The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2021, was signed into law in December 2020. In this legislation, Congress established a new Medicare provider type: Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs). Section 125 of Division CC of the CAA, 2021 added section 1861(kkk) to the Social Security Act (the Act). This section defines an REH as a facility that, in relevant part, was as of December 27, 2020: (1) a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) or a subsection (d) hospital with not more than 50 beds located in a county (or equivalent unit of local government) in a rural area (defined in section 1886(d)(2)(D) of the Act); or (2) was a subsection (d) hospital with not more than 50 beds that was treated as being in a rural area pursuant to section 1886(d)(8)(E) of the Act.
Under section 1861(kkk)(7) of the Act, as added by section 125 of Division CC of the CAA, 2021, the Secretary is required to establish quality measurement reporting requirements for REHs, which may include the use of a small number of claims-based measures or patient experience surveys. An REH must submit quality measure data to the Secretary, and the Secretary shall establish procedures to make the data available to the public on a CMS website.
The proposed adoption of the HCHE measure would result in a total estimated burden increase of 4 hours at a cost of $222 beginning with the CY 2027 program determination. The proposed adoption of the Screening for SDOH and Screen Positive Rate for SDOH measures would result in a total estimated burden increase of 9,739 hours at a cost of $238,632 and 4 hours at a cost of $222, respectively, when mandatory reporting begins for the CY 2028 program determination.
Accounting for the impact of the proposals in the CY 2025 OPPS/ASC proposed rule, our updated estimate of the number of REHs results in an annual burden decrease of 8,796 hours and $487,122. From the CY 2027 payment determination through the CY 2028 program determination, due to these policies and adjustments, the aggregate increase in burden hours is 951 hours (-8,796 + 4 + 9,739 + 4) with a decrease of $248,046 (-$487,122 + $222 + $238,632 + $222) as shown in Tables 4 and 5.
$10,223,800
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
William Parham 4107864669
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.