[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 210 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61848-61851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-27347]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages that will require clearance by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 
104-13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. 
The information collection packages that may be included in this notice 
are for new information collections, approval of existing information 
collections, revisions to OMB-approved information collections, and 
extensions (no change) of OMB-approved information collections.
    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. Written comments 
and recommendations regarding the information collection(s) should be 
submitted to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA Reports Clearance 
Officer. The information can be mailed and/or faxed to the individuals 
at the addresses and fax numbers listed below:

(OMB) Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, New 
Executive Building, Room 10235, 725 17th St., NW., Washington, DC 
20503, Fax: 202-395-6974.
(SSA) Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1338 Annex Building, 6401

[[Page 61849]]

Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 410-965-6400.

    I. The information collections listed below are pending at SSA and 
will be submitted to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. 
Therefore, your comments should be submitted to SSA within 60 days from 
the date of this publication. You can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-
0454 or by writing to the address listed above.
    1. Statement of Household Expenses and Contributions--20 CFR 
416.1130-.1148-0960-0456. Eligibility for Supplemental Security Income 
(SSI) is based on need. A factor for determining need is whether an 
individual receives in-kind support and maintenance in the form of food 
and shelter provided by other persons. SSA collects information on form 
SSA-8011-F3 to determine the existence and amount of in-kind support 
and maintenance received by a claimant/beneficiary of SSI. SSA uses the 
information to determine eligibility and payment amount under this 
program. The respondents are members of SSI claimants'/beneficiaries' 
households.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 400,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 100,000 hours.
    2. Blood Donor Locator Service--20 CFR 401.200-0960-0501. Section 
1141(a) of the Social Security Act and 42 U.S.C. 1320b-11 require that 
participating State agencies provide the SSA Blood Donor Locator 
Service (BDLS) with specific information on blood donors who have 
tested positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). SSA uses the 
information to identify the donor and to locate the donor's address in 
SSA records for the purpose of notifying the states and assuring that 
states meet regulatory requirements to qualify for using the BDLS. SSA 
will retain no record of the request or the information after 
processing has been completed. The respondents are participating State 
agencies acting on behalf of authorized blood donor facilities.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 10.
    Frequency of Response: 5.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 12.5 hours.
    3. Discrimination Complaint Form--0960-0585. The information 
collected on form SSA-437 is used by SSA to investigate and informally 
resolve complaints of discrimination based on race, color, national 
origin, sex, age, religion, and retaliation in any program or activity 
conducted by SSA. A person who believes that he or she has been 
discriminated against on any of the above basis may file a written 
complaint of discrimination. The information will be used to identify 
the complainant; identify the alleged discriminatory act; ascertain the 
date of such alleged act; obtain the identity of the individual(s)/
facility/component that allegedly discriminated; and ascertain other 
relevant information that would assist in the investigation and 
resolution of the complaints. The respondents are individuals who 
allege discrimination on the grounds described above.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 98.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 60 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 98 hours.
    4. Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach (BPAO) Program--
0960-0629.

Background

    SSA awarded cooperative agreements to establish community-based 
benefits planning, assistance, and outreach projects in every State and 
U.S. Territory, as authorized under section 1149 of the Social Security 
Act. Potential awardees were State and local governments, public and 
private organizations, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations. SSA 
intended to establish as many projects as needed to ensure State-wide 
coverage for all Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries nationally. The 
projects funded under this cooperative agreement program are part of 
SSA's strategy to increase the number of beneficiaries who return to 
work and achieve self-sufficiency as the result of delivering direct 
services to them. The overall goal of the program is to disseminate 
accurate information concerning work incentives programs and issues 
related to youth programs, to beneficiaries with disabilities 
(including transition-to-work aged youth), in order to enable them to 
make informed choices about work.

