[Federal Register: February 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 27)]
[Notices]
[Page 6247-6248]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09fe07-59]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
[Document Identifier: CMS-R-262 and CMS-10142]
Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements
Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget
AGENCY: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare and 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 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.
We are, however, requesting an emergency review of the information
collection referenced below. In compliance with the requirement of
section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we have
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the following
requirements for emergency review. We are requesting an emergency
review because the collection of this information is needed before the
expiration of the normal time limits under OMB's regulations at 5 CFR
Part 1320. This is necessary to ensure compliance with an initiative of
the Administration. CMS does not have sufficient time to complete the
normal PRA clearance process while making corrections and enhancements
to the software and ensuring that organizations have ample time to
complete and submit their tools by the statutory deadline in June 2007.
The normal PRA clearance process would result in violating this
statutory deadline which would prevent Medicare Advantage (MA) and
Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) organizations from providing benefits to
millions of Medicare beneficiaries.
CMS is requesting to continue its use of the Plan Benefit Package
software, formulary and Bid Pricing Tool for the collection of
benefits, pricing and related information for CY 2008 as part of the
annual bidding process.
1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Plan Benefit
Package (PBP) and Formulary Submission for Medicare Advantage (MA)
Plans and Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs); Use: Under the Medicare
Modernization Act (MMA), Medicare Advantage (MA) and Prescription Drug
Plan (PDP) organizations are required to submit plan benefit packages
for all Medicare beneficiaries residing in their service area. CMS
requires that MA and PDP organizations submit a completed formulary and
PBP as part of the annual bidding process. During this process,
organizations prepare their proposed plan benefit packages for the
upcoming contract year and submit them to CMS for review and approval.
The changes to the PBP include enhancements to the software for
describing the out-of-network benefits, Medicare Savings Account (MSA)
benefits, Point of Service (POS) benefits, Visitor/Travel benefits, and
collecting Medicare Rx information on gap coverage. The changes to the
formulary include enhancements to the submission process by developing
a drug reference table and by collecting excluded drug indicators,
specialty drug indicators, and drug types. The software is more
clarifying for the plans to describe its benefits and for the
beneficiaries to understand their coverage; Form Number: CMS-R-262
(OMB: 0938-0763); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Business
or other for-profit and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of
Respondents: 450; Total Annual Responses: 4,725; Total Annual Hours:
10,800.
2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Bid Pricing Tool
(BPT) for Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans and Prescription Drug Plans
(PDPs); Use: Under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and
Modernization (MMA), Medicare Advantage organizations (MAO) and
Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) are required to submit an actuarial
pricing ``bid'' for each plan offered to Medicare beneficiaries. CMS
requires that MAOs and PDPs complete the BPT as part of the annual
bidding process. During this process, organizations prepare their
proposed actuarial bid pricing for the upcoming contract year and
submit them to CMS for review and approval. The purpose of the BPT is
to collect the actuarial pricing information for each plan. The BPT
calculates the plan's bid, enrollee premiums, and payment rates. The
BPT revisions include structural changes to the MA worksheets and
changes to streamline reporting requirements. Form Number: CMS-10142
(OMB: 0938-0944); Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: Business
or other for-profit and Not-for-profit institutions; Number of
Respondents: 550; Total Annual Responses: 6,050; Total Annual Hours:
42,350.
CMS is requesting OMB review and approval of these collections by
March 21, 2007, with a 180-day approval period. Written comments and
recommendation will be considered from the public if received by the
individuals designated below by March 3, 2007.
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-
[[Page 6248]]
mail 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.
Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the
burden or any other aspect of these collections of information
requirements. However, as noted above, comments on these information
collection and recordkeeping requirements must be mailed and/or faxed
to the designees referenced below by March 3, 2007:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of Strategic
Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security
Boulevard,Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, Attn: Bonnie L Harkless; and,
OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, Attention: Carolyn Lovett, New
Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.
Dated: February 2, 2007.
Michelle Shortt,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 07-577 Filed 2-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P