[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53919-53922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21591]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and
Comment Request
The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law (Pub. L.)
104-13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995.
This notice includes revisions to OMB-approved information collections
and extensions (no change) of existing 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 ways to minimize the
burden on respondents, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or
fax your comments and recommendations on the information collection(s)
to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA Reports Clearance Officer to the
addresses or fax numbers listed below.
(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA,
Fax: 202-395-6974, e-mail address: [email protected].
(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCBFM,Attn: Reports Clearance
Officer,1333 Annex Building,6401 Security Blvd.,Baltimore, MD
21235,Fax: 410-965-6400, e-mail address: [email protected].
I. The information collections listed below are pending at SSA. SSA
will submit them to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice.
Therefore, your comments would be most helpful if you submit them to
SSA within 60 days from the date of this publication. Individuals can
obtain copies of the collection instruments by calling the SSA Reports
Clearance Officer at 410-965-0454 or by writing to the e-mail address
listed above.
1. Supplement to Claim of Person Outside the United States--20 CFR
404.460, 404.463, 422.505(b), 42 CFR 407.27(c)--0960-0051. SSA uses the
information collected from Form SSA-21 to determine continuing
entitlement to Social Security benefits and the proper benefit amounts
of alien beneficiaries living outside the United States. SSA also uses
the information to determine whether benefits are subject to
withholding tax. The respondents are individuals entitled to Social
Security benefits who are, will be, or have been residing outside the
United States.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 35,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 5,833 hours.
2. Coverage of Employees of State and Local Governments--20 CFR
404, Subpart M--0960-0425. The Code of Federal Regulations at 20 CFR
404 prescribe the rules for states submitting reports of deposits and
related recordkeeping to SSA. States (and interstate instrumentalities)
are required to provide wage and deposit-related contribution
information for pre-1987 periods. The respondents are state and local
governments or interstate instrumentalities.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 52.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 1 hour.
Estimated Annual Burden: 52 hours.
3. Medical Report on Adult with Allegation of Human
Immunodeficiency Virus Infection; Medical Report on Child with
Allegation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection--20 CFR 416.993-
416.994--0960-0500. SSA uses Forms SSA-4814-F5 and SSA-4815-F6 to
collect information necessary to determine if an individual with Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, who is applying for
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits, meets the
requirements for presumptive disability payments. The respondents are
the medical sources of the applicants for SSI disability payments.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 59,100.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 9,850 hours.
4. Application To Collect a Fee for Payee Services--20 CFR
404.2040(a), 416.640(a) 416.1103(f)--0960-0719. SSA uses Form SSA-445
to collect information to make a determination whether to authorize or
deny permission to collect fees for payee services. The respondents are
private sector businesses or state and local government offices
applying to become a fee-for-service organizational representative
payee.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 100.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 17 hours.
5. Request To Be Selected as a Payee--20 CFR 404.2010-404.2055,
416.601-416.665--0960-0014. An individual applying to be a
representative payee for a Social Security or SSI recipient completes
Form SSA-11-BK. SSA designed the form to aid the investigation of a
payee applicant. SSA uses the information to establish the applicant's
relationship to the beneficiary, his/her justification and his/her
concern for the beneficiary, as well as the manner in which the
applicant will use the benefits. The respondents are representative
payee applicants for Titles II, VIII, XVI.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 1,500,000.
Estimated Annual Burden: 248,335 hours.
[[Page 53920]]
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Average
Collection method Number of Frequency of burden per Total annual
respondents response response burden
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Individuals/Households (90%):
Representative Payee System (RPS)........... 135,000 1 10.5 23,625
RPS/Signature Proxy......................... 765,000 1 9.5 121,125
Paper Version............................. 450,000 1 10.5 78,750
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Totals.................................. 1,350,000 .............. .............. 223,500
Private Sector (9%):
RPS......................................... 13,500 1 10.5 2,363
RPS/Signature Proxy......................... 76.500 1 9.5 12,113
Paper Version............................... 45,000 1 10.5 7,875
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Totals.................................. 135,000 .............. .............. 22,351
State/Local/Tribal Government (1%):
RPS......................................... 1,500 1 10.5 263
RPS/Signature Proxy......................... 8,500 1 9.5 1,346
Paper Version............................... 5,000 1 10.5 875
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Totals.................................. 15,000 .............. .............. 2,484
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Grand Total:........................ 1,500,000 .............. .............. 248,335
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6. Modified Benefit Formula Questionnaire--Foreign Pension--0960-
0561. SSA uses the information collected on Form SSA-308 to determine
exactly how much (if any) of a foreign pension may be used to reduce
the amount of Title II Social Security retirement or disability
benefits under the modified benefit formula. The respondents are
applicants for Title II Social Security retirement or disability
benefits who have foreign pensions.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 50,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 8,333 hours.
7. Claimant's Work Background--20 CFR 404.1565(b), 20 CFR
416.965(b)--0960-0300. SSA uses the information from form HA-4633 when
an individual has requested a hearing before an administrative law
judge (ALJ) on the issue of whether or not he or she is disabled. The
completed HA-4633 provides an updated summary of the individual's
relevant work history, information the ALJ requires in assessing a
claimant's disability within the meaning of the Social Security Act.
The respondents are members of the public who have filed for disability
benefits under Title II and/or Title XVI and have requested a hearing
before an ALJ.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 151,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 37,750 hours.
II. SSA has submitted the information collections listed below.
Your comments on the information collections will be most useful if OMB
and SSA receive them within 30 days from the date of this publication.
You can request a copy of the information collections by e-mail,
[email protected], fax 410-965-6400, or by calling the SSA Reports
Clearance Officer at 410-965-0454.
