[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 159 (Friday, August 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39440-39442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17495]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[Document Identifier: CMS-10437 and CMS-10652]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 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 September 18, 2017.

ADDRESSES: When commenting on the proposed information collections, 
please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be 
assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be received by 
the OMB desk officer via one of the following transmissions: OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: CMS Desk 
Officer, Fax Number: (202) 395-5806 OR, Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#abe4e2f9eaf4d8dec9c6c2d8d8c2c4c5ebc4c6c985cec4db85ccc4dd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="99d6d0cbd8c6eaecfbf4f0eaeaf0f6f7d9f6f4fbb7fcf6e9b7fef6ef">[email protected]</span></a>.
    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.

[[Page 39441]]

    2. Email your request, including your address, phone number, OMB 
number, and CMS document identifier, to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2c7c4d5c495e5b435e476c4f415f0244445f024b435a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9cccfdecf9eeebf3eef7dcfff1efb2f4f4efb2fbf3ea">[email protected]</span></a>.
    3. 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: Extension of a currently 
approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Generic Social 
Marketing & Consumer Testing Research; Use: The purpose of this 
submission is to extend the approval of the generic clearance for a 
program of consumer research aimed at a broad audience of those 
affected by CMS programs including Medicare, Medicaid, Children's 
Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and health insurance exchanges. This 
program extends strategic efforts to reach and tailor communications to 
beneficiaries, caregivers, providers, stakeholders, and any other 
audiences that would support the Agency in improving the functioning of 
the health care system, improve patient care and outcomes, and reduce 
costs without sacrificing quality of care. The information collected 
will be used to create a streamlined and proactive process for 
collection of data and utilizing the feedback on service delivery for 
continuous improvement of communication activities aimed at diverse CMS 
audiences.
    The generic clearance will allow rapid response to inform CMS 
initiatives using a mixture of qualitative and quantitative consumer 
research strategies (including formative research studies and 
methodological tests) to improve communication with key CMS audiences. 
As new information resources and persuasive technologies are developed, 
they can be tested and evaluated for beneficiary response to the 
materials and delivery channels. Results will inform communication 
development and information architecture as well as allow for 
continuous quality improvement. The overall goal is to maximize the 
extent to which consumers have access to useful sources of CMS program 
information in a form that can help them make the most of their 
benefits and options.
    The activities under this clearance involve social marketing and 
consumer research using samples of self-selected customers, as well as 
convenience samples, and quota samples, with respondents selected 
either to cover a broad range of customers or to include specific 
characteristics related to certain products or services. All collection 
of information under this clearance will utilize a subset of items 
drawn from a core collection of customizable items referred to as the 
Social Marketing and Consumer Testing Item Bank. This item bank is 
designed to establish a set of pre-approved generic question that can 
be drawn upon to allow for the rapid turn-around consumer testing 
required for us to communicate more effectively with our audiences. The 
questions in the item bank are divided into two major categories. One 
set focuses on characteristics of individuals and is intended primarily 
for participant screening and for use in structured quantitative on-
line or telephone surveys. The other set is less structured and is 
designed for use in qualitative one-on-one and small group discussions 
or collecting information related to subjective impressions of test 
materials. Results will be compiled and disseminated so that future 
communication can be informed by the testing results. We will use the 
findings to create the greatest possible public benefit. Form Number: 
CMS-10437 (OMB control number: 0938-1247); Frequency: Yearly; Affected 
Public: Individuals; Number of Respondents: 41,592; Number of 
Responses: 28,800; Total Annual Hours: 21,488. (For policy questions 
regarding this collection contact Allyssa Allen at 410-786-8436126.)
    2. Type of Information Collection Request: New collection of 
information request; Title of Information Collection: Virtual Groups 
for Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS); Use: CMS acknowledges 
the unique challenges that small practices and practices in rural areas 
may face with the implementation of the Quality Payment Program. To 
help support these practices and provide them with additional 
flexibility, CMS has created a virtual group reporting option starting 
with the 2018 MIPS performance period. CMS held webinars and small, 
interactive feedback sessions to gain insight from clinicians as we 
developed our policies on virtual groups. During these sessions, 
participants expressed a strong interest in virtual groups, and 
indicated that the right policies could minimize clinician burden and 
bolster clinician success.
    This information collection request is related to the statutorily 
required virtual group election process proposed in the CY 2018 Quality 
Payment Program proposed rule. A virtual group is a combination of Tax 
Identification Numbers (TINs), which would include at least two 
separate TINs associated with a solo practitioner TIN and National 
Provider Identifier (TIN/NPI) or group with 10 or fewer MIPS eligible 
clinicians and another solo practitioner (TIN/NPI) or group with 10 or 
fewer MIPS eligible clinicians.
    Section 1848(q)(5)(I) of the Act requires that CMS establish and 
have in place a process to allow an individual MIPS eligible clinician 
or group consisting of not more than 10 MIPS eligible clinicians to 
elect, with respect to a performance period for a year to be in a 
virtual group with at least one other such individual MIPS eligible 
clinician or group. The Act also provides for the use of voluntary 
virtual groups for certain assessment purposes, including the election 
of practices to be a virtual group and the requirements for the 
election process.
    Section 1848(q)(5)(I)(i) of the Act also provides that MIPS 
eligible clinicians electing to be a virtual group must: (1) Have their 
performance assessed for the quality and cost performance categories in 
a manner that applies the combined performance of all the MIPS eligible 
clinicians in the virtual group to each MIPS eligible clinician in the 
virtual group for the applicable performance period; and (2) be scored 
for the quality and cost performance categories based on such 
assessment.
    CMS will use the data collected from virtual group representatives 
to determine eligibility to participate in a virtual group, approve the 
formation of that virtual group, based on determination of each TIN 
size, and assign a virtual group identifier to the virtual group. The 
data collected will also be used to assign a performance score to each 
TIN/NPI in the virtual group. Form Number: CMS-10652 (OMB control 
number: 0938-NEW);

[[Page 39442]]

Frequency: Annually; Affected Public: Private Sector: Business or other 
for-profits and Not-for-profit institutions and Individuals; Number of 
Respondents: 16; Total Annual Responses: 16; Total Annual Hours: 160. 
(For policy questions regarding this collection contact Michelle 
Peterman at 410-786-2591.)

    Dated: August 15, 2017.
Martique Jones,
Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations 
and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-17495 Filed 8-17-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P


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