[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62991-62992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25664]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment Standards Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Employment Standards Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed collection: ``Provider Enrollment 
Form'' (OWCP-1168). A copy of the proposed information collection 
request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the 
addressee section of this Notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section below on or before December 9, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Patricia A. Forkel, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution

[[Page 62992]]

Ave., NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone (202) 693-0339, 
fax (202) 693-1451, Email esa.gov">[email protected]esa.gov. Please use only 
one method of transmission for comments (mail, fax, or Email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the 
Federal Employees' Compensation Act; the Black Lung Benefits Act, the 
Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act, and the 
Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act. These programs pay for 
medical services rendered for the diagnosis and treatment of injured 
workers for conditions compensable under the Acts. The Provider 
Enrollment Form (OWCP-1168) is currently used in the Black Lung and 
Energy programs to obtain profile information on medical providers 
which is necessary to process payments, apply fee schedules, and 
conduct checks to identify duplicate and other erroneous billing. This 
information collection is currently approved for use through February 
2005.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
    [sbull] Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    [sbull] Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    [sbull] Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    [sbull] Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions

    The Department of Labor seeks to expand the use of the OWCP 1168 to 
two additional programs, the Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers 
Compensation and the Division of Federal Employees' Compensation, as 
part of the development of a Centralized Medical Bill System for the 
processing of medical bills in each of OWCP's four programs. This 
centralization will result in an increase in efficiency of processing 
medical bills, reduction of administrative costs, and improvement of 
the efficiency of benefits and service provision. This collection 
request seeks approval of revisions to the current form to accommodate 
its use by The Division of Federal Employees' Compensation and the 
Division of Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation. In addition, 
this revision will facilitate the centralization of bill processing for 
all four programs under a Federal contractor. Providers must be 
enrolled in the new system prior to implementation to ensure the 
continuity of services to both the claimant and provider communities.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Title: Provider Enrollment Form.
    OMB Number: 1215-0137.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Total Respondents/Responses: 20,100.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,497.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $8,040.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: October 3, 2002.
Margaret J. Sherrill,
Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of 
Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and 
Planning, Employment Standards Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-25664 Filed 10-8-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CK-P