59616 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 189 / Friday, September 28, 2012 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[Document Identifier: CMS–10161] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Submission for OMB 

Review; 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), 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: Reinstatement without change 

of a previously approved collection. 

Title of Information Collection: New 

Freedom Initiative—Web-based 

Reporting System for Grantees. Use: 

CMS awards competitive grants to states 

and other eligible entities for the 

purpose of designing and implementing 

effective and enduring improvements in 

community-based long-term services 

and support systems. CMS requires that 

grantees report on a quarterly, semiannual, and/or annual basis depending 

upon the grant type. CMS requires the 

information obtained through webbased grantee reporting for two reasons: 

To effectively monitor the grants and to 

report to Congress and other interested 

stakeholders the progress and obstacles 

experienced by the grantees. The 

grantees are the respondents to the webbased reporting system. Form Number: 

CMS–10161 (OCN 0938–0979). 

Frequency: Annually, semi-annually, 

and quarterly. Affected Public: State, 

Local or Tribal Governments. Number of 

Respondents: 171. Total Annual 

Responses: 428. Total Annual Hours: 

3,764. (For policy questions regarding 

this collection contact Effie George at 

410–786–8639. 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 

address at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ 

PaperworkReductionActof1995, or 

Email 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 29, 2012. 

OMB, Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS Desk 

Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395–6974, 

Email: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov. 

Dated: September 25, 2012. 

Martique Jones, 

Director, Regulations Development Group, 

Division-B, Office of Strategic Operations and 

Regulatory Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–23899 Filed 9–27–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3264–FN] 

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; 

Approval of the American Osteopathic 

Association/Healthcare Facilities 

Accreditation Program (AOA/HFAP) 

Application for Continuing CMSApproval of Its Ambulatory Surgical 

Center (ASC) Accreditation Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services, HHS. 

ACTION: Final notice. 

SUMMARY: This final notice announces 

our decision to approve the American 

Osteopathic Healthcare Facilities 

Accreditation Program (AOA/HFAP) for 

continued recognition as a national 

accrediting organization for ambulatory 

surgical centers (ASCs) that wish to 

participate in the Medicare and/or 

Medicaid programs. 

DATES: Effective Date: This final notice 

is effective October 23, 2013 through 

October 23, 2017. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Barbara Easterling (410) 786–0482. 

Cindy Melanson, (410) 786–0310. 

Patricia Chmielewski, (410) 786–6899. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Under the Medicare program, eligible 

beneficiaries may receive covered 

services in an ASC provided certain 

health, safety, and other requirements 

are met. Section 1832(a)(2)(F)(i) of the 

Act permits the Secretary to establish 

distinct criteria for facilities seeking 

designation as an ASC. The regulations 

at 42 CFR part 416 specify the 

conditions that an ASC must meet in 

order to participate in the Medicare 

program, the scope of covered services, 

and the conditions for Medicare 

payment for ASCs. Regulations 

pertaining to activities relating to the 

survey and certification of facilities are 

at 42 CFR part 488. 

Generally, in order to enter into an 

agreement, an ASC must first be 

certified by a State survey agency as 

complying with the conditions or 

requirements set forth in Part 416. 

Thereafter, the ASC is subject to regular 

surveys by a State survey agency to 

determine whether it continues to meet 

these requirements. There is an 

alternative, however, to surveys by State 

agencies. 

Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides 

that, if a provider entity demonstrates 

through accreditation by an approved 

national accrediting organization that all 

applicable Medicare conditions are met 

or exceeded, we will deem those 

provider entities as having met the 

requirements. Accreditation by an 

accrediting organization is voluntary 

and is not required for Medicare 

participation. In accordance with the 

requirements at 416.26, an ASC may be 

deemed to meet conditions for coverage 

if it is accredited by a national 

accrediting body. 

If an accrediting organization is 

recognized by the Secretary as having 

standards for accreditation that meet or 

exceed Medicare requirements, any 

provider entity accredited by the 

national accrediting body’s approved 

program would be deemed to meet the 

Medicare conditions. A national 

accrediting organization applying for 

approval of its accreditation program 

under Part 488 subpart A must provide 

us with reasonable assurance that the 

accrediting organization requires the 

accredited provider entities to meet 

requirements that are at least as 

stringent as the Medicare conditions. 

Our regulations concerning the approval 

of accrediting organizations are set forth 

at 488.4 and 488.8. The regulations at 

488.8(d)(3) require accrediting 

organizations to reapply for continued 

approval of its accreditation program 


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