[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 157 (Thursday, August 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43542-43543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-21564]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Comment Request

    In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects (section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
Title 44, United States Code, as amended by the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13), the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed 
projects being developed for submission to OMB under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. To request more information on the proposed 
project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans, call the HRSA 
Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-1129.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.

Proposed Project: The Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program: 
Application Form--0915-0038--Extension, No Change

    The Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) program provides 
federally-insured loans to students in schools of allopathic medicine, 
osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, 
podiatric medicine, pharmacy, public health, allied health, or 
chiropractic, and graduate students in health administration or 
clinical psychology. Eligible lenders, such as banks, savings and loan 
associations, credit unions, pension funds, State agencies, HEAL 
schools, and insurance companies, make HEAL loans which are insured by 
the Federal Government against loss due to borrowers' death, 
disability, bankruptcy, and default. The basic purpose of the program 
is to assure the availability of funds for loans to eligible students 
who need to borrow money to pay for their educational costs.
    The HEAL program is being phased out and no new loans will be made 
after September 30, 1998 unless reauthorization is enacted. We are, 
however, requesting a 3-year extension of the OMB approval of the HEAL 
Application Form HRSA-700 because lenders will continue to use this 
form for consolidation loans through FY 2000. Students use the 
application to apply for HEAL loans (through FY 98) and consolidation 
of loans, schools use the application to determine a student's 
eligibility and maximum approval amount of each loan (through FY 98 
only), and lenders use the application to determine student eligibility 
and the amount of the installment or disbursement to be given to the 
borrower, and to process consolidation loans.
    The estimate of burden for the application form for FY 98 is as 
follows:

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                                                               Responses      Total      Burden per     Total   
               Type of respondent                 Number of       per       number of     response      burden  
                                                 respondents   respondent   responses    (minutes)     (hours)  
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Applicants.....................................        8,230            1        8,230           25        3,429
Schools........................................          190           41        7,730           32        4,123
Lenders........................................           11          748        8,230           35        4,801
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      Total....................................        8,431  ...........       24,190  ...........       12,353
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    The estimate of burden for the application form for FY 1999 and 
2000 (for consolidation loans only) is as follows:

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                                                                                         Burden per             
                                                  Nunber of    Responses      Total         hour        Total   
               Type of respondent                respondents      per       number of     response      burden  
                                                               respondent   responses    (minutes)     (hours)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicants.....................................          500            1          500           25          208
Lenders........................................           11           45          500           35          292
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      Total....................................          511  ...........        1,000  ...........          500
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    Send comments to Patricia Royston, HRSA Reports Clearance Officer, 
Room 14-36, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857. 
Written comments should be received within 60 days of this Notice.


[[Page 43543]]


    Dated: August 8, 1997.
Jane Harrison,
Acting Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.
[FR Doc. 97-21564 Filed 8-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P