[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 135 (Thursday, July 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38229-38230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18059]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    In compliance with Pub. L. 104-13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, SSA is providing notice of its information collections that 
require submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). SSA is 
soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden estimate; 
the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to enhance 
its quality, utility and clarity; and on ways to minimize burden on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    I. The information collections listed below will be submitted to 
OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. Therefore, comments 
and recommendations regarding the information collections would be most 
useful if received by the Agency within 60 days from the date of this 
publication. Comments should be directed to the SSA Reports Clearance 
Officer at the address listed at the end of this publication. You can 
obtain a copy of the collection instruments by calling the SSA Reports 
Clearance Officer on (410) 965-4145, or by writing to him at the 
address listed at the end of this publication.
    1. Permanent Residence in the United States Under Color of Law 
(PRUCOL)-0960-0451. Under Pub. L. 104-193, the Personal Responsibility 
and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, which was effective August 22, 1996, 
a noncitizen must be a ``qualified alien'' and meet certain additional 
requirements in order to be eligible for Supplemental Security Income 
(SSI). This law also established an exception to the new requirements 
for certain ``nonqualified'' aliens (i.e., noncitizens who are not 
``qualified aliens'') to remain on the roles for a temporary period of 
time. Pub. L. 105-306, Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other 
Technical Amendments Act of 1998, enacted October 28, 1998, provided 
that nonqualified aliens who were receiving SSI on August 22, 1996 
would remain eligible for SSI as long as all other requirements for 
eligibility were met (e.g., income and resources, etc.). Title 20 
Sec. 416.1618 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires nonqualified 
aliens to give SSA certain evidence which proves that they are lawfully 
admitted to the United States in order to qualify for SSI benefits. 
PRUCOL aliens must present evidence of their status at the time of 
application for SSI benefits and periodically thereafter. The 
respondents are nonqualified aliens who apply for or receive SSI 
benefits.
    Number of Respondents: 9,000.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 750 hours.
    2. Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits-0960-
0004. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses the information 
collected on Form SSA-10-BK to determine whether the applicant meets 
the statutory and regulatory conditions for entitlement to widow(er)'s 
benefits. The respondents are applicants for widow(er)'s benefits.
    Number of Respondents: 288,850.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 72,213 hours.
    3. Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery or Change in 
Repayment Notice--0960-0037. Form SSA-632 collects information on the 
circumstances surrounding overpayment of Social Security Benefits to 
recipients. SSA uses the information to determine whether recovery of 
an overpayment amount can be waived or must be repaid and, if repaid, 
how recovery will be made. The respondents are recipients of Social 
Security, Medicare, Black Lung or Supplemental Security Income 
overpayments.
    Number of Respondents: 500,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 120 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,000,000 hours.
    4. Voluntary Customer Surveys in Accordance with E.O. 12862 within 
the Social Security Administration--0960-0526. These voluntary customer 
surveys will be used to ascertain customer satisfaction with the Social 
Security Administration in terms of timeliness, appropriateness, 
access, and other measures of quality service. Surveys will involve 
individuals that are the direct or indirect beneficiaries of SSA 
services. The average burden per response for these activities is 
estimated to range from 5 minutes for a simple comment card to 2 hours 
for participation in a focus group.
    FY 2000:
    Number of Respondents: 1,328,264.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 123,231 Hours.
    FY 2001:
    Number of Respondents: 1,325,760.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 122,274 Hours.
    FY 2002:
    Number of Respondents: 1,327,400.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 121,734 Hours.
    II. The information collections listed below have been submitted to 
OMB for clearance. Written comments and recommendations on the 
information collections would be most useful if received within 30 days 
from the date of this publication. Comments should be directed to the 
SSA Reports Clearance Officer and the OMB Desk Officer at the addresses 
listed at the end of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB 
clearance package by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer on (410) 
965-4145, or by writing to him.
    1. Annual Earnings Test--Direct Mail Follow-Up Program Notices--
0960-0369. As part of the effort to reinvent government, in 1997 SSA 
began to use the information reported on W-2's and self-employment tax 
returns to adjust benefits under the earnings test rather than have 
beneficiaries make a separate report, which often showed the same 
information. Since SSA eliminated the annual report forms (formerly 
Forms SSA-L9778-SM and SSA-L9779-SM), the Mid-Year Mailer (Forms SSA-
L9778-SM-SUP, SSA-L9779-SM-SUP and SSA-L9781-SM) has become an even 
more important tool in helping us to ensure the correct payment of 
Social Security benefits. The Mid-Year Mailer is used by beneficiaries 
to update their current year estimate of earnings and to give SSA an 
estimate of earnings for the following year.
    Number of Respondents: 400,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 66,667 hours.
    2. Marriage Certification--0960-0009. Form SSA-3 is used by SSA to 
determine whether the claimant's spouse has the necessary relationship 
to the worker as required by section 216(h)(1) of the Social Security 
Act (the Act).
    The respondents are applicants for Spouse's Benefits.
    Number of Respondents: 180,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.

