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

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 a 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 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.

DATES: Comments on the collection(s) of information must be received by the OMB desk officer by July 18, 2016.

ADDRESSES: When commenting on the proposed information collections, please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be received by the OMB desk officer via one of the following transmissions: OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS Desk Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395-5806 or Email: OIRA_ [email protected].

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' Web site address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995.

2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to [email protected].

3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

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: Student Health Insurance Coverage; Use: Under the Student Health Insurance Coverage Final Rule published March 21, 2012 (77 FR 16453), an issuer that provides student health insurance coverage that does not meet the annual dollar limits requirements under Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) section 2711 must provide notice in the insurance policy or certificate and in any other written materials informing students that the policy being issued does not meet the annual limits requirements under the Affordable Care Act. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2017 Final Rule removed outdated provisions in SEC 147.145(b)(2) and (d) allowing student health insurance issuers to impose restricted annual dollar limits on policies started before January 1, 2014, with an accompanying requirement that student health issuers must provide notice to students. Those provisions, by their own terms, no longer apply and student health insurance issuers are subject to the prohibition on annual dollar limits under PHS Act section 2711 and SEC 147.126 for policy years beginning on or after January 1, 2014. Therefore, the annual limit notification requirement is being discontinued.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2017 Final Rule further provides that, for policy years beginning on or after July 1, 2016, student health insurance coverage is exempt from the actuarial value (AV) requirements under section 1302(d) of the Affordable Care Act, but must provide coverage with an AV of at least 60 percent. This provision also requires issuers of student health insurance coverage to specify in any plan materials summarizing the terms of the coverage the AV of the coverage and the metal level (or the next lowest metal level) the coverage would otherwise satisfy under SEC 156.140. This disclosure will provide students with information that allows them to compare the student health coverage with other available coverage options. Form Number: CMS-10377 (OMB Control Number: 0938-1157); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Private Sector; Number of Respondents: 49; Total Annual Responses: 1,255,000; Total Annual Hours: 49. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Russell Tipps at 301-492-4371.)

2. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Affordable Care Act Internal Claims and Appeals and External Review Procedures for Non-grandfathered Group Health Plans and Issuers and Individual Market Issuers; Use: The PHS Act section 2719 and paragraph (b)(2)(i) of the Appeals regulations provide that group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group health insurance coverage must comply with the internal claims and appeals processes set forth in 29 CFR 2560.503-1, the Department of Labor (DOL) claims procedure regulation, and update such processes in accordance with standards established by the Secretary of Labor in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of the regulations. Paragraph (b)(3)(i) requires issuers offering coverage in the individual health insurance market to also comply with the DOL claims procedure regulation as updated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of the Appeals regulation for their internal claims and appeals processes.

The PHS Act section 2719 and the Appeals regulation also provide that health insurance issuers and self-funded nonfederal governmental health plans must comply either with a State external review process or a Federal review process. The IFR provides a basis for determining when health insurance issuers and self-funded non-federal governmental health plans must comply with an applicable State external review process and when they must comply with the Federal external review process.

The PRA coverage and any burdens contained herein recognize requirements that the Department identified in the NAIC Uniform Health Carrier External Review Model Act that must be met or exceeded. The claims procedure regulation imposes information collection requirements as part of the reasonable procedures that an employee benefit plan must establish regarding the handling of a benefit claim. Form Number: CMS-10338 (OMB control number: 0938-1099); Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Private Sector (Business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions); Number of Respondents: 95,500; Number of Responses: 399,000,000; Total Annual Hours: 2,322,500. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Leslie Wagstaffe at (301) 492-4251.)

3. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Minimum Essential Coverage; Use: The final rule titled "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Exchange Functions: Eligibility for Exemptions; Miscellaneous Minimum Essential Coverage Provisions," published July 1, 2013 (78 FR 39494) designates certain types of health coverage as minimum essential coverage. Other types of coverage, not statutorily designated and not designated as minimum essential coverage in regulation, may be recognized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) as minimum essential coverage if certain substantive and procedural requirements are met. To be recognized as minimum essential coverage, the coverage must offer substantially the same consumer protections as those enumerated in the Title I of Affordable Care Act relating to non-grandfathered, individual health insurance coverage to ensure consumers are receiving adequate coverage. The final rule requires sponsors of other coverage that seek to have such coverage recognized as minimum essential coverage to adhere to certain procedures. Sponsoring organizations must submit to HHS certain information about their coverage and an attestation that the plan substantially complies with the provisions of Title I of the Affordable Care Act applicable to non-grandfathered individual health insurance coverage. Sponsors must also provide notice to enrollees informing them that the plan has been recognized as minimum essential coverage for the purposes of the individual coverage requirement. Form Number: CMS-10465 (OMB control number 0938-1189); Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: Public and Private Sector; Number of Respondents: 10; Total Annual Responses: 10; Total Annual Hours: 53. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Russell Tipps at 301-492-4371.)

--This is a summary of a Federal Register article originally published on the page number listed below--

Notice.

Citation: "81 FR 39644"

Document Number: "Document Identifier: CMS-10377, CMS-10338, CMS-10465, CMS-10443, and CMS-10379"

Federal Register Page Number: "39644"

"Notices"