The large burden
estimate increase was updated after receiving validated plan
reporting data in 2011. Prior to this, CMS was using estimates of
how many denial notices were being sent. Earlier estimates
underestimated the number of denial notices issued by Part D plan
sponsors because CMS did not have plan reported data. CMS believes
the actual burden will not increase significantly, but rather the
estimated burden has become more accurate due to plan
reporting.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
11/30/2016
36 Months From Approved
11/30/2013
1,497,929
0
290,344
374,527
0
145,172
0
0
0
Pursuant to 42 CFR 423.568(c) and (d),
if a Part D plan denies drug coverage it must give the enrollee
written notice of the adverse coverage determination. The form and
content of the written denial notice must comport with specific
requirements, including a description of the appeals process.
Pursuant to a 2009 change in regulations at 423.580 and 423.582, a
prescriber may now request a standard redetermination (plan level
appeal) on behalf of an enrollee. It is necessary to incorporate
this change in the description of the appeals process contained on
the Notice of Denial of Medicare Prescription Drug
Coverage.
The Part D denial notice has
been revised for clarity and includes new optional language for
Part D plan sponsors to use when explaining their denial rationale.
Specifically, CMS has added optional language in the denial
rationale section of the notice to allow plans to populate text
explaining that a drug denied under Part D may be (or is) covered
under a different benefit, such as Part B. The instructions have
also been changed to guide plans on when to use this optional text.
A Crosswalk of the changes has been added to this package. There is
an increase to the total hourly burden estimate for this
collection. When this information collection was approved in
November 2010, the estimate for the burden hours was 145,172 hours.
The estimated annual hour burden for this package is now 374,482.
Since the last collection was approved, there has been an increase
in the number of Part D plan sponsors used to estimate the burden,
from 456 to 596. The estimate for the total number of denial
notices that will be issued across Part D plan sponsors has
increased by 1,207,585 (to a total estimate of 1,497,929) and is
based on the most recently validated Part D plan sponsor reported
data (2011). The increase in the number of Part D plan sponsors,
combined with the availability of validated plan reported data on
coverage determinations, results in an increase of $6,684,987 in
the total estimated cost burden. We believe the availability and
use of validated plan reported data enhances the accuracy of the
burden estimates for the Part D denial notice. Based on these
estimates (and as noted in section 12 above), the average annual
cost per plan sponsor to notify enrollees of their appeal rights
through issuance of this standardized denial notice is
$18,146.
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.