38986 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 125 / Friday, June 28, 2013 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[Document Identifiers: CMS–10199, CMS– 

10484, CMS–R–38, CMS–10237, CMS–10198, 

CMS–R–267, CMS–10137, CMS–43, CMS– 

1763, CMS–1728–94, CMS–10174, CMS– 

10305 and CMS–10488] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

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 

60 days for public comment on the 

proposed action. Interested persons are 

invited to send comments regarding our 

burden estimates 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 must be received by 

August 27, 2013: 

ADDRESSES: When commenting, please 

reference the document identifier or 

OMB control number (OCN). To be 

assured consideration, comments and 

recommendations must be submitted in 

any one of the following ways: 

1. Electronically. You may send your 

comments electronically to http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for ‘‘Comment or 

Submission’’ or ‘‘More Search Options’’ 

to find the information collection 

document(s) that are accepting 

comments. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments to the following 

address: CMS, Office of Strategic 

Operations and Regulatory Affairs, 

Division of Regulations Development, 

Attention: Document Identifier/OMB 

Control Number ___ Room C4–26–05, 

7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, 

Maryland 21244–1850. 

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 

Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov. 

3. Call the Reports Clearance Office at 

(410) 786–1326. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Reports Clearance Office at (410) 786– 

1326. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice sets out a summary of the use and 

burden associated with the following 

information collections. More detailed 

information can be found in each 

collection’s supporting statement and 

associated materials (see ADDRESSES). 

CMS–10199 Data Collection for 

Medicare Facilities Performing 

Carotid Artery Stenting with Embolic 

Protection in Patients at High Risk for 

Carotid Endarterectomy 

CMS–10484 End Stage Renal Disease 

(ESRD) Application Access Request 

Form 

CMS–R–38 Conditions of Certification 

for Rural Health Clinics 

CMS–10266 Conditions of 

Participation: Requirements for 

Approval and Reapproval of 

Transplant Centers to Perform Organ 

Transplants 

CMS–10237 Part C—Medicare 

Advantage and 1876 Cost Plan 

Expansion Application 

CMS–10198 Collection Requirements 

Pertaining to the Creditable Coverage 

Disclosure to CMS On-Line Form and 

Instructions 

CMS–R–267 Medicare Advantage 

Program Requirements 

CMS–10137 Solicitation for 

Applications for Medicare 

Prescription Drug Plan 2015 Contracts 

CMS–43 Application for Hospital 

Insurance Benefits for Individuals 

with End Stage Renal Disease 

CMS–1763 Request for Termination of 

Premium Hospital and/or 

Supplementary Medical Insurance 

CMS–1728–94 Home Health Agency 

Cost Report 

CMS–10174 Collection of Prescription 

Drug Event Data from Contracted Part 

D Providers for Payment 

CMS–10305 Part C Medicare 

Advantage Reporting Requirements 

and Supporting Regulations 

CMS–10488 Enrollee Satisfaction 

Survey Data Collection 

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 

requires federal agencies to publish a 

60-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. 

Information Collections 

1. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Reinstatement without change 

of a previously approved collection; 

Title of Information Collection: Data 

Collection for Medicare Facilities 

Performing Carotid Artery Stenting with 

Embolic Protection in Patients at High 

Risk for Carotid Endarterectomy; Use: 

We provide coverage for carotid artery 

stenting (CAS) with embolic protection 

for patients at high risk for carotid 

endarterectomy and who also have 

symptomatic carotid artery stenosis 

between 50 percent and 70 percent or 

have asymptomatic carotid artery 

stenosis ≥ 80 percent in accordance with 

the Category B IDE clinical trials 

regulation (42 CFR 405.201), a trial 

under the CMS Clinical Trial Policy 

(NCD Manual § 310.1, or in accordance 

with the National Coverage 

Determination on CAS post approval 

studies (Medicare NCD Manual 20.7). 

Accordingly, we consider coverage for 

CAS reasonable and necessary (section 

1862(A)(1)(a) of the Social Security Act). 

