[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 146 (Friday, July 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45575-45576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19260]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[Document Identifier: CMS-10333, CMS-10384 and CMS-10371]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; 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), 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 function; (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: Extension of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Consumer
Assistance Program Grants; Use: Section 1002 of the Affordable Care Act
provides for the establishment of consumer assistance (or ombudsman)
programs, starting in FY 2010. Federal grants will support these
programs. For FY 2010, $30 million is appropriated. These programs will
assist consumers with filing complaints and appeals, assist consumers
with enrollment into health coverage, collect data on consumer
inquiries and complaints to identify problems in the marketplace,
educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities, and starting in
2014, resolve problems with premium credits for Exchange coverage.
Importantly, these programs must provide detailed reporting on the
types of problems and questions consumers may experience with health
coverage, and how these are resolved. In order to strengthen oversight,
the law requires programs to report data to the Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ``As a condition of
receiving a grant under subsection (a), an office of health insurance
consumer assistance or ombudsman program shall be required to collect
and report data to the Secretary on the types of problems and inquiries
encountered by consumers'' (Sec. 2793 (d)). Form Number: CMS-10333
(OMB-0938-1097); Frequency: Quarterly; Affected Public: Private Sector:
State, Local, or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 40; Number
of Responses: 200; Total Annual Hours: 4,800. (For policy questions
regarding this collection, contact Eliza Bangit at (301) 492-4219. For
all other issues call (410) 786-1326.)
2. Type of Information Collection Request: New Collection; Title of
Information Collection: Health Insurance Assistance Database; Use: In
October 2010, the Office of Consumer Support began to take and respond
to direct consumer inquiries related to the Affordable Care Act. As of
February 15th 2011, CCIIO has received 906 consumer inquiries. Consumer
inquiries continue to come in to CCIIO at a rate of 30 to 35 inquiries
per week. Starting in January 2011, the HHS Hotline will begin to refer
ACA calls to CCIIO. To date, the HHS Hotline receives, on average, 400
calls per month pertaining to ACA.
Accordingly, a system to collect, track and store consumer
information is urgently needed in order to accomplish successful case
management to ensure that the information, coverage, and health care
needs of consumers are addressed fairly and in a timely fashion.
Further, the Team will provide detailed reports on these consumer
inquiries with a focus on Affordable Care Act and PHS Act compliance
issues. These reports will assist the Office of Oversight in
identifying areas where compliance concerns may arise. Reports will be
stripped of any information in identifiable form (IIF) and personal
health information when written and prepared. Authority for
maintenance, collection and disclosures of this information is given
under sections 2719, 2723, and 2761 of the Public Health Service Act
(PHS Act) and section 1321(c) of the Affordable Care Act.
Analysis of this data reporting will help identity patterns of
practice in the insurance marketplaces and uncover suspected patterns
of noncompliance. HHS may share program data reports with the
Departments of Labor and Treasury, and State regulators. Program data
also can offer CCIIO one indication of the effectiveness of State
enforcement, affording opportunities to provide technical assistance
and support to State insurance regulators and, in extreme cases, inform
the need to trigger Federal enforcement. Form Number: CMS-10384 (OCN:
0938-New); Frequency: Occasionally;
[[Page 45576]]
Affected Public: Individuals or households; Number of Respondents:
1,200; Number of Responses: 1,860; Total Annual Hours: 195 (For policy
questions regarding this collection, contact Paul Tibbits (301) 492-
4229. For all other issues call (410) 786-1326.)
3. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Cooperative
Agreement to Support Establishment of State-Operated Health Insurance
Exchanges; Use: All States and Territories (including the 50 States,
consortia of States, and the District of Columbia, herein referred to
as States) that received a State Planning and Establishment Grant for
Affordable Care Act's Exchanges are eligible for the Cooperative
Agreement to Support Establishment of State Operated Insurance
Exchanges. The State of Alaska did not apply for either the original
Planning grant made available in September 2010, or the second Planning
grant made available in January 2011 exclusively to States that did not
apply for the first. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
did not apply for the Territory Cooperative Agreements for the
Affordable Care Act's Exchanges made available in January 2011. Because
Alaska and the Northern Mariana Islands did not receive funding under
Section 1311 for planning and establishment of an Exchange within one
year of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, by Statute, they will
not be eligible for Section 1311 Exchange planning and establishment
money in the future. Section 1311(b) of the Affordable Care Act
provides the opportunity for each State to establish an Exchange no
later than January 1, 2014. Section 1311 of the Affordable Care Act
provides for grants to States for the planning and establishment of
these Exchanges. Given the innovative nature of Exchanges and the
statutorily-prescribed relationship between the Secretary and States in
their development and operation, it is critical that the Secretary work
closely with States to provide necessary guidance and technical
assistance to ensure that States can meet the prescribed timelines,
Federal requirements, and goals of the statute.
In order to provide appropriate and timely guidance and technical
assistance, the Secretary must have access to timely, periodic
information regarding State progress. Consequently, the information
collection associated with these grants is essential to facilitating
reasonable and appropriate Federal monitoring of funds, providing
statutorily-mandated assistance to States to implement Exchanges in
accordance with Federal requirements, and to ensure that States have
all necessary information required to proceed, such that retrospective
corrective action can be minimized.
There are two levels of awards for States to apply for the
Establishment grants. Each level is based on grantee readiness. Level
One Establishment grants are open to States that received Federal
funding for Exchange Planning activities and awardees of the
Cooperative Agreements to Support Innovative Exchange Information
Technology Systems. Level One Establishment cooperative agreements
provide one year of funding to States that are ready to initiate
establishment activities having made progress under their Exchange
Planning grant. Level Two Establishment cooperative agreements are open
to States that received Federal funding for Exchange Planning
activities and awardees of the Cooperative Agreements to Support
Innovative Exchange Information Technology Systems. Level Two
Establishment grants are designed to provide funding to applicants who
have made significant progress in meeting specific benchmarks in the
Exchange establishment process. Level One Establishment grantees may
apply for additional funding under Level Two Establishment grants once
they have achieved the benchmarks identified in the Level Two
Establishment review criteria. The Period of Performance for Level One
Establishment grants is one year after date of award. The Period of
Performance for Level Two Establishment grants is through December 31,
2014. This funding opportunity was released to forty-nine States and
the District of Columbia on January 20, 2011. HHS anticipates making
this funding opportunity available to four Territories on August 31,
2011. Form Number: CMS-10371 (OCN: 0938-1119); Frequency: Annually.
Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments. Number of
Respondents: 54. Number of Responses: 756, Total Annual Hours: 57,564.
(For policy questions regarding this collection contact Leslie Shah at
301-492-4452. 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
E-mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number,
and CMS document identifier, to [email protected], or call the
Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326.
To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations for the
proposed information collections must be received by the OMB desk
officer at the address below, no later than 5 p.m. on August 29, 2011.
OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS Desk
Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395-6974, E-mail: [email protected].
Dated: July 26, 2011.
Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Division B, Office of
Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-19260 Filed 7-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P