Notice2026-05743
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; 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
March 25, 2026
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 collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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 a second opportunity for public comment on the notice. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the burden estimate 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
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 57 (Wednesday, March 25, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 57 (Wednesday, March 25, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14563-14564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05743]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
[Document Identifier: CMS-R-262 and CMS-10468]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health and Human
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 (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 a second opportunity
for public comment on the notice. Interested persons are invited to
send comments regarding the burden estimate 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.
DATES: Comments on the collection(s) of information must be received by
the OMB desk officer by April 24, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
To obtain copies of a supporting statement and any related forms
for the proposed collection(s) summarized in this notice, please access
the CMS PRA website by copying and pasting the following web address
into your web browser: <a href="https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing">https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Parham at (410) 786-4669.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(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 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires
federal agencies to publish a 30-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 that
summarizes the following proposed collection(s) of information for
public comment.
1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: CMS Plan Benefit
Package (PBP) and Formulary CY 2027; Use: Under the Medicare
Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA),
and implementing regulations at 42 CFR, specifically Sec. 422.254 and
Sec. 423.265, Medicare Advantage (MA) and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP)
organizations are required to submit a bid for each plan they intend to
offer in their service area for the upcoming year. In addition to
actuarial pricing, which is addressed in OMB 0938-0944, each bid
submission consists of a description of the plan benefit package and
the plan formulary. MA and PDP organizations use the Plan Benefit
Package (PBP) software to describe their organization's plan benefit
packages, including information on premiums, cost sharing,
authorization rules, and supplemental benefits. They also generate a
formulary to describe their list of drugs, including information on
prior authorization, step therapy, tiering, and quantity limits. CMS
uses the PBP and formulary data to review and approve the plan benefit
packages proposed by each MA and PDP organization.
CMS requires that MA and PDP organizations submit a completed PBP
and formulary 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. CMS uses this data to review and approve the benefit packages
that the plans will offer to Medicare beneficiaries. This allows CMS to
review the benefit packages in a consistent way across all submitted
bids during with incredibly tight timeframes. This data is also used to
populate data on Medicare Plan Finder, which allows beneficiaries to
access and compare Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans. Form
Number: CMS-R-262 (OMB control number: 0938-0763); Frequency: Yearly;
Affected Public: Private sector, Business or other for-profits, Not-
for-profits institutions; Number of Respondents: 764; Number of
Responses: 8,068; Total Annual Hours: 44,178. (For policy questions
regarding this collection contact Kristy Holtje at 410-786-2209 or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#365d445f45424f185e595a425c5376555b45185e5e4518515940"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="610a13081215184f090e0d150b0421020c124f0909124f060e17">[email protected]</span></a>.)
2. Type of Information Collection Request: Reinstatement of a
previously approved collection; Title of Information Collection:
Essential Health Benefits in Alternative Benefit Plans, Eligibility
Notices, Fair Hearing and Appeal Processes, and Premiums and Cost
Sharing; Exchanges: Eligibility and Enrollment; Use: Information
collected
[[Page 14564]]
by the Exchanges, Medicaid or CHIP agencies will be used to determine
eligibility for coverage through the Exchanges and insurance
affordability programs (i.e., Medicaid, CHIP, and advance payment of
the premium tax credits), and to assist consumers in enrolling in a QHP
if eligible. Applicants include anyone who may be eligible for coverage
through any of these programs. The Exchanges verify the information
provided on the application, communicate with the applicant or his/her
authorized representative and subsequently provide the information to
the health plan selected by the applicant so that it can enroll him/her
in a QHP. The Exchanges also use the information provided in support of
its ongoing operations, including activities such as verifying
continued eligibility for all programs, processing appeals, reporting
on and managing the insurance affordability programs for eligible
individuals, performing oversight and quality control activities,
combating fraud, and responding to any concerns about the security or
confidentiality of the information. Form Number: CMS-10468 (OMB control
number: 0938-1207); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Individuals,
Households and Private Sector; Number of Respondents: 20; Total Annual
Responses: 20; Total Annual Hours: 25,614. (For policy questions
regarding this collection contact Angela Meadows at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#55143b323039347b183034313a2226153638267b3d3d267b323a23"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="88c9e6efede4e9a6c5ede9ece7fffbc8ebe5fba6e0e0fba6efe7fe">[email protected]</span></a>.)
William N. Parham, III,
Director, Division of Information Collections and Regulatory Impacts,
Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2026-05743 Filed 3-24-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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