On March 23, 2010, the President
signed into law H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act, Public Law 111-148, as amended by the Health Care and
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-152, collectively
referred to as "The Affordable Care Act." The Affordable Care Act
expands access to health insurance coverage through improvements to
the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance (CHIP) programs, the
establishment of Affordable Insurance Exchanges (Exchanges), and
the assurance of coordination between Medicaid, CHIP, and
Exchanges. Through the Small Business Health Options Program
(SHOP), the new Exchanges will assist qualified employers who are
small employers in facilitating the enrollment of their employees
in Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) offered in the small group market.
The Exchanges, which will offer these QHPs, will become operational
on January 1, 2014. Qualified employees of employers participating
in the SHOP will be able to begin applying for enrollment in QHPs
through the SHOP October 1, 2013, for coverage beginning as early
as January 1, 2014. The employee's application for the SHOP will be
a single, streamlined form that will be used to determine employee
eligibility. The submission seeks OMB approval of the data
collection elements needed to support eligibility determinations
for employees in the SHOP.
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.