[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 145 (Thursday, July 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41173-41174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19101]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    In compliance with Public Law 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 collection listed below will be submitted to OMB 
within 60 days from the date of this notice. Therefore, comments and 
recommendations regarding the information collection 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 instrument 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. Public Understanding Measurement System--0960-NEW. SSA has 
contracted with the Gallup Organization to conduct surveys to gather 
data on the public's level of knowledge about Social Security programs. 
The 1998 Public Understanding Measurement System (PUMS) survey 
indicated that 45 percent of the population has a lack of understanding 
of the major Social Security program areas. The 1999 and future Public 
Understanding Measurement System (PUMS II) surveys will enable SSA to 
build upon the 1998 PUMS quantitative baseline measure of public 
understanding.
    An annual survey will provide tracking data of public understanding 
of SSA programs against which the outcomes of SSA performance 
improvement efforts can be assessed. Eight quarterly targeted surveys 
will test the effectiveness of several specific communications and 
public information outreach efforts.
    PUMS II is essential to SSA's goal of strengthening public 
understanding about Social Security programs. The relevant Agency goal 
contained in SSA's strategic plan is that by the year 2005, 90 percent 
of all American adults will be knowledgeable about Social Security 
programs in five broad areas: basic program facts; the financial value 
of programs to individuals; the economic and social impact of SSA 
programs; how the programs are financed today; and financing issues. 
The respondents will be randomly selected adults residing in the United 
States.

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                                                      Annual survey                      Quarterly  surveys
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Number of Respondents................  4,000.....................................  12,000.
Frequency of Response................  1.........................................  1.
Average Burden Per Response..........  12 minutes................................  12 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden..............  800 hours.................................  2,400 hours.
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    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 packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer on 
(410) 965-4145, or by writing to him.
    1. Supplemental Security Income Notice of Interim Assistance 
Reimbursement (two forms)--0960-0546. Please note that these forms were 
previously approved under 2 OMB numbers, form SSA-8125, 0960-0546 and 
SSA-L8125-F6, 0960-0563. However, because these forms are interrelated 
SSA is combining them under 0960-0546. Form SSA-8125 and SSA-L8125-F6, 
previously 0960-0563, collect interim assistance reimbursement (IAR) 
information from the States that provide such assistance. Form SSA-8125 
is used in situations where IAR can be distributed directly to the 
recipient after the State has deducted the amount of assistance it 
provided. Form SSA-L8125-F6 is used in situations where a recipient 
entitled to underpayments has received IAR from a State and SSA will 
control the benefit through the installment process. The respondents 
are States that provide IAR to SSI claimants.

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                                                        SSA-8125                            SSA-L8125-F6
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Number of Respondents................  50,000....................................  50,000.
Frequency of Response................  1.........................................  1.
Average Burden Per Response..........  10 minutes................................  10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden..............  8,333 hours...............................  8,333 hours.
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    2. Request for Information--0960-0607. The information collected 
through this form letter will be used by SSA's Office of the Inspector 
General (OIG) to conduct periodic eligibility reviews of beneficiaries 
residing in foreign countries. The form is designed to replace the 
current time-consuming and expensive method of conducting these reviews 
by selecting sample cases and conducting in person interviews. The form 
will permit OIG to review all beneficiary residents of the foreign 
country under study, thereby narrowing the scope of the beneficiaries 
requiring

[[Page 41174]]

in person visits to those who do not respond or to those who provide 
questionable evidence. The respondents are Social Security 
beneficiaries residing in foreign countries.
    Number of Respondents: 900.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 450 hours.

(Please note that this information collection received emergency 
approval from OMB on July 19, 1999. Emergency consideration was 
requested due to the time constraints associated with the normal 
clearance process, which conflicted with OIG's mission of combating 
fraud waste and abuse of SSA programs. Notice of the emergency request 
was published in the Federal Register on June 21, 1999. SSA plans to 
conduct eligibility reviews of beneficiaries residing in foreign 
countries on a scheduled basis and is therefore continuing to seek 
normal clearance of this collection.)
    3. Application for Parent's Insurance Benefits--0960-0012. The 
information collected on form SSA-7 is used by the Social Security 
Administration to determine entitlement of an individual to parent's 
insurance benefits. The respondents are parents who were dependents of 
the worker for at least one-half of their support.
    Number of Respondents: 1,400.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 350 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, 
D.C. 20503

    Dated: July 21, 1999.
Frederick W. Brickenkamp,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-19101 Filed 7-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-U