The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services collects quality performance measures in order to hold the Medicare managed care industry accountable for the care being delivered, to enable quality improvement, and to provide quality information to Medicare beneficiaries in order to promote an informed choice. It is critical to CMS's mission that we collect and disseminate information that can be used to help beneficiaries choose among health plans, contribute to improved quality of care through identification of improvement opportunities, and assist CMS in carrying out its oversight and purchasing responsibilities.
Over the past five years the overall baseline response rate has fallen short of the 70% target. This is not saying that all plan by plan baseline response rates were below 70%, but that as a whole the overall baseline response rate has fallen below 70% consistently over the past five years. Drastically increasing respondent burden has adverse implications to future response rates so adjustments to the sampling methodology were developed to moderately increase the number of responses where appropriate and eliminate the burden where prudent.
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.