[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 213 (Tuesday, November 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65400-65401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26041]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[Document Identifier: CMS-10527]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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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 (the 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 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
[[Page 65401]]
be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology to minimize the information
collection burden.
DATES: Comments must be received by January 5, 2015.
ADDRESSES: When commenting, please reference the document identifier or
OMB control number (OCN). 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, you may make
your request using one of following:
1. Access CMS' Web site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995.
2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB
number, and CMS document identifier, to [email protected].
3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-
1326.
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-10527 Annual Eligibility Redetermination, Product Discontinuation
and Renewal Notices
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 Collection
1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Annual
Eligibility Redetermination, Product Discontinuation and Renewal
Notices; Use: Section 1411(f)(1)(B) of the Affordable Care Act directs
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish
procedures to redetermine the eligibility of individuals on a periodic
basis in appropriate circumstances. Section 1321(a) of the Affordable
Care Act provides authority for the Secretary to establish standards
and regulations to implement the statutory requirements related to
Exchanges, QHPs and other components of title I of the Affordable Care
Act. Under section 2703 of the PHS Act, as added by the Affordable Care
Act, and sections 2712 and 2741 of the PHS Act, enacted by the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, health insurance
issuers in the group and individual markets must guarantee the
renewability of coverage unless an exception applies.
The final rule ``Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Annual
Eligibility Redeterminations for Exchange Participation and Insurance
Affordability Programs; Health Insurance Issuer Standards Under the
Affordable Care Act, Including Standards Related to Exchanges'' (79 FR
52994), provides that an Exchange may choose to conduct the annual
redetermination process for a plan year (1) in accordance with the
existing procedures described in 45 CFR 155.335; (2) in accordance with
procedures described in guidance issued by the Secretary for the
coverage year; or (3) using an alternative proposed by the Exchange and
approved by the Secretary. The guidance document ``Guidance on Annual
Redeterminations for Coverage for 2015'' contains the procedures that
the Secretary is specifying for the 2015 coverage year, as noted in (2)
above. These procedures will be adopted by the Federally-facilitated
Exchange. Under this option, the Exchange will provide three notices.
These notices may be combined.
The final rule also amends the requirements for product renewal and
re-enrollment (or non-renewal) notices to be sent by Qualified Health
Plan (QHP) issuers in the Exchanges and specifies content for these
notices. The accompanying guidance document ``Form and Manner of
Notices When Discontinuing or Renewing a Product in the Group or
Individual Market'' provides standard notices for product
discontinuation and renewal to be sent by issuers of individual market
QHPs and issuers in the individual market. Issuers in the small group
market may use the draft Federal standard small group notices released
in the June 26, 2014 bulletin ``Draft Standard Notices When
Discontinuing or Renewing a Product in the Small Group or Individual
Market,'' or any forms of the notice otherwise permitted by applicable
laws and regulations. States that are enforcing the Affordable Care Act
may develop their own standard notices, for product discontinuances,
renewals, or both, provided the State-developed notices are at least as
protective as the Federal standard notices. Form Number: CMS-10527;
Frequency: Annual; Affected Public: Private Sector, State Governments;
Number of Respondents: 2,945; Number of Responses: 12,224; Total Annual
Hours: 149,186. (For policy questions regarding this collection,
contact Usree Bandyopadhyay at 410-786-6650.)
Dated: October 29, 2014.
Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-26041 Filed 11-3-14; 8:45 am]
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