Notice2022-00375
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 12, 2022
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Abstract
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention to pilot the collection of race and ethnicity data on Part C and D enrollment forms. 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 information technology to minimize the information collection burden.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 8 (Wednesday, January 12, 2022)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1752-1754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00375]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[Document Identifier: CMS-10718]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health and Human
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 pilot the collection of race and ethnicity data on Part C and D
enrollment forms. 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 information
technology to minimize the information collection burden.
[[Page 1753]]
DATES: Comments must be received by March 14, 2022.
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
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. 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' website address at website address at <a href="https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.html">https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.html</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William N. 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-10718 Model Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
Individual Enrollment Request
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: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Model Medicare
Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Individual Enrollment
Request; Use: The enrollment form is considered a ``model'' under
Medicare regulations at Sec. Sec. 422.2262 and 423.2262, for purposes
of communication and marketing review and approval; therefore, MA and
Part D plans are able to modify the language, content, format, or order
of the enrollment form. The model enrollment form includes the minimal
amount of information to process the enrollment, located in Section 1,
and other limited information, in Section 2, that the sponsor is
required (i.e., race and ethnicity data, accessible format preference)
or chooses to provide to the beneficiary (i.e., premium payment
information). The optional data elements, which aid the MA and Part D
plans in processing the enrollment, is developed for efficiency for the
plans. Plan sponsors can obtain information at the initial point of
contact to help streamline the beneficiary's enrollment process. The
optional questions include information, specific to the plan's business
needs that serves to reduce overall burden and allow for timely
processing of an enrollment request. All data elements in Section 2 are
optional for the beneficiary to complete, but the plan will be required
to have the questions on the enrollment forms. Plan enrollment will not
be affected if the beneficiary does not complete this additional
information.
With the long-term goal of collecting race and ethnicity data from
all Medicare beneficiaries, CMS will focus initial efforts on
beneficiaries who newly elect or change coverage in the Medicare Part C
and D program. The detailed race and ethnicity categories collected
through the demographic pilot on the enrollment form will be compliant
with the 2011 HHS Data Collection Standards to provide granular
information for plans and CMS to understand the diversity of the
beneficiary population. The data will be used to: (1) Explore the
response rate to race and ethnicity questions as a whole and how it
intersects with beneficiary income and other demographics; (2) Conduct
focus groups, to be approved in a separate PRA package, among non-
responders to the race and ethnicity questions to understand how people
who elect to not respond to the race and ethnicity questions perceive
the addition of those questions on the form; (3) Continue to test CMS'
race and ethnicity imputation models by adding additional race and
ethnicity data to the data CMS already has; and (4) Determine the data
necessary for sufficient samples sizes to conduct analyses of
disaggregated race and ethnicity categories. As part of a broader
health equity effort, CMS has interest in identifying patterns of
differences across many key process and care outcomes by
sociodemographic characteristics, including race and ethnicity. To best
characterize these differences, self-reported and granular data are
needed. Collecting these data will support efforts to continue to
strengthen, for example, CMS OMH's stratified reporting efforts, which
currently do consider quality indicators by race and ethnicity, but at
present these data are not granular and not self-reported. In addition,
this data will allow us to validate imputation methods CMS currently
uses for race and ethnicity, to ensure that we do not rely on
methodologies that unintentionally create or exacerbate disparities. To
assess readiness for analysis of collected data (particularly with
regard to considering sample sizes, especially of small groups),
continual assessment will be required--simultaneously as enrollment
happens--because readiness will depend partly on distribution of
responses to these items by enrollees.
These categories are of great interest to CMS and will improve the
accuracy of current data sets. We acknowledge that it may take several
years of data collection to conduct other meaningful studies CMS
intends to pursue that are not listed above. In addition to the
aforementioned uses, CMS will ultimately use this information to: Track
beneficiary enrollment, including tracking patterns in enrollment by
race and ethnicity over time; to identify, monitor, and develop
effective and efficient strategies and incentives to reduce and
eliminate health and health care inequities; to validate existing race
and ethnicity imputation methods; and to ensure that clinically
appropriate and equitable care (in terms of payment, access, and
quality) is consistently provided to all beneficiaries. Form Number:
CMS-10718 (OMB control number: 0938-1378); Frequency: Yearly; Affected
Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments, Federal Government,
Private Sector (Business or other for-
[[Page 1754]]
profits and Not-for-profits); Number of Respondents: 80,539,628; Number
of Responses: 80,539,628; Total Annual Hours: 8,567,975. (For questions
regarding this collection contact Deme Umo at (410) 786-8854.).)
Dated: January 6, 2022.
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2022-00375 Filed 1-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 12, 2022.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.