However, evidence for use of CAS with 

embolic protection for patients with 

high risk for carotid endarterectomy and 

who also have symptomatic carotid 

artery stenosis ≥ 70 percent who are not 

enrolled in a study or trial is less 

compelling. To encourage responsible 

and appropriate use of CAS with 

embolic protection, we issued a 

Decision Memo for Carotid Artery 

Stenting on March 17, 2005, indicating 

that CAS with embolic protection for 

symptomatic carotid artery stenosis ≥ 70 

percent will be covered only if 

performed in facilities that have been 


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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 125 / Friday, June 28, 2013 / Notices 38987 

determined to be competent in 

performing the evaluation, procedure 

and follow-up necessary to ensure 

optimal patient outcomes. In accordance 

with this criteria, we consider coverage 

for CAS reasonable and necessary 

(section 1862(A)(1)(a) of the Social 

Security Act). Form Number: CMS– 

10199 (OCN: 0938–1011); Frequency: 

Yearly; Affected Public: Business or 

other for-profit, Not-for-profit 

institutions; Number of Respondents: 

1,000; Total Annual Responses: 1,000; 

Total Annual Hours: 500. (For policy 

questions regarding this collection 

contact Lori Ashby at 410–786–6322.) 

2. Type of Information Collection 

Request: New Collection (Request for a 

new OMB control number); Title of 

Information Collection: End Stage Renal 

Disease (ESRD) Application Access 

Request Form; Use: We are developing 

a new suite of systems to support the 

End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) 

program. Due to the sensitivity of the 

data being collected and reported, we 

must ensure that only authorized 

personnel have access to data. Personnel 

are given access to the ESRD systems 

through the creation of user IDs and 

passwords within the QualityNet 

Identity Management System (QIMS); 

however, once within the system, the 

system determines the rights and 

privileges the personnel has over the 

data within the system. Such access 

rights include: Viewing and reporting, 

updating adding and deleting. 

The sole purpose of the ESRD 

Application Access Request Form is to 

identify the individual’s data access 

rights once within the ESRD system. 

This data collection is currently being 

accomplished under ‘‘Part B’’ of the 

QualityNet Identity Management 

System Account Form. Once the ESRD 

Application Access Form is approved, 

the QualityNet Identity Management 

System (QIMS) Account Form will be 

revised to remove Part B from the QIMS 

data collection. The ESRD Application 

Access Request Form will be a new form 

and will be assigned its own OMB 

Control number. The ESRD system 

accounts created using the current 

QIMS Account Form—Part B will not 

need to submit an ESRD Application 

Access Form for the creation of their 

account since that information was 

collected under Part B. 

The QIMS Account Registration and 

the ESRD Application Access Request 

forms are required for identity and 

security management of individuals 

accessing the Consolidated Renal 

Operations in a Web Enabled Network 

(CROWNWeb) system and the End Stage 

Renal Disease Quality Incentive 

Program (ESRD QIP) system. The 

CROWNWeb system is the system that 

is mandated for the Medicare and 

Medicaid Programs Conditions of 

Coverage for End-Stage Renal Disease 

Facilities, Final Rule published April 

15, 2008. Form Number: CMS–10484 

(OCN: 0938–NEW); Frequency: 

Annually; Affected Public: Business and 

other for-profits; and not-for-profits; 

Number of Respondents: 27,000; Total 

Annual Responses: 27,000; Total 

Annual Hours: 6,750. (For policy 

questions regarding this collection 

contact Victoria Schlining at 410–786– 

6878.) 

3. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Reinstatement with change of a 

currently approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Conditions of 

Certification for Rural Health Clinics; 

Use: The Rural Health Clinic (RHC) 

conditions of certification are based on 

criteria prescribed in law and are 

designed to ensure that each facility has 

a properly trained staff to provide 

appropriate care and to assure a safe 

physical environment for patients. We 

use these conditions of participation to 

certify RHCs wishing to participate in 

the Medicare program. These 

requirements are similar in intent to 

standards developed by industry 

organizations such as the Joint 

Commission on Accreditation of 

Hospitals, and the National League of 

Nursing and the American Public 

Association and merely reflect accepted 

standards of management and care to 

which rural health clinics must adhere. 

