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

AGENCY:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & 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 function; (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.

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: HIPAA Administrative Simplification Non-Privacy Enforcement; Form Nos.: CMS-10148 (OMB# 0938-0948); Use: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) became law in 1996 (Pub. L. 104-191). Subtitle F of Title II of HIPAA, entitled “Administrative Simplification,” (A.S.) requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to adopt national standards for certain information-related activities of the health care industry. The HIPAA provisions, by statute, apply only to “covered entities” referred to in section 1320d-2(a)(1) of this title. Responsibility for administering and enforcing the HIPAA A.S. Transactions, Code Sets, Identifiers and Security Rules has been delegated to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Frequency: Reporting—On occasion; Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Individuals or Households; Not-for-profit institutions, Federal Government, and State, Local or Tribal Government; Number of Respondents: 500; Total Annual Responses: 500; Total Annual Hours: 500.

To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms for these paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS Web site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/regulations/pra/ , or e-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.

To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations for the proposed information collections must be received by the OMB Desk Officer at the address below, no later than 5 p.m. on October 31, 2005.

OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, Attention: Christopher Martin, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.