On March 23, 2010, the President signed into law H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), Public Law 111-148. Section 1003 of the Affordable Care Act requires the Secretary of HHS in conjunction with States, to establish a process for the annual review of health insurance premiums to protect consumers from unreasonable, unjustified and/or excessive plan increases. This requirement takes effect beginning with the 2010 plan year. Section 1003 also establishes a program of grants to states for health insurance premium review. States receiving a grant award are to review, and if appropriate under State law, approve premium changes and provide information to the Secretary on premium increases. As the ACA requires an annual process of premium review beginning in plan year 2010, there is an urgent need to provide States with grant funding to enhance their current processes for reviewing health insurance premiums and to make immediate improvements to their current rate review reporting processes.
One of the first grant programs to be launched under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is established under Section 1003 entitled, "Ensuring That Consumers Get Value for Their Dollars".
Section 1003 established a program of grants to States for health insurance rate review. States receiving a grant award are to review, and if appropriate under State law, approve rate changes and provide information to the Secretary on rate increases.
Grant awardees are required to design, establish, and/or enhance the awarded State's process of rate review. Cycle 1 of this grant program requires awardees to submit quarterly reports, submit rate review information beginning at the end of the first quarter of FF"Y 2011, as well as a final report at the end of the award period, currently scheduled to end at the end of FFY" 2011.
Following the competitive grant review process during July 2010, OCIIO intends to announce grant awards on August 9, 2010 and include these data collection and reporting requirements in the State's award package to provide ample time for State' to implement changes prior to the first required Quarterly report.
OCIIO is requesting emergency action for this clearance by the Office of Management and Budget no later than July 26, 2010 to ensure inclusion of these critical documents in the grant awardees packages.
We revised the information collection request to include the reporting requirements being imposed on the awardees. The burden associated with the application process has already been satisfied and removed from our estimates. We are adding a total of 8,640 hours.
$1,267,680
No
No
Yes
Uncollected
No
Uncollected
William Parham 4107864669
Reginfo record details
No
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.
Transaction Data Collection