Form Number: CMS–R–38 (OCN: 0938– 

0334); Frequency: Recordkeeping and 

Reporting—Annually; Affected Public: 

Business or other for-profits; Number of 

Respondents: 9,716; Total Annual 

Responses: 9,716; Total Annual Hours: 

33,304. (For policy questions regarding 

this collection contact Mary Collins at 

410–786–3189.) 

4. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Reinstatement with change of a 

currently approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Conditions of 

Participation: Requirements for 

Approval and Reapproval of Transplant 

Centers to Perform Organ Transplants; 

Use: The Conditions of Participation 

and accompanying requirements 

specified in the regulations are used by 

our surveyors as a basis for determining 

whether a transplant center qualifies for 

approval or re-approval under Medicare. 

We, along with the healthcare industry, 

believe that the availability to the 

facility of the type of records and 

general content of records is standard 

medical practice and is necessary in 

order to ensure the well-being and 

safety of patients and professional 

treatment accountability. Form Number: 

CMS–10266 (OCN: 0938–1069); 

Frequency: Yearly; Affected Public: 

Business or other for-profits and Notfor-profit institutions; Number of 

Respondents: 226; Total Annual 

Responses: 528; Total Annual Hours: 

2,523. (For policy questions regarding 

this collection contact Diane Corning at 

410–786–8486.) 

5. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Revision of a currently 

approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Part C— 

Medicare Advantage and 1876 Cost Plan 

Expansion Application; Use: 

Organizations wishing to provide 

healthcare services under Medicare 

Advantage (MA) and/or MA 

organizations that offer integrated 

prescription drug and health care 

products must complete an application, 

file a bid, and receive final approval 

from us. Existing MA plans may request 

to expand their contracted service area 

by completing the Service Area 

Expansion application. Any current 

1876 Cost Plan Contractor that wants to 

expand its Medicare cost-based contract 

with CMS can complete the application. 

Information is collected to ensure 

applicant compliance with our 

requirements and to gather data used to 

support its determination of contract 

awards. Form Number: CMS–10237 

(OCN 0938–0935); Frequency: Yearly; 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofits and Not-for-profits institutions; 

Number of Respondents: 566; Total 

Annual Responses: 566; Total Annual 

Hours: 22,955. (For policy questions 

regarding this collection contact Melissa 

Staud at 410–786–3669.) 

6. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Reinstatement without change 

of a previously approved collection; 

Title of Information Collection: 

Creditable Coverage Disclosure to CMS 

On-Line Form and Instructions; Use: 

Most entities that currently provide 

prescription drug benefits to any 

Medicare Part D eligible individual 

must disclose whether their prescription 

drug benefit is creditable (expected to 

pay at least as much, on average, as the 

standard prescription drug plan under 

Medicare). The disclosure must be 

provided annually and upon any change 

that affects whether the coverage is 

creditable prescription drug coverage. 

Form Number: CMS–10198 (OCN: 

0938–1013). Frequency: Yearly and 

semi-annually; Affected Public: 

Business or other for-profits and not-forprofit institutions, State, Local, or Tribal 

Governments. Number of Respondents: 

85,610; Total Annual Responses: 

87,265; Total Annual Hours: 7,272. (For 

policy questions regarding this 


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collection contact Roslyn Thomas at 

410–786–9621.) 

7. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Extension without change of a 

currently approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Medicare 

Advantage Program Requirements; Use: 

Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations 

and potential MA organizations 

(applicants) use the information to 

comply with the application 

requirements and the MA contract 

requirements. We will use this 

information to: Approve contract 

applications, monitor compliance with 

contract requirements, make proper 

payment to MA organizations, 

determine compliance with the new 

prescription drug benefit requirements, 

and to ensure that correct information is 

disclosed to Medicare beneficiaries 

(both potential enrollees and enrollees). 

Form Number: CMS–R–267 (OCN: 

0938–0753). Frequency: Yearly. Affected 

Public: Individuals or households and 

Business or other for-profits; Number of 

Respondents: 18,043,776; Total Annual 

Responses: 21,935,728; Total Annual 

Hours: 8,529,541. (For policy questions 

regarding this collection contact Dana 

Burley at 410–786–4547.) 

8. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Revision of a currently 

approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Solicitation for 

Applications for Medicare Prescription 

Drug Plan 2015 Contracts; Use: The 

information will be collected under the 

solicitation of proposals from 

prescription drug plans, Medicare 

Advantage (MA) plans that offer 

integrated prescription drug and health 

care coverage, Cost Plans, PACE, and 

EGWP applicants. We will use the 

information collected to ensure that 

applicants meet our requirements and to 

support the determination of contract 

awards. Form Number: CMS–10137 

(OCN: 0938–0936); Frequency: Yearly; 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofits and Not-for-profits institutions; 

Number of Respondents: 254; Total 

Annual Responses: 254; Total Annual 

Hours: 2,319. (For policy questions 

regarding this collection contact Linda 

Anders at 410–786–0459.) 

9. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Reinstatement without change 

of a previously approved collection; 

Title of Information Collection: 

Application for Hospital Insurance 

Benefits for Individuals with End Stage 

Renal Disease; Use: The CMS–43 

application is used (in conjunction with 

CMS–2728) to establish entitlement to, 

and enrollment in, Medicare Part A (and 

Part B) for individuals with end stage 

renal disease. The application is 

completed by a Social Security 

Administration (SSA) claims 

representative or field representative 

using information provided by the 

individual during an interview. The 

CMS–43 application follows the 

questions and requirements used by 

SSA to determine Title II eligibility. 

This is done not only for consistency 

purposes, but because certain Title II 

and Title XVIII insured status and 

relationship requirements must be met 

in order to qualify for Medicare under 

the end stage renal disease provisions. 

Form Number: CMS–43 (OCN: 0938– 

0800); Frequency: Once; Affected 

Public: Individuals or households; 

Number of Respondents: 60,000; Total 

Annual Responses: 60,000; Total 

Annual Hours: 24,960. (For policy 

questions regarding this collection 

contact Lindsay Smith at 410–786– 

6843.) 

10. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Reinstatement without change 

of a previously approved collection; 

Title of Information Collection: Request 

for Termination of Premium Hospital 

and Supplementary Medical Insurance; 

Use: The CMS–1763 provides us and the 

Social Security Administration (SSA) 

with the enrollee’s request for 

termination of Part B, Part A or both 

Part B and A premium coverage. The 

form is completed by an SSA claims or 

field representative using information 

provided by the Medicare enrollee 

during an interview. The purpose of the 

form is to provide to the enrollee with 

a standardized format to request 

termination of Part B, Part A premium 

coverage or both, explain why the 

enrollee wishes to terminate such 

coverage, and to acknowledge that the 

ramifications of the decision are 

understood. Form Number: CMS–1763 

(OCN: 0938–0025); Frequency: Once; 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

households; Number of Respondents: 

14,000; Total Annual Responses: 

14,000; Total Annual Hours: 5,833. (For 

policy questions regarding this 

collection contact Lindsay Smith at 

410–786–6843.) 

11. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Extension without change of a 

currently approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Home Health 

Agency Cost Report; Use: In accordance 

with sections 1815(a), 1833(e) and 

1861(v)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act, 

providers of service in the Medicare 

program are required to submit annual 

information to achieve reimbursement 

for health care services rendered to 

Medicare beneficiaries. In addition, 42 

CFR 413.20(b) requires that cost reports 

are required from providers on an 

annual basis. Such cost reports are 

required to be filed with the provider’s 

Medicare contractor. The Medicare 

contractor uses the cost report not only 

to make settlement with the provider for 

the fiscal period covered by the cost 

report, but also in deciding whether to 

audit the records of the provider. 

Section 413.24(a) requires providers 

receiving payment on the basis of 

reimbursable cost provide adequate cost 

data based on their financial and 

statistical records that must be capable 

of verification by qualified auditors. 

Besides determining program 

reimbursement, the data submitted on 

the cost reports supports the 

management of federal programs. The 

data is extracted from the cost report 

and used for making projections of 

Medicare Trust Fund requirements and 

for analysis to rebase home health 

agency prospective payment system. 

