[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 229 (Friday, November 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63352-63353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31225]


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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, Public Law 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 and draft 
instruments, 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: 
Physician's Certification of Borrower's Total and Permanent Disability 
Form (OMB No. 0915-0204)--Extension and Revision

    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 borrower's 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 loans.
    The HEAL borrower, the borrower's physician, and the holder of the 
loan completes the Physician's Certification form to certify that the 
HEAL borrower meets the total and permanent disability provisions.
    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 
Physician's Certification of Borrower's Total and Permanent Disability 
Form, HRSA-539 because this form will be used throughout the repayment 
period for existing loans. The Department uses this form to obtain 
information about disability claims which includes the following: (1) 
the borrower's consent to release medical records to the Department of 
Health and Human Services and to the holder of the borrower's HEAL 
loans, (2) pertinent information supplied by the certifying physician, 
(3) the physician's certification that the borrower is unable to engage 
in any substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable 
impairment that is expected to continue for a long and indefinite 
period of time or to result in death, and (4) information from the 
lender on the unpaid balance. Failure to submit the required 
documentation will result in disapproval of a disability claim. The 
form is being revised to make

[[Page 63353]]

submission of medical documentation mandatory rather than optional.
    The estimate of burden for the Physician's Certification form is as 
follows:

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                                  Number of     Responses per      Number of        Hours per      Total burden 
      Type of respondent         respondents      respondent       responses        response           hours    
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Borrower.....................             100              1               100  5 min...........               8
Physician....................             100              1               100  30 min..........              50
Loan Holder..................              32              3.1             100  10 min..........              17
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    Total....................             232  ...............             300  ................              75
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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.

    Dated: November 21, 1997.
Jane Harrison,
Acting Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.
[FR Doc. 97-31225 Filed 11-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P