[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 107 (Monday, June 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29976-29977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13850]


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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) publishes 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: Refinancing Loan Application/Promissory Note (OMB No. 0915-
0227)--Revision--The HEAL Program allows borrowers who graduated or 
separated from school to refinance all of their HEAL loans into one new 
HEAL loan, often at better rates and terms than their original HEAL 
loans. The HEAL program originally provided new federally-insured loans 
to students in schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, 
dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatric medicine, 
pharmacy, public health, graduate students in health administration or 
clinical psychology through September 30, 1998. Eligible lenders, such 
as banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, pension funds, 
insurance companies, State agencies, and HEAL schools are insured by 
the Federal Government against loss due to the borrower's death, 
disability, bankruptcy, and default. The basic purpose of the program 
was to assure the availability of funds for loans to eligible students 
who needed to borrow money to pay for their educational costs.
    The HEAL refinancing loan application/promissory note is being used 
by lenders to refinance borrower's original HEAL loans into one new 
refinanced loan. Due to the success of this form and desire to reduce 
application processing time, many lenders have automated this form by 
and taking pertinent application information over the telephone and 
sending the completed form to the borrower for their review and 
signature.
    The estimate of burden for the refinancing loan application/
promissory note form per year is as follows:

[[Page 29977]]



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                                                                                    Burden per
       Type of respondent            Number of     Responses per   Total number      responses     Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent     of responses      (minutes)         hours
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Applicants......................           1,850               1           1,850              12             370
Lenders.........................               9             206           1,854              30             927
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    Total.......................           1,859  ..............           3,704  ..............           1,297
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    Send comments to Susan G. Queen, Ph.D., HRSA Reports Clearance 
Officer, Room 14-33, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, 
MD 20857. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this 
notice.

    Dated: May 25, 2001.
Jane M. Harrison,
Director, Division, of Policy Review and Coordination.
[FR Doc. 01-13850 Filed 6-1-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P