The data is also available to Congress, 

researchers, universities, and other 

interested parties. While the collection 

of data is a secondary function of the 

cost report, its primary function is to 

reimburse providers for services 

rendered to program beneficiaries. Form 

Number: CMS–1728–94 (OCN: 0938– 

0022): Frequency: Yearly; Affected 

Public: Business or other for-profits and 

Not-for-profit institutions; Number of 

Respondents: 11,563; Total Annual 

Responses: 11,563; Total Annual Hours: 

2,613,238. (For policy questions 

regarding this collection contact Angela 

Havrilla at 410–786–4516.) 

12. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Reinstatement without change 

of a previously approved collection; 

Title of Information Collection: 

Collection of Prescription Drug Event 

Data from Contracted Part D Providers 

for Payment; Use: The information users 

for this information collection request 

include Pharmacy Benefit Managers, 

third party administrators and 

pharmacies and prescription drug plans, 

Medicare Advantage plans that offer 

integrated prescription drug and health 

care coverage, Fallbacks and other plans 

that offer coverage of outpatient 

prescription drugs under the Medicare 

Part D benefit to Medicare beneficiaries. 

The data is used primarily for payment, 

but is also used for claim validation as 

well as for other legislated functions 

such as quality monitoring, program 

integrity, and oversight. Form Number: 

CMS–10174 (OCN: 0938–0982); 

Frequency: Monthly; Affected Public: 

Business or other for-profits and Notfor-profit institutions; Number of 

Respondents: 747; Total Annual 

Responses: 947,881,770; Total Annual 

Hours: 1,896. (For policy questions 

regarding this collection contact Ivan 

Iveljic at 410–786–3312.) 


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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 125 / Friday, June 28, 2013 / Notices 38989 

13. Type of Information Collection 

Request: Revision of a currently 

approved collection; Title of 

Information Collection: Part C Medicare 

Advantage Reporting Requirements and 

Supporting Regulations; Use: There are 

a number of information users of Part C 

reporting, including central and regional 

office staff that use this information to 

monitor health plans and to hold them 

accountable for their performance. 

Other government agencies such as the 

Government Accountability Office have 

inquired about this information. Health 

plans can use this information to 

measure and benchmark their 

performance. CMS intends to make 

some of these data available for public 

reporting as ‘‘display measures’’ in 

2013. Form Number: CMS–10305 (OCN: 

0938–1115); Frequency: Yearly and 

semi-annually; Affected Public: 

Business or other for-profits; Number of 

Respondents: 588; Total Annual 

Responses: 6,715; Total Annual Hours: 

200,918. (For policy questions regarding 

this collection contact Terry Lied at 

410–786–8973.) 

14. Type of Information Collection 

Request: New Collection (Request for a 

new OMB control number; Title of 

Information Collection: Enrollee 

Satisfaction Survey Data Collection; 

Use: Section 1311(c)(4) of the Affordable 

Care Act (ACA) requires the Department 

of Health and Human Services (HHS) to 

develop an enrollee satisfaction survey 

system that assesses consumer 

experience with qualified health plans 

(QHPs) offered through an Exchange. It 

also requires public display of enrollee 

satisfaction information by the 

Exchange to allow individuals to easily 

compare enrollee satisfaction levels 

between comparable plans. HHS intends 

to establish an enrollee satisfaction 

survey system that assesses consumer 

experience with the Marketplaces and 

the qualified health plans (QHPs) 

offered through the Marketplaces. The 

surveys will include topics to assess 

consumer experience with the 

Marketplace such as enrollment and 

customer service, as well as experience 

with the health care system such as 

communication skills of providers and 

ease of access to health care services. 

We are considering using the Consumer 

Assessment of Health Providers and 

Systems (CAHPS®) principles (http:// 

www.cahps.ahrq.gov/about.htm) for 

developing the surveys. We are also 

considering an application and approval 

process for enrollee satisfaction survey 

vendors who want to participate in 

collecting ESS data. The application 

form for survey vendors includes 

information regarding organization 

name and contact(s) as well as 

minimum business requirements such 

as relevant survey experience, 

organizational survey capacity, and 

quality control procedures. 