Collection Activities

    The BPAO project collects identifying information from the project 
sites and benefits specialists. In addition, data are collected from 
the beneficiaries on background, employment, training, benefits, and 
work incentives. We use the information to manage the program, with 
particular emphasis on contract administration, budgeting, and 
training. In addition, SSA uses the information to evaluate the 
efficacy of the program and to ensure that those dollars appropriated 
for BPAO services are being spent on SSA beneficiaries. The project 
data will be valuable to SSA in its analysis of and future planning for 
the SSDI and SSI programs.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Average
                                                    Number of     Frequency of     burden per       Estimated
              Title of collection                    annual         response      response  (in   annual burden
                                                    responses                       minutes)          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Site...........................................             147               1             1.8              4.4
Specialist.....................................             422               1             1.8             12.6
Beneficiary....................................          60,000               1             5.3          5,300
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total burden hours for this request: 5,317.
    5. Application for Supplemental Security Income--20 CFR 416.305-
335-0960-0229. The information collected using Form SSA-8000-BK or 
during a personal interview is needed and used to determine eligibility 
for SSI and the amount of benefits payable. The respondents are 
applicants for SSI payments.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 1,128,374.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 40 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 752,249 hours.
    6. Pre-1957 Military Service Federal Benefit Questionnaire--20 CFR

[[Page 61850]]

404.1301-1371--0960-0120. Form SSA-2512 collects data used in the 
claims adjudication process to grant gratuitous military wage credits, 
when applicable, and solicits sufficient information to make a 
determination of eligibility. The respondents are individuals who are 
applying for Social Security benefits on the record of a wage earner 
with pre-1957 military service.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 12,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 2,000 hours.
    II. The information collections listed below has been submitted to 
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would 
be most useful if received by OMB and SSA within 30 days from the date 
of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB clearance 
packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-0454, 
or by writing to the address listed above.
    1. Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits--20 CFR 
404.335-338--0960-0004. SSA uses the information collected on the form 
SSA-10-BK or during a personal interview to determine if the applicant 
meets the statutory and regulatory conditions for entitlement to 
widow(er)'s benefits. The respondents are applicants for Widow(er)'s 
benefits.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 288,580.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 72,145 hours.
    2. Subpart T--State Supplementation Provisions--20 CFR 416.2095-
2099--0960-0240. Section 1618 of the Social Security Act contains pass 
along provisions of the Social Security Amendments. These provisions 
require States that supplement the Federal SSI benefits pass along 
Federal cost-of-living increases to the individuals who are eligible 
for State Supplementary benefit payments. If the State fails to keep 
payments at the required level, it becomes ineligible for Medicaid 
reimbursement under Title XIX of the Social Security Act. Social 
Security rules at 20 CFR 416.2099 require the States to report 
mandatory minimum and optional supplementary payment data to SSA. The 
information is used to determine compliance with the law and 
regulations. The respondents are States that supplement Federal SSI 
payments.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 16.
    Number of Responses: 15 states report quarterly, 11 states report 
annually.
    Average Burden Per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 71 hours.
    3. Request for Replacement SSA-1099/SSA-1042S Social Security 
Benefits Statement--20 CFR 401.45--0960-0583. The information requested 
by SSA via the Internet will be used to verify identity and to provide 
replacement copies of Form SSA-1099/SSA-1042, which are needed to 
prepare Federal tax returns. This Internet option to request a 
replacement SSA-1099/SSA-1042 eliminates the need for a phone call to a 
teleservice center or a visit to a field office. The respondents are 
beneficiaries who request a replacement SSA-1099/1042 via the Internet.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 21,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 1.5 minutes.
    Estimated Average Burden: 525 hours.
    4. Application of Circuit Court Law; 20 CFR 404.985 and 416.1485--
0960-0581. Social Security rules at 20 CFR 404.985 and 416.1485 inform 
claimants of their right to request that a published Acquiescence 
Ruling (AR) be applied to a prior determination when we make a 
determination or decision on a claim between the date of the Circuit 
Court decision and the date we publish the AR. The regulations also 
specify that claimants can request that the AR be applied to a prior 
determination or decision by submitting a statement that demonstrates 
how the AR could change the prior determination or decision. SSA will 
use the information provided in the statement to readjudicate the claim 
if the claimant demonstrates the Ruling could change the prior 
determination. Claimants may use FormSSA-795, Statement of Claimant or 
Other Person (0960-0045) or submit a written request, to request and 
support application of a published AR to the prior determination or 
decision. The respondents are claimants whose determinations or 
decisions on their claims may be affected by an AR.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 100,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 17 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 28,333 hours.
    5. Integrated Registration for Employers and Submitters (IRES)--
0960-0626. The IRES authentication system is a free service designed to 
allow employers to access SSA's electronic wage reporting services, and 
to replace the use of a handwritten signature with an electronic 
signature. Employer representatives use an IRES-generated personal 
identification number (PIN) and password as their electronic signature. 
IRES is designed to be more efficient, reducing the costs to both 
employers and SSA, and will facilitate the filing of wage data 
electronically. SSA's paramount interest in the development of IRES was 
to ensure that the new electronic method of identifying wage report 
submitters provides the name security features as the current paper-
based method. Security features include message integrity, originator 
authentication, non-repudiation and confidentiality. The PIN and 
password will be issued to an individual designated by the employer 
after SSA authenticates the company and contact information provided by 
the individual. SSA uses the IRES in conjunction with SSA's wage 
reporting processes. It is used as the gateway for electronic wage 
reporting and the online employee verification service. IRES will also 
be used when SSA implements additional electronic services such as 
electronic notices and error information, and to authenticate 
representatives of organizational representative payees in a limited 
Proof of Concept study. Also, the PIN will be used in the Annual Wage 
Reporting diskette process to replace IRS paper form 6559. SSA has 
received approval from IRS to use an alternative signature. Respondents 
to IRES will be Employers and Submitters who utilize SSA's electronic 
wage reporting and online employee verification services.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 250,120.
    Number of Responses: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 2 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 8,337 hours.
    6. Request for Internet Services--Password--0960-0632. SSA uses a 
PIN/password process for verifying the identity of individuals who 
choose to use the Internet and Automated Telephone Response in order to 
conduct business with the agency. An individual will be requested to 
provide certain information about himself or herself that SSA can 
verify in its records in order to obtain a password for use with its 
electronic services. The information that SSA collects varies depending 
on individual circumstances. Some examples of the information collected

