Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS.

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) (formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA)), 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.

Type of Information Collection Request: New collection; Title of Information Collection: Survey of States Performance Measurement Reporting Capability; Form No.: CMS-10082 (OMB# 0938-NEW); Use: Because of the wide variability of Medicaid and SCHIP financing and service delivery approaches, there is little common ground from which to develop uniform reporting on performance measures by states. While CMS has decided on the first seven measures to be used, the ability of states to calculate those measures using HEDIS directly or HEDIS specifications (e.g., when calculating measures from fee-for-service claims data) is highly variable. Current efforts are focused on assessing the capability of each state to report on the selected measures and on helping states to make necessary adjustments in order to be able to report measures uniformly so that state-to-state comparisons can be made. To accomplish this, states will be requested to report available numerator and denominator data for the seven core HEDIS measures via a survey instrument created for this purpose. The data will be requested for each state's Medicaid and SCHIP programs by delivery system; Frequency: Once; Affected Public: State, local, and tribal government; Number of Respondents: 51; Total Annual Responses: 51; Total Annual Hours: 2,360.

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://cms.hhs.gov/regulations/pra/default.asp , or e-mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to Paperwork@hcfa.gov, or call the Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collections must be mailed within 30 days of this notice directly to the OMB desk officer: OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, Attention: Brenda Aguilar, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.