[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 14744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5644]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: 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 Pub. L. 104-
13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. The 
information collection packages included in this notice are for new 
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 collections should be 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget and the SSA Reports 
Clearance Officer and the Office of Management and Budget. The 
information can be mailed and/or faxed to the addresses and fax numbers 
listed below:

(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Fax: 202-395-6974.
(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1338 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, 
Fax: 410-965-6400, [email protected].

    The information collections listed below have been submitted to OMB 
for clearance. In order for your comments to be considered you must 
send them within 30 days from the date of publication of this notice. 
You can request a copy of the OMB clearance packages by email to 
[email protected] or by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 
(410) 965-0454.
    1. Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs, 
SSA-1020-SC--0960-NEW. The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
Modernization Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-173; MMA) establishes a new 
Medicare Part D program for voluntary prescription drug coverage for 
premium, deductible, and cost-sharing subsidies for certain low-income 
individuals. The MMA stipulates that subsidies must be available for 
individuals who are eligible for the program and who meet eligibility 
criteria for help with premium, deductible, and/or co-payment costs.
    Individuals who receive these subsidies may ask SSA to redetermine 
the amount of help they receive if they experience a ``subsidy-changing 
event,'' including marriage, separation, divorce, an annulment, or the 
death of a spouse. Until late 2006, when redetermination forms will 
become available, SSA will use form SSA-1020-SC, the Application for 
Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs, to make 
redeterminations based on subsidy-changing events. The respondents are 
individuals whose application for help toward the costs for this 
program has been approved and are requesting a redetermination of their 
subsidy based on a subsidy-changing event.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Number of Respondents: 76,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 35 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 44,333 hours.
    2. Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan 
Costs--0960-NEW (Internet/Intranet Application Screens). The Medicare 
Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 
108-173; MMA) establishes a new Medicare Part D program for voluntary 
prescription drug coverage for premium, deductible, and cost-sharing 
subsidies for certain low-income individuals. The MMA stipulates that 
subsidies must be available for individuals who are eligible for the 
program and who meet eligibility criteria for help with premium, 
deductible, and/or co-payment costs. Form SSA-1020, the Application for 
Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs, collects information 
about an applicant's resources and is used by SSA to determine 
eligibility for this assistance.
    We are proposing electronic versions of the SSA-1020, which will 
collect the information via the Intranet (the information is provided 
by the respondent during an interview at a Social Security field 
office) or the Internet (i1020) (if respondents complete the Internet 
screens on their own and submit them electronically). The respondents 
are individuals who are eligible for enrollment in the Medicare Part D 
program and are requesting assistance with the related costs.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Number of Respondents: 2,000,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 45 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,500,000.

    Dated: March 17, 2005.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-5644 Filed 3-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P