[[Page 61851]]

are: name, social security number, password request code, benefit 
payment amount, and other shared secret types of information from SSA 
records. Once the requestor's identity is verified, SSA issues a PIN to 
the requestor which will allow them to establish a password for use 
with SSA Internet/telephone transactions. Until now, the services 
offered have been primarily to beneficiaries receiving benefits under 
title II of the Social Security Act, including Retirement, Survivors 
and Disability benefits. SSA now offers the opportunity for certain 
beneficiaries receiving benefits under title XVI of the Social Security 
Act, known as SSI, to report their wages electronically. SSA has 
initiated a 6-month Proof of Concept project to test the beneficiary 
acceptance of this technology for reporting wages. Participation in 
this Proof of Concept is voluntary. Individuals who must report wages 
include SSI beneficiaries, and, in some cases, the parent or spouse of 
the SSI beneficiary. In order to use SSA's electronic services, SSA 
must authenticate the person using its PIN/password process to protect 
the information in its records from those not authorized to receive it. 
This technology is expected to be more secure, less burdensome, faster 
and provide better customer service than other available options. The 
respondents are individuals who elect to conduct business with the 
agency in an electronic medium.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 412,267.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 68,711 hours.
    7. Student Reporting Form--20 CFR 404 Subpart B, and 20 CFR 422 
Subparts D & E--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. We are revising this form in 
order to solicit information about incarceration in compliance with 
current law. The respondents are Social Security student beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 75,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 6 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 7,500 hours.
    8. Waiver of Right to Appear; 20 CFR 404.913-914, 20 CFR 
404.916(b)(5); 20 CFR 416.1413-.1414 and 1416(b)(5)--0960-0534. SSA 
uses Form SSA-773-U4 to provide claimants with an effective means of 
requesting a waiver of their right to appear at a disability hearing. 
The information collected will be used as documentation that claimants 
understand their rights to appear and the effects of the decision to 
waive this right. The respondents are claimants under Title II (Old-
Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) and Title XVI (SSI) of the 
Social Security Act, who wish to waive their right to a disability 
hearing.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 200.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 3 minutes.
    Annual Burden: 10 hours.
    III. Action: Notice of OMB Approval. As required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507), SSA is providing notice of 
OMB's approval of the information collections in 20 CFR parts 404 
subpart P & 416 subpart I. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act, persons are not required to respond to an information collection 
unless it displays a valid Office of Management and Budget control 
number. The OMB Number is 0960-0654, which expires October 31, 2006.

    Dated: October 23, 2003.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-27347 Filed 10-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P