[[Page 38230]]

    Estimated Annual Burden: 15,000 hours.
    3. Claimant's Work Background--0960-0300. The information collected 
on Form HA-4633 is used by SSA in cases in which claimants for 
disability benefits have requested a hearing, which is a statutory 
right granted to claimants under the Act, on the decision regarding 
their claim. A completed form provides an updated summary of a 
claimant's past relevant work and helps the Administrative Law Judge 
better decide whether or not the claimant is disabled. The respondents 
are claimants who request a hearing on entitlement to disability 
benefits, under titles II and/or XVI of the Act.
    Number of Respondents: 120,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 30,000 hours.
    4. Report on Individual with Childhood Impairment--0960-0084. Form 
SSA-1323 is used by SSA to determine the claimant's medical status 
prior to making disability determinations. The respondents are public 
and nonpublic schools and agencies who provide status reports on 
claimants applying for disability benefits.
    Number of Respondents: 7,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 20 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 2,333 hours.
    5. Medicare Buy-In Part B Screening Guide--0960-0601. Pub. L. 105-
277 authorizes SSA to conduct a Medicare buy-in demonstration project 
to evaluate means to promote the Medicare buy-in programs targeted to 
elderly and disabled individuals under titles XVIII and XIX of the 
Social Security Act. A lack of awareness about the Medicare buy-in 
programs appears to be one of the major obstacles to enrollments. Other 
obstacles to enrollment include the confusion of potential eligibles as 
to how to apply for these programs and a preference for dealing with 
SSA field offices rather than with local Medicaid offices.
    SSA will screen respondents voluntarily for potential Medicare Part 
B buy-in eligibility using a screening guide developed for this 
purpose. The screening guide will collect information from SSA 
beneficiaries regarding income, resources, marital status, and living 
arrangements and also ask questions about their awareness of Medicare 
Part B buy-in programs. SSA will gather this information to identify 
and overcome obstacles to Medicare Part B buy-in enrollments and to 
determine potential eligibility for Medicare Part B benefits. The 
screening guide will be in use from March 1, 1999 through December 31, 
1999.
    Number of Respondents: 130,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 20 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 43,333 hours.
    6. State Report of Incorrect Bendex Information--0960-0517. SSA 
uses the information collected on Form SSA-1086 to correct its master 
database and to facilitate the electronic exchange of data. The 
respondents are State agencies administering programs for Aid to 
Families with Dependent Children.
    Number of Respondents: 123.
    Frequency of Response: 2.
    Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 41 hours.

(SSA Address)
Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Frederick W. Brickenkamp, 
6401 Security Blvd., 1-A-21 Operations Bldg., Baltimore, MD 21235.

(OMB Address)
Office of Management and Budget, OIRA, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10230, 725 17th St., NW., Washington, 
DC 20503.

    Dated: July 9, 1999.
Frederick W. Brickenkamp,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-18059 Filed 7-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-U