[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54062-54063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25794]


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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. Application for Wife's or Husband's Insurance Benefits--0960-
0008. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses the information 
collected on Form SSA-2-F6 to determine whether applicants (including 
those who are divorced) can be entitled to wife's or husband's 
insurance benefits. The respondents are applicants for wife or 
husband's benefits (including those who are divorced).
    Number of Respondents: 700,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 175,000 hours.
    2. Application for Supplemental Security Income--0960-0229. SSA 
uses the information collected on Form SSA-8000-BK to determine the 
respondent's eligibility for, and amount of, SSI benefits. The 
respondents are applicants for SSI Benefits.
    Number of Respondents: 1,007,773.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response:

35 minutes for paper application (3 percent of responses)
25 minutes for automated collection of information (97% of responses)


[[Page 54063]]


    Estimated Annual Burden: 424,944 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 packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer on 
(410) 965-4145, or by writing to him.
    1. Workers' Compensation/Public Disability Benefit Questionnaire--
0960-0247. Form SSA-546 is used by the Social Security Administration 
(SSA) whenever an applicant for Title II Disability Insurance (DI) 
benefits indicates he or she has filed for, or intends to file for, 
Workmen's Compensation/Public Disability Benefits (WC/PDB). The form 
consolidates all the information necessary to identify the WC/PDB 
applied for and/or received, determines whether offset is applicable 
under the statute and, when applicable, computes the offset. The 
respondents are applicants for DI benefits.
    Number of Respondents: 100,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 25,000 hours.
    2. Statement of Marital Relationship (by One of the Parties)--0960-
0038. SSA uses the information collected on Form SSA-754 to determine 
whether the conditions for establishing a common-law marriage under 
State law are met. The respondents are applicants for spouse's 
benefits.
    Number of Respondents: 30,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 15,000 hours.
    3. Student Reporting Form--0960-0088. Form SSA-1383 is used by 
Social Security student beneficiaries to report events or changes that 
may affect continuing entitlement to these benefits. The respondents 
are Social Security student beneficiaries.
    Number of Respondents: 75,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 6 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 7,500 hours.
    4. Reporting Changes that Affect Your Social Security Payment--
0960-0073. SSA uses the information collected on form SSA-1425 to 
determine continuing entitlement to Social Security Benefits and to 
determine the proper benefit amount. The respondents are Social 
Security beneficiaries who need to report an event that could affect 
payments.
    Number of Respondents: 70,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 5,833 hours.
    5. Black Lung Student's Statement Regarding Resumption of School 
Attendance and Report of Black Lung Student Beneficiary at End of 
School Year (two forms)-0960-0314. The information collected on Forms 
SSA-2602 and SSA-2613 is used by SSA to determine whether or not an 
entitled student beneficiary will resume (or has resumed) full-time 
school attendance at an approved educational institution. If so, the 
student will be continuously entitled to benefits. The respondents are 
children of disabled or deceased coal miners and officials of schools 
they attend.

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                                                  SSA-2602     SSA-2613
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Number of Respondents.........................           50          100
Frequency of Response.........................            1            1
Average Burden Per Response (minutes).........            5       7\1/2\
Estimated Annual Burden (hours)...............            4           12
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    6. 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 survey (PUMS) indicated that 45 percent of the population have a 
lack of understanding of the major Social Security program areas. The 
1999 and future Public Understanding Measurement System surveys (PUMS 
II) will enable SSA to build upon the 1998 PUMS quantitative baseline 
measure of public understanding. An annual survey will provide annual 
tracking data of public understanding of SSA programs against which the 
outcomes of SSA performance improvement efforts can be assessed. 
Quarterly targeted surveys in 16 SSA areas 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     Quarterly
                                                  surveys      surveys
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Number of Respondents.........................        4,000       12,000
Frequency of Response.........................            1            1
Average Burden Per Response...................        \1\ 2       \1\ 12
Estimated Annual Burden.......................      \2\ 800   \2\ 2,400
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\1\ Minutes.
\2\ Hours.

    7. 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: 1,530,854.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 139,571 Hours.
FY 2001:
    Number of Respondents: 1,527,260.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 138,229.
FY 2002:
    Number of Respondents: 1,529,990.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 138,074.

(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: Lori Schack, 
New Executive Office Building, Room 10230, 725 17th St., NW, 
Washington, DC 20503

    Dated: September 29, 1999.
Frederick W. Brickenkamp,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-25794 Filed 10-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-P