48816 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 202 / Friday, October 20, 2017 / Notices 

ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS

Type of 

respondents Form name Number of respondents 

Number of 

responses per 

respondent 

Avg. burden 

per response 

(in hours) 

State And Local Governments (or their bona 

fide fiscal agents).

Awardee Lead Profile Assessment (ALPA) 

Questionnaire—web survey.

40 1 7/60 

ALPA Questionnaire—Word format ............... 8 1 7/60 

Leroy A. Richardson, 

Chief, Information Collection Review Office, 

Office of Scientific Integrity, Office of the 

Associate Director for Science, Office of the 

Director, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2017–22772 Filed 10–19–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

Analyses, Research and Studies To 

Address the Impact of CMS Programs 

on American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/ 

AN) Beneficiaries and the Health Care 

System Serving These Beneficiaries 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of single source award. 

SUMMARY: This notice supports 

expansion of research on the impact of 

CMS programs on the Indian health care 

system through a single source award. 

The Indian Health Service (IHS), Tribes 

and Tribal Organizations and Urban 

programs, deliver health care services to 

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) 

people through a network of hospitals, 

clinics and other providers. This award 

expands research on the impact of CMS 

programs and the delivery of health care 

to AI/AN beneficiaries. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Georgeline Sparks, Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services, Center for 

Medicaid and CHIP Services/IEAG/ 

Division of Tribal Affairs, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, M/S S1–05–06, Baltimore, 

MD 21244–1850, (410) 786–4608. 

Intended Recipient: National Indian 

Health Board (NIHB). 

Purpose of Award: The IHS and Tribal 

health programs have had long standing 

authority to bill Medicare and Medicaid 

for services provided at their facilities. 

These participating and billing 

authorities were expanded by the 

American Recovery and Reinvestment 

Act of 2009 (ARRA), the Children’s 

Health Insurance Program 

Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA), 

and the Affordable Care Act in 2010 

(ACA). AI/AN people have traditionally 

been medically underserved and have 

health disparities significantly above 

those of the population as a whole. In 

order to ensure that AI/AN people have 

full knowledge of these new changes 

and the fullest access to CMS programs, 

this award will study the adoption and 

impact of these new authorities on the 

Indian health care system. 

Amount of the Award: The total 

amount of funding available over a five 

year period is $4,000,000. The initial 

award will be awarded at $800,000. The 

subsequent years will be awarded on a 

non-competing continuation basis at 

approximately $800,000 per year for a 

total of 5 years, and will be subject to 

the availability of funds and satisfactory 

performance by the recipient. 

Justification for Single Source Award: 

For the past five years through a 

Cooperative Agreement with CMS, 

NIHB has provided analysis and 

research of the potential and actual 

impact of CMS programs on AI/AN 

beneficiaries and the health care system 

serving these beneficiaries. This work 

has included analysis and research on 

Medicare and Medicaid data enrollment 

of AI/AN beneficiaries to understand 

utilization of the AI/AN population in 

the context of CMS programs. In 

addition, NIHB has been instrumental in 

tracking CMS regulations and providing 

analysis and research to better 

understand the implications of CMS 

regulatory guidance on the Indian 

health programs. Based on this 

experience, NIHB is the only entity 

capable of carrying out the scope of 

activities because the scope of work 

builds on past experience and 

knowledge. Any other source would not 

have all of the knowledge and 

experience gained in the last five years. 

The NIHB provides research on health 

program issues impacting AI/ANs to 

over 567 Federally-recognized Tribes 

and has historically provided these 

services for several decades in 

conjunction with the IHS. The NIHB 

program has a national focus relevant to 

its AI/AN constituency who need to 

know through substantive research 

about the changes and updates in the 

latest health care services and access 

through CMS programs. 

Project Period: The anticipated period 

of performance for this cooperative 

agreement is September 29, 2017 

through September 28, 2022 with 

funding awarded in 12-month budget 

increments subject to the availability of 

funds and satisfactory performance. 

Provisions of the Notice: CMS has 

solicited a proposal from the NIHB to 

undertake analysis, research and studies 

to address the impact of CMS programs 

and AI/AN beneficiaries and the health 

care system serving those beneficiaries. 

The project consists of five principal 

research objectives: 

• Study the ongoing impact of CMS 

programs on the Indian health system 

through analysis of, response to, and 

implementation of CMS regulations by 

Indian health providers. 

• Study AI/AN demographic, 

enrollment, and utilization data and 

propose strategies to increase CMS data 

system capabilities to create more 

Indian specific reporting capacity. 

• Provide ongoing study of CMS 

efforts to increase AI/AN knowledge of 

CMS programs and CMS responsiveness 

to Indian health system. 

• Provide research support on the use 

and effectiveness of the CMS Tribal 

Consultation Policy. 

• Evaluate the effectiveness of 

outreach and enrollment efforts to AI/ 

AN beneficiaries in CMS programs. 

CMS requested that NIHB submit an 

application which includes: 

1. Cover Letter. 

2. SF–424 Application for Federal 

Assistance. 

3. SF–424A Budget Information— 

Non-Construction Programs. 

4. SF–424B Assurances. 

5. A budget narrative. 

6. Abstract of Project. 

7. A research project narrative that 

describes each of the five separate 

objectives. 

8. 501(c)(3) Non-Profit certification. 

9. Resumes of all key personnel. 

10. Position descriptions. 

11. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, 

if applicable. 

