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## 2 Without emergency approval, we will need to delay by approximately 4 months the release of Basic Health Program (BHP ) federal payment rates beyond the March 2014 timeframe that was published in the BHP pr oposed regulation released on September 25, 2013 (78 FR 59122). Instead, we would re lease rates in early summer 2014 to accommodate the normal PRA approval process. Rates are needed in March 2014 to support state decisions to implement BH P on January 1, 2015, and to provide the necessary time for states to do their planni ng, contracting with issuers, and conducting open enrollment. Providing rates in the summer 2014 will likely postpone interested states’ decisions and their impl ementation dates by as much as a year. This could result in as many as 1.3 million low income people not having access to BHP in early 2015, thereby prohibiting them from availing continu ity of providers and health care that BHP is intended to provide. That is, BHP is a bridge program for low income people who today move in and out of health program s as their eligibility changes based on fluctuations in income and other factors, a nd such movements disrupt their access to the providers and services that they need. This delay in access to BHP benefits would likely cause public harm. 1. Type of Information Collection Request : New collection (request for a new OMB control number); Title of Information Collection: Basic Health Program Report for Health Insurance Exchange Premium; Use : In accordance with section 1331 of the Affordable Care Act, the Basic Health Progr am (BHP) is federally funded by determining the amount of payments that the federal government would have made through premium tax credits (PTCs) and cost sharing reductio ns (CSRs) for people enrolled in BHP had they instead been enrolled in an Exchange.

## 3 To calculate these amounts for each state, we need the reference premiums for the second lowest cost silver plans (SLCSPs) in each geographic area in a state, as SLCSPs are a basic unit in the calculation of PTCs and CSRs under the Exchanges. Relatedly, the reference premiums for these SLCSPs are critical components in the BHP payment methodology in order to estimate what PTCs a nd CSRs would have been paid. Similarly, we also need to collect reference premiu ms for the lowest cost bronze plans to appropriately account for CSR calculations fo r American Indians and Alaskan Natives. Reference premiums are foundational input s into the BHP payment methodology. We have the necessary information to determine these reference premiums for states whose Exchanges are operated by the Fe derally Facilitated Exchange (FFE) or in Partnership with the FFE. Therefore, this co llection only pertains to the 17 states who are operating State Based Exchanges. A relate d notice, issued under CMS-2380-PN, is also publishing in today’s Federal Register; Form Number : CMS-10510 (OCN: 0938-New); Frequency : Yearly; Affected Public : State, Local or Tribal Governments; Number of Respondents : 17; Total Annual Responses : 17; Total Annual Hours : 68. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Jessica Sc hubel at 410-786-3032.) We are requesting OMB review and appr oval of this collection by December 23, 2013, with a 180-day approval period. Written comments and recommendations will be considered from the public if received by the date and address noted below. Copies of the supporting statement and any related forms can be found at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995 or can be obtained by e-mailing your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document

## 4 identifier, to: Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov , or by calling the Reports Clearance Office at:
410-786-1326. When commenting on this proposed informa tion collection, please reference the CMS document identifier and the OMB control number (OCN). To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be re ceived in one of the following ways by [INSERT DATE 14 DAYS AFTER DATE OF FILING FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION]: 1. Electronically . You may submit your co mments 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 Oper ations and Regulatory Affairs Division of Regula tions Development Attention: Document Identifier (CMS-10510)
Room C4-26-05 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850. and, OMB Office of Informati on and Regulatory Affairs Attention: CMS Desk Officer New Executive Office Building, Room 10235 Washington, D.C. 20503 Fax Number: 202-395-6974

## 5 Dated: December 17, 2013 __________________________________________ Martique Jones Deputy Director, Re gulations Development Group Office of Strategic Oper ations and Regulatory Affairs

[FR Doc. 2013-30434 Filed 12/18/2013 at 4:15 pm; Publication Date: 12/23/2013]