The Marketplace Survey will provide 

(1) actionable information that the 

Marketplaces can use to improve 

performance, (2) information that we 

and state regulatory organizations can 

use for oversight, and (3) a longitudinal 

database for future Marketplace 

research. The CAHPS® family of 

instruments does not have a survey that 

assesses entities similar to 

Marketplaces, so the Marketplace survey 

items were generated by the project 

team. The QHP survey will (1) help 

consumers choose among competing 

health plans, (2) provide actionable 

information that the QHPs can use to 

improve performance, (3) provide 

information that regulatory and 

accreditation organizations can use to 

regulate and accredit plans, and (4) 

provide a longitudinal database for 

consumer research. CMS plans to base 

the QHP survey on the CAHPS® Health 

Plan Survey. 

We are planning for two rounds of 

developmental testing for the 

Marketplace and QHP surveys. The 

2014 survey field tests will help 

determine psychometric properties and 

provide an initial measure of 

performance for Marketplaces and QHPs 

to use for quality improvement. Based 

on field test results, there will be further 

refinement of the questionnaires and 

sampling designs to conduct the 2015 

beta test of each survey. We plan to 

request clearance for two additional 

rounds of national implementation with 

public reporting of scores for each 

survey in the future. A summary of 

findings from the testing rounds will be 

included when requesting clearance for 

the additional two rounds of national 

implementation with public reporting, 

which will take place in 2016 and 2017. 

Form Number: CMS–10488 (OCN: 

0938–NEW); Frequency: Annually; 

Affected Public: Individuals and 

Households, Business or other forprofits and Not-for-profit institutions; 

Number of Respondents: 251,671; Total 

Annual Responses: 251,671; Total 

Annual Hours: 86,014. (For policy 

questions regarding this collection 

contact Kathleen Jack at 410–786–7214.) 

Dated: June 25, 2013. 

Martique Jones, 

Deputy Director, Regulations Development 

Group, Office of Strategic Operations and 

Regulatory Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2013–15558 Filed 6–27–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Administration for Children and 

Families 

New Policies and Procedural 

Requirements for Electronic 

Submission of State Plans, and 

Program and Financial Reporting 

Forms, for Mandatory Grant Programs 

AGENCY: Office of Administration (OA), 

Administration for Children and 

Families (ACF), Department of Health 

and Humans Services (HHS). 

ACTION: Notice for public comment of 

new policies and procedural 

requirements for the electronic 

submission of State plans, and program 

and financial reporting forms, for 

mandatory grant programs. 

SUMMARY: The Administration for 

Children and Families (ACF), an 

Operating Division of the Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS), 

announces the opportunity for public 

comment on our plan to implement 

required electronic submission of State 

plans, which includes applications as 

applicable; and programmatic and 

financial reporting forms, for mandatory 

grant programs. In accordance with the 

e-Government initiatives mandated by 

the Federal Financial Assistance 

Management Improvement Act of 1999, 

ACF officially acknowledges that 

electronically generated and/or stored 

documents are recognized equivalents 

of an official paper grant file. 

Recognizing the equivalency of such 

documents eliminates duplicative effort 

and administrative burden for Federal 

grant applicants, recipients, and the 

awarding agency, by facilitating the 

submission and storage of official grant 

files. ACF has previously afforded 

recipients of mandatory State grant 

programs the option of submitting State 

plans, and programmatic and financial 

reporting forms, in both electronic and 

paper formats. This notice announces 

that recipients of mandatory State grant 

programs will now be required to 

submit State plans, and programmatic 

and financial reporting forms, 

electronically. The electronic portal 

used to support this effort is the ACF 

On-Line Data Collection (OLDC) system, 

which is available to State applicants 

and grantees at https:// 

extranet.acf.hhs.gov/oldcdocs/ 

materials.html. 

DATES: Submit written or electronic 

comments on the policies and 

procedures announced in this Notice, 

on or before August 27, 2013. 


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