[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83967-83968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28224]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier CMS-10549]


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 January 22, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. 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, you may make 
your request using one of following:
    1. Access CMS' website address at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.html
    2. Call the Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786-1326.

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: Generic 
Clearance: Questionnaire Testing and

[[Page 83968]]

Methodological Research for the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey 
(MCBS); Use: The current generic clearance for MCBS Questionnaire 
Testing and Methodological Research encompasses development and testing 
of MCBS questionnaires, instrumentation, and data collection protocols, 
as well as a mechanism for conducting methodological experiments. The 
current clearance includes conducting field tests and experiments, 
including split ballot experiments, within the MCBS production 
environment, and conducting usability tests. The purpose of this OMB 
clearance package is to revise the current clearance to expand the 
methods to allow for field tests outside of MCBS production Field tests 
conducted within production do not incur any additional burden on 
respondents whereas tests conducted outside production must account for 
additional respondent burden. The MCBS is a continuous, multipurpose 
survey of a nationally representative sample of aged, disabled, and 
institutionalized Medicare beneficiaries. The MCBS, which is sponsored 
by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is the only 
comprehensive source of information on the health status, health care 
use and expenditures, health insurance coverage, and socioeconomic and 
demographic characteristics of the entire spectrum of Medicare 
beneficiaries. The core of the MCBS is a series of interviews with a 
stratified random sample of the Medicare population, including aged and 
disabled enrollees, residing in the community or in institutions. 
Questions are asked about enrollees' patterns of health care use, 
charges, insurance coverage, and payments over time. Respondents are 
asked about their sources of health care coverage and payment, their 
demographic characteristics, their health and work history, and their 
family living circumstances. In addition to collecting information 
through the core questionnaire, the MCBS collects information on 
special topics. Form Number: CMS-10549 (OMB control number: 0938-1275); 
Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: Individuals or Households; 
Number of Respondents: 11,655; Total Annual Responses: 11,655; Total 
Annual Hours: 3,947. (For policy questions regarding this collection, 
contact William Long at 410-786-7927.)

    Dated: December 17, 2020.
William N. Parham III,
Director, Paperwork Reduction Staff, Office of Strategic Operations and 
Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2020-28224 Filed 12-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P