Program Reporting; Use: Section 1003 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) adds a new section 2794 to the PHS Act entitled, “Ensuring That Consumers Get Value for Their Dollars.” Specifically, section 2794(a) requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) (HHS), in conjunction with the States, to establish a process for the annual review of health insurance premiums to protect consumers from unreasonable rate increases. Section 2794(c) directs the Secretary to carry out a program to award grants to States. Section 2794(c)(2)(B) specifies that any appropriated Rate Review Grant funds that are not fully obligated by the end of FY 2014 shall remain available to the Secretary for grants to States for planning and implementing the insurance market reforms and consumer protections under Part A of title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act). States that are awarded funds under this funding opportunity are required to provide CMS with four quarterly reports and one annual report (except for the last year of the grant) until the end of the grant period detailing the state's progression towards planning and/or implementing the pre-selected market reforms under Part A of Title XXVII of the PHS Act. A final report is due at the end of the grant period. Form Number: CMS-10657 (OMB control number: 0938-NEW); Frequency: Annually and Quarterly; Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 31; Total Annual Responses: 155; Total Annual Hours: 2,108. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Jim Taing at 301-492-4182.)