[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51843-51844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24305]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[Document Identifier: CMS-10653]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
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 (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 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
[[Page 51844]]
information technology to minimize the information collection burden.
DATES: Comments must be received by January 8, 2018.
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, 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: William 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-10653 Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable
Care Act
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.
1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Coverage of
Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act; Use: The
2017 interim final regulations titled ``Religious Exemptions and
Accommodations for Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the
Affordable Care Act'' and ``Moral Exemptions and Accommodations for
Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act''
expand exemptions for religious beliefs and moral convictions for
certain entities or individuals whose health plans may otherwise be
subject to a mandate of contraceptive coverage through guidance issued
pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The interim
final rules extend the exemption to health insurance issuers that hold
religious or moral objections in certain circumstances. The interim
final rules also allow plan participants and enrollees with sincerely
held religious or moral objections to request coverage that does not
include contraceptive services.
The interim final rules also leave the accommodation process in
place as an optional process for objecting entities who wish to use it
voluntarily. To avoid contracting, arranging, paying, or referring for
contraceptive coverage, an organization seeking to be treated as an
eligible organization may self-certify (by using EBSA Form 700), prior
to the beginning of the first plan year to which an accommodation is to
apply, that it meets the definition of an eligible organization. The
eligible organization must provide a copy of its self-certification to
each health insurance issuer that would otherwise provide such coverage
in connection with the health plan (for insured group health plans or
student health insurance coverage). The issuer that receives the self-
certification must provide separate payments for contraceptive services
for plan participants and beneficiaries (or students and dependents).
For a self-insured group health plan, the self-certification must be
provided to its third party administrator. An eligible organization may
alternatively submit a notification to HHS as an alternative to
submitting the EBSA Form 700 to the eligible organization's health
insurance issuer or third party administrator. A health insurance
issuer or third party administrator providing or arranging payments for
contraceptive services for participants and beneficiaries in plans (or
student enrollees and covered dependents in student health insurance
coverage) of eligible organizations must provide a written notice to
such plan participants and beneficiaries (or such student enrollees and
covered dependents) informing them of the availability of such
payments.
Eligible organizations can revoke at any time the accommodation
process if participants and beneficiaries receive written notice of
such revocation from the issuer or third party administrator in
accordance with guidance issued by the Secretary, and if the
accommodation process is currently being utilized, such revocation will
be effective on the first day of the first plan year that begins on or
after thirty days after the date of revocation. Form Number: CMS-10653
(OMB control number 0938-1344); Frequency: On Occasion; Affected
Public: Private Sector; Number of Respondents: 110; Number of
Responses: 274,629; Total Annual Hours: 181. (For policy questions
regarding this collection contact Usree Bandyopadhyay at 410-786-6650.
For all other issues call (410) 786-1326.)
Dated: November 3, 2017.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-24305 Filed 11-7-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P