This information
collection request is approved as amended by HHS on 7/13/2010. HHS
will submit a change worksheet to update this approval with the
final version.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
01/31/2011
6 Months From Approved
204
0
0
11,271
0
0
422,433
0
0
In accordance with Pursuant to section
2793(d) of the PHSA, as amended by Section 1002 of ACA, as a
condition for receiving the consumer assistance program grant,
programs must collect and report data to the Secretary on the types
of problems and inquiries encountered by consumers. Accordingly,
program staff will need a system to maintain case files that will
track these types of problems and inquiries. Problems and inquiries
will be summarized and will be reported to HHS. By law, the user of
the summary data is the Secretary of HHS and she will use it for
oversight. Further, ACA dictates that the Secretary will share
these reports with the Departments of Labor and Treasury, and with
State insurance regulators for use in enforcement.
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; such sums authorized - but not yet appropriated - for
FY 2011 and thereafter. 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. The law requires
programs to report data to the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) in order to strengthen oversight:
As a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (d), 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. Analysis
of this data reporting will help identity patterns of practice in
the insurance marketplaces and uncover suspected patterns of
noncompliance. HHS must share program data reports with the
Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Services, and State
regulators. Program data also can offer the Office of Consumer
Information and Insurance Oversight one indication of the
effectiveness of State enforcement, affording opportunities to
provide technical assistance and support to State insurance
regulators and, in extreme cases, inform the need to trigger
federal enforcement.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Data Collection Report (1st and 2nd Quarterly Submissions)