12. Copy of approved indirect cost 

rate agreement, if applicable. 

13. Documentation of current OMB 

A–133 required financial audit, if 

applicable. 


srobinson on DSKBC5CHB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 202 / Friday, October 20, 2017 / Notices 48817 

Evaluation criteria for review of the 

application will be comprised of three 

principal areas: 

a. Program information which 

includes current organizational 

capabilities and operations. 

b. Program planning and evaluation 

which includes identification of 

measurable goals, products, personnel 

and workplanning. 

c. Program reporting which includes 

organizational capabilities and 

qualifications and categorical budget 

and justification. 

Authority: Section 1110 of the Social 

Security Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1310 

Dated: September 15, 2017. 

Derrick Heard, 

Chief Grants Management Officer, Office of 

Acquisition and Grants Management, Centers 

for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 

[FR Doc. 2017–22811 Filed 10–19–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4120–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

[CMS–3349–PN] 

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; 

Application by Community Health 

Accreditation Partner for Continued 

CMS Approval of Its Home Health 

Agency Accreditation Program 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Proposed notice. 

SUMMARY: This proposed notice 

acknowledges the receipt of an 

application from the Community Health 

Accreditation Partner (CHAP) for 

continued recognition as a national 

accrediting organization for home health 

agencies (HHAs) that wish to participate 

in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. 

The statute requires that within 60 days 

of receipt of an organization’s complete 

application, the Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS) publish a 

notice that identifies the national 

accrediting body making the request, 

describes the nature of the request, and 

provides at least a 30-day public 

comment period. 

DATES: To be assured consideration, 

comments must be received at one of 

the addresses provided below, no later 

than 5 p.m. on November 20, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer 

to file code CMS–3349–PN. Because of 

staff and resource limitations, we cannot 

accept comments by facsimile (FAX) 

transmission. 

You may submit comments in one of 

four ways (please choose only one of the 

ways listed): 

1. Electronically. You may submit 

electronic comments on this regulation 

to http://www.regulations.gov. 

Follow the ‘‘Submit a comment’’ 

instructions. 

2. By regular mail. You may mail 

written comments to the following 

address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, Department of 

Health and Human Services, Attention: 

CMS–3349–PN, P.O. Box 8016, 

Baltimore, MD 21244–8010. 

Please allow sufficient time for mailed 

comments to be received before the 

close of the comment period. 

3. By express or overnight mail. You 

may send written comments to the 

following address ONLY: Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services, 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, Attention: CMS–3349–PN, 

Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

4. By hand or courier. If you prefer, 

you may deliver (by hand or courier) 

your written comments before the close 

of the comment period to either of the 

following addresses: 

a. For delivery in Washington, DC— 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, Room 445–G, Hubert 

H. Humphrey Building, 200 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20201. 

(Because access to the interior of the 

Hubert H. Humphrey Building is not 

readily available to persons without 

Federal government identification, 

commenters are encouraged to leave 

their comments in the CMS drop slots 

located in the main lobby of the 

building. A stamp-in clock is available 

for persons wishing to retain a proof of 

filing by stamping in and retaining an 

extra copy of the comments being filed.) 

b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD— 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, Department of Health and 

Human Services, 7500 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. 

If you intend to deliver your 

comments to the Baltimore address, 

please call telephone number (410) 786– 

7195 in advance to schedule your 

arrival with one of our staff members. 

Comments mailed to the addresses 

indicated as appropriate for hand or 

courier delivery may be delayed and 

received after the comment period. 

For information on viewing public 

comments, see the beginning of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lillian Williams, (410) 786–8636. 

Patricia Chmielewski, (410) 786–6899. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Inspection of Public Comments: All 

comments received before the close of 

the comment period are available for 

viewing by the public, including any 

personally identifiable or confidential 

business information that is included in 

a comment. We post all comments 

received before the close of the 

comment period on the following Web 

site as soon as possible after they have 

been received: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the search 

instructions on that Web site to view 

public comments. 

Comments received timely will also 

be available for public inspection as 

they are received, generally beginning 

approximately 3 weeks after publication 

of a document, at the headquarters of 

the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, 

Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday 

through Friday of each week from 8:30 

a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an 

appointment to view public comments, 

phone 1–800–743–3951. 

I. Background 

Under the Medicare program, eligible 

beneficiaries may receive covered 

services from a home health agency 

(HHA) provided certain requirements 

are met. Sections 1861(m) and (o), 1891 

and 1895 of the Social Security Act (the 

Act) establish distinct criteria for 

entities seeking designation as an HHA. 

Regulations concerning provider 

agreements are at 42 CFR part 489 and 

those pertaining to activities relating to 

the survey and certification of facilities 

and other entities are at 42 CFR part 

488. The regulations at 42 CFR parts 409 

and 484 specify the conditions that an 

HHA must meet to participate in the 

Medicare program, the scope of covered 

services and the conditions for Medicare 

payment for home health care. 

Generally, to enter into a provider 

agreement with the Medicare program, 

an HHA must first be certified by a state 

survey agency as complying with the 

conditions or requirements set forth in 

42 CFR part 484 of our regulations. 

Thereafter, the HHA is subject to regular 

surveys by a state survey agency to 

determine whether it continues to meet 

these requirements. 

However, there is an alternative 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 


srobinson on DSKBC5CHB2PROD with NOTICES