[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 236 (Friday, December 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73032-73033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29627]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[Document Identifier: CMS-10450 and CMS-10079]
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: New collection; Title:
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey
for Physician Quality Reporting; Use: The Physician Quality Reporting
System (PQRS) was established in 2006 as a voluntary ``pay-for-
reporting'' program that allows physicians and other eligible
healthcare professionals to report information to Medicare about the
quality of care provided to beneficiaries who have certain medical
conditions. PQRS provides incentive payments to physicians who report
quality data. Since program inception, these results have not been
publicly available for use by consumers.
The Physician Compare Web site was launched December 30, 2010, to
meet requirements set forth by Section 10331 of the Affordable Care Act
(ACA). The ACA requires CMS to establish a Physician Compare Web site
by January 1, 2011, containing information on physicians enrolled in
the Medicare program and other eligible professionals who participate
in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative. By no later than January
1, 2013 (and for reporting periods beginning no earlier than January 1,
2012), CMS is required to implement a plan to make information on
physician performance publicly available through Physician Compare. A
key component of the reporting requirements under the ACA is public
reporting on physician performance that includes patient experience
measures. The collection and reporting of a Consumer Assessment of
Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey for Physician Quality
Reporting will fulfill this requirement.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has
developed the National Quality Strategy that was called for under the
ACA to create national aims and priorities to guide local, state, and
national efforts to improve the quality of health care. This strategy
has established six priorities that support the three-part aim. The
three-part aim focuses on better care, better health, and lower costs
through improvement. The six priorities include: Making care safer by
reducing harm caused by the delivery of care; ensuring that each person
and family are engaged as partners in their care; promoting effective
communication and coordination of care; promoting the most effective
prevention and treatment practices for the leading causes of mortality,
starting with cardiovascular disease; working with communities to
promote wide use of best practices to enable healthy living; and making
quality care more affordable for individuals, families, employers, and
governments by developing and spreading new health care delivery
models. Because the CAHPS Survey for Physician Quality Reporting
focuses on patient experience implementation of the survey supports the
six national priorities for improving care, particularly engaging
patients and families in care and promoting effective communication and
coordination.
This survey supports the administration of the Quality Improvement
Organizations Program (QIO). The Social Security Act, as set forth in
Part B of Title XI--Section 1862(g), established the Utilization and
Quality Control Peer Review Organization Program, now known as the QIO
Program. The statutory mission of the QIO Program is to improve the
effectiveness, efficiency, economy, and quality of services delivered
to Medicare beneficiaries. This survey will provide patient experience
of care data that is an essential component of assessing the quality of
services delivered to Medicare beneficiaries. It also would permit
beneficiaries to have this information to help them choose health care
providers that provide services that meet their needs and preferences,
thus encouraging providers to improve quality of care that Medicare
beneficiaries receive. Form Number: CMS-10450 (OCN: 0938-New);
Frequency: Annual; Affected Public: Individuals and Households; Number
of Respondents: 234,600 Total Annual Responses: 117,300; Total Annual
Hours: 39,530. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact
Regina Chell at 410-786-6551. For all other issues call 410-786-1326.)
2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection;
Title of Information Collection: Hospital Wage Index Occupational
Mix Survey and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR, Section 412.64; Use:
Section 304(c) of Public Law 106-554 amended section 1886(d)(3)(E) of
the Social Security Act to require CMS to collect data every 3 years on
the occupational mix of employees for each short-term, acute care
hospital participating in the Medicare program, in order to construct
an occupational mix adjustment to the wage index, for application
beginning October 1, 2004 (the FY 2005 wage index). The purpose of the
occupational mix adjustment is to control for the effect of hospitals'
employment choices on the wage index. Refer to the summary of changes
document for a list of current changes. Form Number: CMS-10079
(OMB: 0938-0907); Frequency: Reporting--Yearly, Biennially and
Occasionally ; Affected Public: Private Sector--Business or other for-
profits and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 3,500;
Total Annual Responses: 3,500; Total Annual Hours: 1,680,000. (For
policy questions regarding this collection contact Gerry Mondowney at
410-786-1172. 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 February 5, 2013:
1. Electronically. You may submit your comments electronically to
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for ``Comment or
[[Page 73033]]
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.
Dated: December 4, 2012.
Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Division B, Office of
Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2012-29627 Filed 12-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P