1. Statement Regarding Date of Birth and Citizenship--20 CFR
404.716--0960-0016. Form SSA-702 collects information needed when
preferred or other evidence is not available to prove age or
citizenship for an individual applying for Social Security benefits.
SSA uses the information to establish age as a factor of entitlement to
Social Security benefits or U.S. citizenship as a payment factor.
Respondents are individuals with knowledge about the date of birth and/
or citizenship of applicants for one or more Social Security benefits
who need to establish their dates of birth as a factor of entitlement
or U.S. citizenship as a factor of payment.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 1,200.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 200 hours.
2. Application for Benefits under a U.S. International Social
Security Agreement--20 CFR 404.1925--0960-0448. SSA uses information
from Form SSA-2490-BK to determine entitlement to Social Security
benefits from the United States or from a country that has entered into
a Social Security agreement with the United States. The respondents are
individuals who are applying for old age, survivors or disability
benefits from the United States or from a Totalization agreement
country.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 26,700.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Average Burden: 13,350 hours.
3. Plan for Achieving Self-Support--20 CFR 416.110(e), 416.1180-
1182, 416.1225-1227--0960-0559. SSA collects the information on Form
SSA-545 when an SSI applicant/recipient desires to use available income
and resources to obtain education and/or training in order to become
self-supportive. SSA uses the information to evaluate the recipient's
plan for achieving self-support to determine whether to approve the
plan under the provisions of the SSI program. The respondents are SSI
applicants/recipients who are blind or disabled and want to develop a
plan to go to work.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 7,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 2 hours.
Estimated Annual Burden: 14,000 hours.
4. Authorization to Disclose Information to Social Security
Administration--20 CFR 404.1512 & 20 CFR 416.912--0960-0623. SSA must
obtain sufficient medical evidence to make eligibility determinations
for Social Security disability benefits and
[[Page 53921]]
SSI payments. For SSA to obtain medical evidence, an applicant must
authorize his or her medical source(s) to release the information to
SSA. The applicant may use Form SSA-827 to provide consent for the
release of information. Generally, the State Disability Determination
Service completes the form(s) based on information provided by the
applicant, and sends the form(s) to the designated medical source(s).
The respondents are applicants for Title II benefits and Title XVI
payments.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information
collection.
Reading, Signing, and Dating the 1st SSA-827 (10 Minutes)
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Estimated
Number of Total annual number of Total burden
Total respondents reports by each responses minutes per hours
respondent response
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3,853,928................................... 1 3,853,928 10 642,321
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Signing and Dating Three Additional SSA-827s
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Estimated
Number of Total annual number of Total burden
Total respondents reports by each responses minutes per hours
respondent response
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3,853,928................................... 3 11,561,784 1 192,696
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Reading the Explanation of the SSA-827 on the Internet
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Estimated
Number of Total annual number of Total burden
Total respondents reports by each responses minutes per hours
respondent response
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
586,232..................................... 1 586,232 3 29,312
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Collectively:
Number of Respondents: 3,853,928.
Frequency of Response (Average per case): 4.
Average Burden per Response: 13 minutes to complete all 4 forms.
Average Burden to Read Internet Instructions: 3 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden for Reading Internet Explanation: 29,312.
Estimated Annual Burden to read instructions and complete the form:
864,329 hours.
5. Review of the Disability Hearing Officer's Reconsidered
Determinations Before It Is Issued--20 CFR 404.913-404.918, 404.1512-
404.1515, 404.1589, 416.912-416.915, 416.989, 416.1413-416.1418,
404.918(d) and 416.1418(d)--0960-0709. When SSA approves a claim for
Social Security disability benefits or SSI payments, it periodically
conducts a continuing disability review (CDR) during which the agency
reviews the claimant's status to see if his/her condition has improved
to the point where the claimant is capable of working. If SSA notifies
a claimant that the agency will cease paying benefits, the claimant may
appeal that determination. The first appeal gives the claimant the
opportunity for a full evidentiary hearing before a disability hearing
officer (DHO). A federal component reviews a small sample of the DHO's
determinations. It is rare for the reviewing component to reverse a DHO
determination favorable to the claimant. Before SSA can produce the
unfavorable determination, the claimant has 10 days to provide a
written statement explaining why SSA should not stop payments. That
written statement is the information collected in this process.
Respondents are CDR claimants whose benefits are going to cease.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 8.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 60 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 8 hours.
6. Farm Arrangement Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1082(c)--0960-0064.
When self-employed workers submit earnings data to SSA, they cannot
count rental income from a farm unless they demonstrate ``material
participation'' in the farm's operation. A material participation
arrangement means the farm owners who are seeking to have earnings
counted by SSA must perform a combination of physical duties,
management decisions, and capital investment in the farm they are
renting out. In such cases, SSA uses form SSA-7157, the Farm
Arrangement Questionnaire, to document material participation. The
respondents are workers who are renting farmland to other people and
who are involved in the operation of the farm and want to claim
countable income from their work there.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 38,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 19,000 hours.
7. Disability Update Report--20 CFR 404.1589-.1595, 416.988-.996--
0960-0511. SSA periodically reviews current disability cases to
determine if the recipients should continue to receive disability
payments. In cases where these reviews indicate beneficiaries might
have experienced a medical improvement, SSA must investigate further.
The agency uses form SSA-455/SSA-455-OCR-SM, the Disability Update
Report, for this purpose. Specifically, SSA uses the information it
gathers on this form to determine if (1) there is enough evidence to
warrant referring the beneficiary for a full medical CDR (2) the
beneficiary's impairment has not changed enough to warrant a CDR; or
(3) there are unresolved work-related issues for the beneficiary. The
respondents are Title II
[[Page 53922]]
and Title XVI disability payment recipients.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 880,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 220,000 hours.
Dated: September 10, 2008.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-21591 Filed 9-16-08; 8:45 am]
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