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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21371-21372]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9208]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier CMS-10337]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 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 & Medicaid 
Services (CMS) 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.
    1. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Limited 
Competition for State Planning and Establishment Grants for the 
Affordable Care Act's Exchanges; Use: On March 23, 2010, the President 
signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. On 
March 30, 2010, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 
2010 was signed into law. The two laws are collectively referred to as 
the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act includes a wide 
variety of provisions designed to expand coverage, provide more health 
care choices, enhance the quality of health care for all Americans, 
hold insurance companies more accountable, and lower health care costs.
    The Affordable Care Act provides each State with the option to set 
up a State-operated Health Benefits

[[Page 21372]]

Exchange. An Exchange is an organized marketplace to help consumers and 
small businesses buy health insurance in a way that permits easy 
comparison of available plan options based on price, benefits, and 
quality. By pooling people together, reducing transaction costs, and 
increasing price and quality transparency, Exchanges create more 
efficient and competitive health insurance markets for individuals and 
small employers. The Exchange will carry out a number of functions as 
required by the Affordable Care Act, including certifying qualified 
health plans, administering premium tax credits and cost-sharing 
reductions, responding to consumer requests for assistance, and 
providing an easy-to-use website and written materials that individuals 
can use to assess eligibility and enroll in health insurance coverage, 
and coordinating eligibility for and enrollment in other state health 
subsidy programs, including Medicaid and CHIP. Section 1311 of the 
Affordable Care Act provides for grants to States for the planning and 
establishment of American Health Benefit Exchanges. The Secretary is 
planning to disburse funds in at least three phases: first, for 
planning; second, for early information technology development; and 
third, for implementation. $51 million was made available for States 
for State Exchange planning. Forty-nine States and the District of 
Columbia applied and have been awarded grant funds. $5 million was made 
available for Territories Exchange early implementation. Five 
Territories were eligible to receive a Notice of Grant Award; four 
applied and have been awarded funds. States and Territories are 
eligible for up to $1 million each from this grant announcement, which 
will extend for up to twelve months. Form Number: CMS-10337 (OCN: 0938-
1101); Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: State, Local, or 
Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 54; Number of Responses: 
594; Total Annual Hours: 277,533. (For policy questions regarding this 
collection, contact Katherine Harkins at (301) 492-4445. For all other 
issues call (410) 786-1326.
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Consumer 
Assistance Program Grants; Use: Section 1002 of the Affordable Care Act 
provides for the establishment of consumer assistance (or ombudsman) 
programs, starting in FY 2010. Federal grants will support these 
programs. For FY 2010, $30 million is appropriated. These programs will 
assist consumers with filing complaints and appeals, assist consumers 
with enrollment into health coverage, collect data on consumer 
inquiries and complaints to identify problems in the marketplace, 
educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities, and starting in 
2014, resolve problems with premium credits for Exchange coverage. 
Importantly, these programs must provide detailed reporting on the 
types of problems and questions consumers may experience with health 
coverage, and how these are resolved. In order to strengthen oversight, 
the law requires programs to report data to the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ``As a condition of 
receiving a grant under subsection (a), an office of health insurance 
consumer assistance or ombudsman program shall be required to collect 
and report data to the Secretary on the types of problems and inquiries 
encountered by consumers'' (Sec. 2793 (d)). Form Number: CMS-10333 
(OMB-0938-1097); Frequency: Quarterly; Affected Public: Private Sector: 
State, Local, or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents: 40; Number 
of Responses: 200; Total Annual Hours: 4,800 . (For policy questions 
regarding this collection, contact Eliza Bangit at (301) 492-4219. For 
all other issues call (410) 786-1326.)
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS' 
Web site at http://www.cms.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRAL/list.asp#TopOfPage 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 at 410-786-
1326.
    In commenting on the proposed information collections please 
reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured 
consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in one of 
the following ways by June 14, 2011:
    1. Electronically. You may submit 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) 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.

Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Division B, Office of 
Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-9208 Filed 4-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
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