Physician Certifications/Recertifications in Skilled Nursing Facilities

Content

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention
to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), federal agencies are required to
publish notice in the
Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of information (including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection
of information) and to allow 60 days for public comment on the proposed action. Interested persons are invited to send comments
regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including

     the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, the
     accuracy of the estimated burden, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and
     the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection
     burden.

DATES:

Comments must be received by June 5, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

When commenting, please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured consideration, comments and
recommendations must be submitted in any one of the following ways:

1. Electronically. You may send your comments electronically to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for “Comment or Submission” or “More Search Options” to find the information collection document(s)
   that are accepting comments.

2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following address: CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Division
   of Regulations Development, Attention: Document Identifier: _/OMB Control Number: _, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard,
   Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

To obtain copies of a supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed collection(s) summarized in this notice,
please access the CMS PRA website by copying and pasting the following web address into your web browser: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William N. Parham at (410) 786-4669.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Contents

This notice sets out a summary of the use and burden associated with the following information collections. More detailed
information can be found in each collection's supporting statement and associated materials (see
ADDRESSES
).

Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. The term “collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3)
and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records,
or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA requires federal agencies to publish a 60-day notice
in the
Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection
of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, CMS is publishing this
notice.

Information Collection

1. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Physician Certifications/Recertifications in Skilled Nursing Facilities Manual Instruction; Use: Section 1814(a) of the Social Security Act (the Act) requires specific certifications in order for Medicare payments to be made for certain services. Before the enactment of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (OBRA1989, Pub. L. 101-239), section 1814(a)(2) of the Act required that, in the case of posthospital extended care services, a physician certify that the services are or were required to be given because the individual needs or needed, on a daily basis, skilled nursing care (provided directly by or requiring the supervision of skilled nursing personnel) or other skilled rehabilitation services that, as a practical matter, can only be provided in a SNF on an inpatient basis.

The Medicare program requires, as a condition for Medicare Part A payment for posthospital skilled nursing facility (SNF)
services, that a physician or other authorized practitioner must certify and periodically recertify that a beneficiary requires
an SNF level of care. The physician certification and recertification is intended to ensure that the beneficiary's need for
services has been established and then reviewed and updated at appropriate intervals. The documentation is a condition for
Medicare Part A payment for post-hospital SNF care. Form Number: CMS-R-5 (OMB control number 0938-0454); Frequency: Occasionally; Affected Public: Private Sector (Business or other for-profits); Number of Respondents: 3,882,413; Number of Responses: 3,882,413; Total Annual Hours: 480,957. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Patricia Taft at 410-786-4561).

William N. Parham, III, Director, Division of Information Collections and Regulatory Impacts, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs. [FR Doc. 2026-06573 Filed 4-3-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4120-01-P

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