[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]
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